I see that the screwballs have taken over the thread.

I have no problem with dreaming of how things should be. Reason is required to separate the wheat from the chaff, what is possible from what is fantasy.

I would love the world where everyone was as caring and trustworthy and driven to put the common good ahead of themselves to make this reality work. But the history of humanity indicates that is it more likely that lions can be trained to be vegitarian.

Shadow Minister, it appears as though evolution has left you behind but don't worry; there are many like you.

You use derogatory words like 'screwballs' and 'tripe' to describe those who are real thinkers, those who are leading the pack, whose minds are alert and attuned to change, who can see what a mess the world is in and accept that things must change if it is to be bettered and avoid a nuclear holocaust.

Flat-earthers like you are anachronisms. Your minds are closed and sealed. You are the walking dead. You are trying to bring back the Dark Ages when raping and plundering and putting people to the sword was in vogue.

Stand aside, I say. Go and live in a cave somewhere!

Nice dummy-spit, David G

>>How dare someone come along and question the status quo! How dare someone suggest that the current system is deeply flawed, that it leaves many humans frustrated and empty, that materialism is for zombies, that people should question the way they live their lives and not follow the script set out for them from birth by those who become rich by exploiting and manipulating the poor and the gullible.<<

Questioning the status quo etc. etc. etc. is just fine and dandy. No problem there.

There is a line, however, between raging against the machine, and inventing an entirely unworkable new deal that bears no resemblance to anywhere humans might live.

And then to expect people to crowd around, clap their little handies and tell you what a genius you are, is what encourages the "what a fruitloop" reaction.

>>Such people want to burn Eisenstein at the stake for daring to put questions into their minds<<

So daring, isn't he.

But it wasn't the questions, David G, it was the "answers" that are ridiculous. I suspect you would have been a sucker for the Emperor's new clothes, too.

And just by the way, no-one gets burned at the stake for expressing fruitloop opinions. If they did, we'd have raging bushfires all year round.

>>Real thinkers should welcome Eisenstein's book, be excited about the chance to discuss alternative lifestyles.<<

It doesn't work like that. Real thinkers actually test the hypotheses presented to them, evaluate them against reality, and come to a reasoned conclusion. Real thinkers also have a serious dislike of people crafting "solutions" that are merely a bunch of neo-hippie hogwash, and expect people to faint with awe..

Pericles,

Better to faint with awe than to choke on smog, what say you?

http://www.care2.com/causes/chinas-smog-so-bad-a-huge-fire-burns-unnoticed-for-3-hours.html

Eisenstein's book appears to echo one of my favourite pieces of wisdom from the seventies, "Small is Beautiful", by E.F. Schumacher.

Well you know our civilisation, for all its pretensions is really only a more sophisticated version of our brutishness. Lot's of intelligence and technology, but not much wisdom - its a finite arrangement.

Look what they done to my song.....

They've also paved paradise, Poirot.

And this is as true today as ever.

>>Well you know our civilisation, for all its pretensions is really only a more sophisticated version of our brutishness. Lot's of intelligence and technology, but not much wisdom - its a finite arrangement<<

Wisdom does not necessarily equate with starry-eyed dreaming, though.

DG,

I probably won't be a "free thinker" like you as I eschew recreational halucigenics.

Us anchronistic types will continue to work and strive to build the world in the way we envision, make money, pay taxes etc, and leave the dreaming of a world with marmalade skies to the "free thinkers", safe in the knowledge that the worst they can do is be a drain on the taxpayer.