Jeremy Lent, described by Guardian journalist George Monbiot as “one of the greatest thinkers of our age,” is an author and speaker whose work investigates the underlying causes of civilization’s existential crisis while exploring pathways toward a life-affirming future. Born in London and educated at Cambridge University with a BA in English Literature and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Lent transitioned from his career as an internet company CEO to dedicate himself to understanding humanity’s search for meaning and sustainable flourishing. His award-winning book “The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Search for Meaning” explores how humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day, while his subsequent work “The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe” offers coherent intellectual foundation for a worldview based on connectedness that could lead humanity to sustainable future. Lent founded the Deep Transformation Network, a global community exploring pathways to ecological civilization, and the nonprofit Liology Institute, dedicated to fostering an integrated worldview that enables humanity to thrive sustainably on Earth. Living in Berkeley, California, with his partner, Lent continues writing topical articles exploring deeper patterns of political and cultural developments through his “Patterns of Meaning” platform, demonstrating how understanding root causes of civilizational crisis can inform practical steps toward regenerative alternatives.
Why their voice matters: Lent provides rigorous analysis of how cultural worldviews shape civilizational outcomes, demonstrating that addressing the climate crisis and social breakdown requires transforming fundamental assumptions about human nature, progress, and our relationship with the natural world rather than just implementing technological or policy fixes within existing paradigms.