• You Belong to the Universe

  • Buckminster Fuller and the Future
  • By: Jonathon Keats
  • Narrated by: Josh Bloomberg
  • Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (346 ratings)

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You Belong to the Universe

By: Jonathon Keats
Narrated by: Josh Bloomberg
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Publisher's summary

A compelling call to apply Buckminster Fuller's creative problem solving to present-day problems.

A self-professed "comprehensive anticipatory design scientist", the inventor Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) was undoubtedly a visionary. Fuller's creations often bordered on the realm of science fiction, ranging from the freestanding geodesic dome to the three-wheel Dymaxion car to a bathroom requiring neither plumbing nor sewage. Yet in spite of his brilliant mind and lifelong devotion to serving mankind, Fuller's expansive ideas were often dismissed, and have faded from public memory since his death.

You Belong to the Universe documents Fuller's six-decade quest to "make the world work for 100 percent of humanity". Critic and experimental philosopher Jonathon Keats sets out to revive Fuller's unconventional practice of comprehensive anticipatory design, placing Fuller's philosophy in a modern context and dispelling much of the mythology surrounding Fuller's life. Keats argues that Fuller's life and ideas, namely doing "the most with the least", are now more relevant than ever, as humanity struggles to meet the demands of an exploding world population with finite resources. Delving deeply into Buckminster Fuller's colorful world, Keats applies Fuller's most important concepts to present-day issues, arguing that his ideas are now not only feasible, but necessary.

From transportation to climate change, urban design to education, You Belong to the Universe demonstrates that Fuller's holistic problem-solving techniques may be the only means of addressing some of the world's most pressing issues. Keats' timely book challenges each of us to become comprehensive anticipatory design scientists, providing the necessary tools for continuing Fuller's legacy of improving the world.

©2016 Jonathon Keats (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about You Belong to the Universe

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Bucky, Bucky, Bucky

Having been one of four students assigned to Fuller’s visiting professorship in 1959, each turn of a page in his life was so “Bucky-like”. This book captures the fun of Bucky as he approached turn turn in events He routinely snd calmly placed both hands to his head gathering the wisdom for the “next step”.

This book brought tears of joy to my wonderful semester bathed in Geodesics and Dymaxion!!!

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7 people found this helpful

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Bucky's legacy

I really enjoyed the thorough dive into Bucky's ideas by the author. Especially regarding his Geoscope. However, I felt the author downplayed Bucky's most important inventions simply because of their inability to be commercialized. I think the author felt this was a "balanced" approach to Bucky's ideas but missed the point Bucky was ultimately trying to make with his inventions. Bucky wanted to show that humanity "will have to learn how to make money, or make sense, because the two are mutually exclusive"- Bucky in Critical Path. His inventions were not intended to make money. Money, to Fuller, was the problem preventing humanity from overcoming its focus on weaponry instead of livingry. And the author conveniently skipped over that part of Bucky's life. Besides that, it was well-written and overall enjoyable.

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5 people found this helpful

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An out of the box thinker

A nice life story about the original out of the box thinker. I was surprised to see it wasn't all about engineering. There was more than a bit of salesmanship involved. A good read if you like to see how people can get around there struggles and move past the things that go wrong in there lives.

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3 people found this helpful

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great perspective of the man and myth

highly recommend this book for a balanced approach to understanding buckminster fuller and his legacy

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Amazing x3

I’ve listened to the entire book 3 times now and some parts even more. Each time I learn something new. Bucky’s work and thinking updated - makes me feel like he’s still here among us. This author was clearly inspired. Special thanks for resolving the uneasiness I felt about the prescriptive and unworkable nature of Fuller’s games, and also about what went wrong with Lloyd Khan - until now it seemed I had just been missing something on both counts.
I can’t imagine any other narrator being able to add so much to this work - better than I would have thought possible.

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That one book . . .

If you only have headspace right now for one non-fiction book, make it this one. A crisp, tightly written, thoroughly researched overview of R. Buckminster Fuller in social context of his time, a excellent critical flection on the legacy of his work.

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  • DM
  • 10-02-20

first time I heard the name

I dont know where or who suggested this book to me but I'd never heard the name Buckmister Fuller until I'd read this book. strange and fascinating I am intrigued and need to learn more. great book and overview of the life's work of buck fuller

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting but a bit winded

Should of been shorter... More sophisticated for my feable mind. I do find Fuller interesting.

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Too Much Nonsense

The book had interesting stories about Fuller but too much of the book are the rantings of the author, and it’s hard to tell where some of the way out ideas of Fuller end and the wacky proselytizing of the author begins...
A good quick listen to give some background on Fuller but not a must listen.

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Pretty good book, once it sinks in

The only problem with this story is that is keeps changing from biographical to some sort of architecture analysis and present, past and future. The beginning is kind of slow (or maybe I should say the presentation makes it unclear that it’s information needed later). That said, it’s still really useful and interesting material

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