Cheryl

I agree that Brian is a romantic in the Wordsworth tradition, but I disagree that this is harmless. His is not just a sentimental yearning to get back to nature but a fundamentally reactionary ideology that would unwind the material progress of the past 300 years AND the political progress – respect for the rights and autonomy of the individual – that accompanied it (and in my view, underpinned it).

Let’s unpack this stuff a little:
• a highly idealised and unrealistic view of “primitive” society
• an elitist contempt for his fellow humans and the lifestyles and values they choose, because we (though presumably, not him) are “mentally conditioned to make by those who create the market”
• virulent anti-materialism (“unbridled consumption”)
• a desire to make the world by imposing controls on the freedom of the rest of us to live as we like (we should not be permitted to eat “junk food”)
• paranoid technophobia (“new type of human brain evolving”)

This is a close cousin to the ideology of the Unabomber:

http://cyber.eserver.org/unabom.txt

... and it is deeply inimical to human freedom and welfare.

I stand corrected Rhian. Your profile actually puts me in mind of Leigh and the fundamentally unsound anti-pops. Leigh, I probably couldn't survive without the tax base. But neither could you mate.

You can call "the anti-pops the 'Ants' from now on". I'm calling you an idiot!

GOLD!

LOL, love your work, Leigh

Trees are beautiful natural creations which are appreciated by many and I'm sure we can get better at integrating nature into our urban environment in the future. But doesn't this article lack balance?

Oddly enough, while continuing to bemoan the advent of civilisation, most nature lovers refuse to move to the countryside where they can make friends with thousands of trees. Perhaps the benefits of civilisation are not being acknowledged by the author?

I'm sure Brian wants to be close to medical services,supermarkets and probably parking stations as well which is why he lives where he lives.

If you live in the City of course you will feel disconnected from nature but you should be cautious about believing your personal issues about urbanisation is evidence of a general malaise caused by the soulless march of Western decadence.

They're still there, old rpg, Leigh, it's a team. They barrack for each other. It's a male bonding club to see who can depopulate the earth first. It's a kind of schoolboy masturbation fantasy re Steve Biddup, Iron John, hairy chest, etc, etc.

I know Rhian wasn't thinking of the 'Ants'/anti-pops aka the desperate single men's club lead by Kanck and Coulter (there's a match!) but he nailed it on the head.

But having said that, I am romantic enough to appreciate Brian's contribution and I too miss seeing Aboriginal kids playing near the cliffs of Botany Bay. Hang on, I've never seen Aboriginal kids playing near Botany Bay. All those bloody jets!

You've got a dirty mouth on you Cheryl.