Dear Eclipse Now,
I should know better than to be conciliatory. Now look, all the trouble I've taken to make you think beyond yourself is undone, indeed swamped by a wave of mock-triumphalism--though I'm sure you're sincere. I stand by everything I've said and refute utterly the charge of "bulverism"---which is rich coming from a Christian!
I don't understand why I need to <describe a Marxist design studio. Try to, or you’ll risk confirming everything I said about your previous posts>?
The fact that your "creativity is "derivative, predicated" etc. alludes to its innate contradiction, between use-value and exchange-value (more complicated than it sounds); the former is inevitably compromised by the latter.
The links to the new-urbanism seem frankly, well, utopian, and strike me more as yet another entrepreneurial pitch (didn't Kunstler use to sell vacuum cleaners?). Urban and suburban renewal is hardly a new concept; in fact its perennial. The big question for me is, who pays for it, especially in countries bordering on bankruptcy? Or are we talking about glass-walled communities for the upwardly mobile, like Dubai? Would the unemployed, single mums, blacks, Hispanics, Arabs, Aborigines and Gypsies be able to move in and live in close proximity with the quality, using the same schools, hospitals, public transport etc? If so, wouldn't the quality retreat to the country again?
If all Christians are as idealistic as you, they should definitely vote green. But what will they do for a mission?

Thanks for the welcome back, TBC and Poirot :)

TBC - of course I have some thoughts about moderation, but it would be off-topic to express them in this discussion and that's against the rules ;)

Squeers,
Fail. If you cannot describe what is wrong with my design studio IN ENGLISH (and cut the condescending Marxist techno-babble), then don’t bother pretending you have a clue. If you don’t have any *real world* solutions, then you are just a carping old commie whining about your history of failed dreams.

Hard corps socialism has been shown to be a complete waste of time. How does the State dictating what I can or cannot buy for my design business make me more efficient? How does submitting our designs to some stupid committee help me satisfy the client’s needs any faster? You’re delusional, pure and simple.

Unless you have a concrete idea to contribute to the real world, stop whining. Put up or shut up.

You’re hiding the fact that you have no real alternative constitution or operational models behind a wall of Marx-o-babble. “The fact that your "creativity is "derivative, predicated" etc. alludes to its innate contradiction, between use-value and exchange-value (more complicated than it sounds);”

Hey, you just reminded me, it might actually be time to raise our prices a bit. Other than that, you’re wrong.

We have already pruned out all the bad clients that we can’t stand, and so tend to have great relationships with most of our customers & friends.

(That’s why I just sit around all day in tears from my alienation. Boo hoo, I’m so alienated!)

Squeers, you sound like a Scientologist selling Dianetics.
Diagnose a fake illness to sell a fake solution. Oh, except the Scientologists are better at selling their ‘solution‘ — you can’t even begin to describe yours.

You had an opportunity to discuss something real with an interested fellow Aussie, but you blew it. The superior tone and failure to actually answer questions have convinced me you’re not sincere about changing the world. You’re an internet troll. I suggest you take a deep breath, turn off your computer, and go outside for a walk and meet some *real people* in the flesh: your behaviour needs that kind of ‘instant feedback’.

You’re a waste of time. Goodbye.

@ all

Christians voting today might appreciate the following articles.

(I just found for ALGORE over in the “Behind the Green curtain” thread.)

Does Australia need a Christian Prime Minister?
Written by one of my best friends, Dr Greg Clarke.
http://publicchristianity.org/christian_pm.html

Christians and Partisanship.
Written by another acquaintance and fellow peak oil activist, Minister Byron Smith, currently studying his Phd on the role of the church in a world in crisis. (The Crisis being peak oil, global warming, and generally unsustainable and prone to collapse and dieoff events).
It contains the great line: “Consequently, voting is only ever possible while holding one's nose. I've rarely voted with much confidence and never without some degree of regret, often quite deep.”
http://publicchristianity.org/christians_and_partisanship.html

Christianity in society: is there a “Christian nation”?&#8232;Video of Protestant Pastor Mark Driscoll on Christians legislating morality. He says Christians can’t! Moral change comes from the ‘bottom up’ rather than legislating from the ‘top down’. They discuss the failure of John Calvin’s “Christian society”.

http://www.publicchristianity.com/Videos/driscoll3.html

Eclipse Now,

Fancy referring to Squeers as a "carping old commie" and "an internet troll".
The thing, Eclipsy, old chap, is that you completely missed his point (straight over your head) - and you also failed to answer the questions he put to you (works both ways you know).
If you had not rejoiced in your exultation to such an extent, the two of you might have got somewhere.

Happy pruning.

@ Poirot,
Then if you’re such a genius how about you climb down out of your own superior, ivory tower and get dirty in the real world? How about you lay out how I *should* be running my design studio, and how society *should* be functioning in socialist utopian harmony?

Seriously, you guys need some work on your PR department. Rudely slapping around someone because they don’t immediately understand your own very specific and obscure terms from your patronising cult of self-congratulation is not only bad communication, but it turns people off your ‘cause’. Forever. You think I'm a bit too exultant? Wow, the nerve. Grow up.