Former Director of the National Venture Capital Association, Early Pioneer in Cleantech, Principal of Rockport Capital Partners

Rebecca Costa does not think like you or I do.  In fact, I would wager that her brain works differently than those of most people on the planet.  She is one of the most innovative thinkers I have ever come across; and, as a venture capitalist, I am in the business of innovative thinking.  Furthermore, her wide, inter-disciplinary knowledge and curiosity give her the building blocks to put together seemingly disparate facts and trends into meaningful and intriguing patterns.

While I don’t necessarily agree with all her conclusions (or some of her observations regarding environmental technologies), I would say, overall, The Watchman’s Rattle is one of the most insightful books I have ever read. The linkage Ms. Costa makes between evolutionary biology and recent advances in brain research, which she then applies to sociology and the decline of civilizations, is nothing short of brilliant.  And yet, I put the book down wondering “why didn’t I think of that!”  The subject of the balance between knowledge and belief in human societies is particularly powerful.  The book is also very well written and accessible.  Importantly, it takes her theories down to some very practical, actionable observations and conclusions for our modern society. This is not a self-help book, but a serious, thought provoking examination of modern society, seen through a different lens.

The Watchman’s Rattle is an important book for the new century.  My hope is that policy makers and leaders across our society will read this book and debate its insights.  The challenges of modern society demand new paradigms and new ways of thinking.  At some point in human evolutionary history, we must face the scientific facts on where we come from, and their implications for where we are going.  Here is a place to start.