In Stellar, authors James Arbib and Tony Seba argue that humanity is currently traversing a "full-blown civilizational phase change" rather than a mere period of incremental technological disruption. They posit that the old model of civilization, which has dominated human history for millennia, is built on the "logic of extraction"—a reliance on the intensive management and exploitation of finite inputs: land, labor, and capital. This extractive mindset has shaped human psychology, economics, and sociology to think linearly and mechanistically, rewarding competition, hierarchy, and exploitation. The authors suggest that systemic issues such as slavery, extreme inequality, and environmental degradation were not accidental flaws but inherent "features" of an extraction-based society designed to manage scarcity.
The work presents a bold, solar-powered, decentralized, and AI-driven vision of a "Stellar Age," where the core technologies of solar energy, wind, batteries, artificial intelligence, robotics, and precision fermentation converge. Arbib and Seba demonstrate that these new technologies embody the traditional inputs of land, labor, and capital within the technology itself; once built, they continue to produce with near-zero marginal cost and minimal additional input. This transition from "extraction flow" to a "stellar society" effectively dissolves the root causes of conflict and need. By moving beyond outdated structures, the authors argue, humanity can create a world of "superabundance" where people and the planet can truly thrive, free from the fear and despair that define the present era.
Implications for Systemic Transition: The shift described in Stellar requires a fundamental rethinking of how we measure progress. Traditional economic models, developed for the era of extraction, are failing to account for the exponential S-curves of technology adoption. Seba and Arbib point out that linear forecasts by major institutions—such as BP or the State Department—often miss the reality of disruption, leading to catastrophic errors in strategic planning. The "Stellar World" is not a utopian dream but a looming reality where the "extractive side is collapsing under its own entropy". Leaders must move beyond "sticking wings on the caterpillar"—shoehorning new technologies into old, centralized systems—and instead embrace holistic, systems thinking that aligns with the physical realities of a regenerative world.
Stellar supports the Sacred Canopy of Care by providing the material and technological foundation for a world that "gives rather than takes," effectively removing the scarcity-driven competition that prevents the establishment of a truly caring and equitable society.