Very good book I just finished, recommended to me by my main man Elta. Anyone else read it?

Amazon Book link (with reviews)

Author, Douglas Rushkoff on the Colbert Report

Rushkoff's YouTube Channel (haven't watched most of these yet)

It discusses the history of the Chartered Corporation going way back to the Renaissance (which was actually a pretty crummy time compared to the late middle ages according to Rushkoff), how corporate influence laws are designed to serve corporations above human beings & how corporations aim to keep us isolated & insecure & dissatisfied and seeking to solve our problems by spending money (this product, this service, this drug, etc.) instead of thru social means (seeking satisfaction thru friendship, locally created value, even sex [the craving for sex appeal sells hugely but sex itself does not]).

I listened to the audiobook (Doug's voice is pleasant enough), about 11.5 hours worth. My main qualm with the book is that A : it was a bit too long (the historical & current examples were great but he didn't need quite so many to prove his points) and B : the last (positive) chapter was a bit too short for my taste - about 11 hours of what's wrong & only about half-an-hour of positive examples, solutions, etc.). Now I know it's our job to create the positive value ourselves but I could have used a bit more positive examples of community created value to counter the hundreds of examples of institutionalized corporate corruption.

Overall an instructive & compelling read though, will add to my sig as my book of the month. They should really have this guy on TED Talks (they may not however because he disses Malcolm Gladwell).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2009 10:34PM by communitybuilder.

thanks for the heads up

sounds interesting

and probably a whole heck of a lot better than michael moore's "Capitalism, a Love Story" didyou see it?

there was nothing wrong with moore's documentary but i think books always have far more substance

i watched a few things on TED : cool stuff

but who the heck is malcolm gladwell ?

Haven't read it, but have been a fan of Doug Rushkoff for years, and have read his stuff in Shift magazine. Very, very smart about these issues, is he. Thanks for recommending.

Haven't read it, but it sounds interesting. I'm gong to look for him on google.

Lately I've been paying more attention to how things were 'good' or 'bad' (it's all relative anyway) in other times and places-- how much government oppression existed, and in what forms, in other decades and cultures can shed a lot of light on our current situation.

Sharrhan:


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kwan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Haven't read it, but it sounds interesting. I'm
> gong to look for him on google.
>
> Lately I've been paying more attention to how
> things were 'good' or 'bad' (it's all relative
> anyway) in other times and places-- how much
> government oppression existed, and in what forms,
> in other decades and cultures can shed a lot of
> light on our current situation.


Light or comparison ? I tend to feel that todays corporate corruption has existed since at least the times when this book suggests it did, and has had noticable peaks at such times as the French or American revolutions etc. IMO todays is another peak, but just with way more people than have ever existed before.

Also as I've said many times before, I think that it is a joint effort by everyone, not so much a corporations vs the people type of thing.

> I think that it is a joint effort by everyone, not so much a corporations vs the people type of thing<

I feel that those who have chosen the path of unchecked greed and power have created the lion's share of the problem. Tell me more about why you feel we are all equally responsible and it's a joint effort, which implies that we all want it.

To be honest, Lightform, your view sounds to me like blaming the victims.

Sharrhan:


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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2009 02:50AM by kwan.

I wouldn't say equal is the right word Kwan, that describes sameness when we are all different. I would liken it to the analogy of an overloaded boat which is sinking. There are 7 people in the boat and one of them weights 3 times that of the others, but the boat is only a little bit over wieght, so if you took any one of them out it would float.

It is easy to point the finger at the heavy one and say it's all their fault we're sinking ! but if it wasn't for every other person then there wouldn't be a problem either. Then there is another aspect where the heavy person is only heavy because the other 6 people all individually asked for him to hold on to an item of theirs from the shore, rather than discarding it before they left. ( consumer power / collective influence or decisions ).

I also believe that everything that exists is connected, and wouldn't exist in exactly the state it is without every other part being what it is also.

Sigh.

No, Lightform, there are 1,800 people (the corporations) and 5 little kids (the citizens) on the boat. Of the 5 little kids, 3 are already busy taking off their overcoats and backpacks and throwing them overboard to lighten the load. Of the 1,800 CORPulent people, almost none are willing to lighten their load whatsoever; in fact they're having quite a party, eating and drinking with abandon.

I agree with you, kwan. If the consumer playing field were level, it would be a fair fight. But I was born into a world where everything is measured in dollars and cents. I had no influence on its being decided that this is how it would be, and as result my own durable will cannot fight the system to any measurable extent. I try, sure, and I gently influence others by example to do the same, but I don't kid myself that on the average day I'm not Sisyphus here . . .This isn't a consumers vs. industry/producers dynamic. It's the savvy consumers vs. the non-consumers vs. oblivious consumers vs. industry/producers. The boat's a big mess, in other words.

kwan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sigh.
>
> No, Lightform, there are 1,800 people (the
> corporations) and 5 little kids (the citizens) on
> the boat. Of the 5 little kids, 3 are already busy
> taking off their overcoats and backpacks and
> throwing them overboard to lighten the load. Of
> the 1,800 CORPulent people, almost none are
> willing to lighten their load whatsoever; in fact
> they're having quite a party, eating and drinking
> with abandon.

Kwan . . . . I feel for you.
I am only too aware even from my own limited experience, how complex and huge is the dilemma that we find ourselves in today. I am not sure what you are implying with this post though. Are you saying this as a validation or evidence to support that you are not responcible for what is happening to you ? Tamukha also ?

I have no wish to counter your experiences in this regard, as I'm starting to feel that we are all sacred. I would however like to share my own perspective which is a bit different. I believe that we have significant influence on exactly who and where we are etc when we are born, by virtue of our birth giving rise to exactly who we are ( you ).

If we were not being present in the creation of our lives, what would happen to the body that is you ? It is a bit like taking the example of your heart or other internal organs, you can say "they are not me, I am not directing them" ( consciously ), but they are still you. The micro organisms that serve you in your digestive system are not "controlled" by you, but they still represent a part of you, and would not exist without you. They are integral to your existence.

Wether this premise is correct or not is fairly arbitrary though. The point is that you are here now, and it is only you who decides how to experience any event in your awareness. I have found for myself, that every angle of my experience which I agree to be caused by something else, has the power to effect me due to this decission. But when I truely look, when I truely accept responsibility for it and acknowlege that I am the one choosing my experience of it, it takes on a new form.

So in respect of the "other people" who are causing this mess, I believe that I play some part in it, even though I do everything that I can to premote a healthier and happier environment ( as I see it, in the ways that I feel able ). I don't believe that we need to change the world in order to be liberated from it, only change ourselves !

BTW on a positive note, I have some more to add. Change is not going to happen over night, but it is happening. There are good things happening which are profound in extent and direction, but tend to hum along in the background of our daily affairs. We are so absorbed by our immediate concerns that they can escape unnoticed unless specific attention is paid to their existence, especially when our media networks never focus on the GOOD news.

If you would like to be refreshed with some reasurance then I would suggest you look up these things.


[www.grameen-info.org] ( ***** This banking system was founded by a saint IMO, its work is stunning !!! *****)

[www.pangeaday.org] ( This was a world wide peace event which has inspiring implications )

[en.wikipedia.org] ( A major pop star ( Shakira ) who DOES care )

[www.triodos.co.uk] ( Another bank with a humanitarian focus ).

[www.hitachi-c-m.com] ( Here is a construction company that builds and donates machines that disarm landmines thousands of times better than hand to afflicted countries )

The list goes on and on.

Lightform,

I think in the grand Venn diagram of our debate, there is probably a large patch of overlap : )

Thanks for posting those links. I'm curious: do you read ODE magazine?

No I don't Tamu, what is that about ?

Lightform,

Here ya go, buddy : )

[www.odemagazine.com]

>Are you saying this as a validation or evidence to support that you are not responcible for what is happening to you ? Tamukha also ?<

Of course we're all to a small or large degree responsible. But we are little Davids and the system is a colossal Goliath. Sure, I can think of still more things I could do-- use the air conditioner a little less or live even more simply than I already do; make more stuff and buy less mass-produced stuff? I already live pretty simply-- dont drive a car, don't own a house, don't eat meat, don't have tons of 'stuff;' don't invest on Wall Street; buy secondhand, make my own jewelry and artwork, Christmas cards and sometimes presents... how much more can one do? Ha! It still seems like 'tiddly winks'. But my biggest downfall is I feel I don't do enough as a citizen activist.

So in general, I don't feel particularly responsible for what is happening, no. I feel to a large degree it's uncomfortably out of my hands and not in my control; hence my desire to be a better citizen activist to help other American citizens seize back what little control is available. How this is going to happen is what's on everybody's mind right now. For instance, go to Michael Moore's website; he just posted a long tome about 15 things we can do right now to take back our country. Okay, that's the outer picture.

In terms of my inner life, I feel personally 'protected' from any great or calamatous harm by my spiritual consciousness; I have a strong sense that no matter what dire injustices are thrown at me, I'll land on my feet and a way will be opened. (I'm still quite bothered that such should have to be the case, however!) But that's not my point. My point is that millions are unnecessarily suffering, even dying or becoming homeless, because of the gross malfeasance in high places, and my being spiritually attuned, while it may very well help ME and MINE, doesn't have much of an effect overall on the big political machine, which seems to just continue on its merry path of destruction, impervious to the will of the people. So I feel responsible as a citizen to find some way to help my fellow citizens create more genuine power autonomy. Things are so repressive right now that this is a frustrating prospect, but I feel like if we don't strive to create a more free and egalitarian society, we are cheating future generations, and we don't deserve to complain.

So yes, pray and meditate and live by grace and Oneness; this is a priority. But also get up off my ass and take inspired action. But no, I won't shoulder the blame.

Sharrhan:


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I realy admire you Kwan !
My views might sound contrary to your own sometimes but they are not, just viewed from a different angle. I totally agree with the intention behind everything that you are saying, even when I see the details differently. I may come across as though I believe actions to be powerless and would sooner meditate than do, but this is not actually the case. I think that acting to facilitate greater workability within our environment, or "correct" a situation which exists in defective state is desirable and constructive.

I think that you are blessed with faith, and that it does indeed "protect" you. I've already expressed what I think about the controlling forces that exist, although I would add a note about the current worldy situation. While povety, hunger, greed and imbalance are present, I feel that it is our right to pursue improvement to these things. However.. I do not feel that their resolution resides with us personally.

As you point out, there are far too many problems in the world for us to take upon ourselves individually. But they exist within a greater context than that which we encompass personally also. I believe that their solution will be realised through the mysteries of divine connection, and that all we have to do peronsally is follow our own "right" path.

So yeah.. meditate, accept, act and dream. I just think it pays to remember that actions are only as effective as the faith behind them

> I believe that their solution will be realised through the mysteries of divine connection, and that all we have to do peronsally is follow our own "right" path.

So yeah.. meditate, accept, act and dream. I just think it pays to remember that actions are only as effective as the faith behind them <

:-) We're actually on a very similar wavelength; we just express it from two totally different angles, I think. What you say about following your own 'right' path is so important. For me, any activity I engage in in the outer world has to flow out of a spiritual consciousness-- faith and inspiration, and love-- to work and to be fulfilling and successful. I think this is what you are saying too.

Sharrhan:


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>I just think it pays to remember that actions are only as effective as the faith behind them <

That's SO TRUE! The faith and the motive behind them make all the difference. I totally agree.

Sharrhan:


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yes

YESSS! :-)

Sharrhan:


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