Too Much Magic
Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation
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Offers predictions as to what technological advances will truly bring, in a sobering look at the future that dispels the overly optimistic vision of the future as depicted in 1950s pop culture.
Imprint:
New York : - Atlantic Monthly Press
Pages:
245
Edition:
1st ed
ISBN:
9780802120304, 080212030X
Language:
English
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references.
Where we're at -- Farewell to the drive-in utopia -- Cities of the future : yesterday's tomorrow or tomorrow's yesterday? -- The dangers of techno-narcissism, or, Frankenstein release 2.0, how Ray Kurzweil's singularity aims to replace the old god with a new and improved version -- The futility of party politics in the long emergency -- Going broke the hard way : the end of Wall Street -- The energy specter : oil and gas, alternative energy, and waiting for Santa Claus -- Insults to the planet and the planet's reply -- Social relations and the dilemmas of difference -- Coda : a systematic misunderstanding of reality.
Where we're at -- Farewell to the drive-in utopia -- Cities of the future : yesterday's tomorrow or tomorrow's yesterday? -- The dangers of techno-narcissism, or, Frankenstein release 2.0, how Ray Kurzweil's singularity aims to replace the old god with a new and improved version -- The futility of party politics in the long emergency -- Going broke the hard way : the end of Wall Street -- The energy specter : oil and gas, alternative energy, and waiting for Santa Claus -- Insults to the planet and the planet's reply -- Social relations and the dilemmas of difference -- Coda : a systematic misunderstanding of reality.
Statement of responsibility:
James Howard Kunstler
Characteristics:
245 p. ;,24 cm.
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Add a CommentThis book so annoyed me I sang a little song while I was returning it: Kunstler's right as all can see He states his facts for you and me He needs no bibliography This book is just that fact free I am the choir he is preaching to, but I like my statistics and 'facts' with citations. Is he quoting himself? Is he an authority on all things? Is he, like my teenagers, allergic to footnotes? An embarrassing volume.
Kunstler's book bothers me. It follows a highly intelligent, logical thread, but then when he mentions the Federal Reserve he goes completely ignorant, both historically and from and educated-type perspective, claiming anyone in disagreement with it is a John Bircher --- completely ignorant of the historical fact that the Progressive Faction was against private banks having the power of the American government's money creation. The reason for the GPO was to fool them, together with William Jennings Bryan, into thinking that just because the gov't was stuck with the bill for printing currency, it was actually in control of it!!!! Makes me highly suspicious of him, thinking he's yet another Corporate Environmentalist ? ? ? After all, the Federal Reserve Act was originally named the Aldrich Act, but was changed when the publicity appeared that Aldrich was the son-in-law of John D. Rockefeller (in 1913, that legislation passed, along with the Oil Depletion Act, along with the 16th amendment for the collection of federal income tax to repay the banks for interest on their loans as per the Federal Reserve Act -- that was a busy year for legislation....)
A must read for those who worry about where the future of mankind is headed. Whether you buy into his ideas or not this book is well written, interesting and presents a few ideas I'd not heard expressed quite the way he does. I will certainly look into other work he has done. The material in his book clearly describes the future that awaits us. A prudent person should read this.
The follow up to The Long Emergency from 2005 reveals some of Kunstler's predictions coming true. Well written and insightful. He does offer some solutions even if they aren't what people want to hear...they are the most likely outcome.
Just another Malthusian, it seems.