The tone of the passage on page 7 is pessimistic, aiming to challenge and engage students with the seriousness of future global challenges and to spur them to actively seek solutions.
The tone of the passage from page 7 titled "The Prizes the Next Frontier" in the textbook can be characterized as pessimistic, given the discussion of the potential difficulties humanity may face in the coming century without tidy solutions and the need for adaptation. The academic tone is set to challenge students' assumptions and make them uncomfortable, aiming to leave them attentive, eager, and possibly a little alarmed, to spur them into serious consideration and action regarding the future of humanity. The passage also discusses the intent of making students carry this tension into the world as a way of actively engaging them in finding solutions to global challenges.
Examples of text that contribute to this pessimistic tone include the notion that we may not exit the century in a state of privilege, a message that could be off-putting, and creating discomfort in students rather than soothing it to prepare them for an active role in addressing future challenges. The use of phrases such as "born with resigned adaptation" and "carrying the tension into the world" further underlines the serious and somewhat grim outlook of the textbook's message.
The textbook's style, particularly its use of varying tenses, supports this engagement by transitioning between past events and present discussions, further emphasizing the immediacy and relevance of the challenges ahead. The Epilogue of the textbook attempts to contextualize the tone in relation to these challenges, solidifying the academic and serious style of the material presented.