In the first part of this article in Shareable, Nikos Salingaros and Michael Mehaffy analyze what is wrong, epistemologically and culturally, with the current urbanistic and architectural practices that often create ‘bio-pathic’ living spaces. In the second part, which we are excerpting below, the authors examine the positive alternative. Excerpted from Nikos Salingaros and Michael… Continue reading
Date archives "October 2011"
Gideon Rosenblatt and Lawrence Lessig: What to think of the framing of the #OccupyWallStreet movement as a ‘Tea Party of the Left’?
Like new-born hearts, beating and radiating from many locations and in all directions, these people now gathering in city after city are the first brave souls to stand up. That is how this revolution begins. No violence. No retribution. Just a decision to walk off the field of a soul-numbing consumer society, and move to… Continue reading
Ending the Beauty Deficit Disorder of Neoclassical Economics
Summary of a talk by Indian economist Shakti Maira: 1. “There are many reasons to be excited about India at the moment, but its extension of the ’same old resource intensive and consumption addicted’ model of growth is not one of them. India remains wedded to the Washington Consensus and the aspirations Galbraith identified in… Continue reading
Immanuel Wallerstein on the nature of the current bifurcation
Fascinating conversation, strongly recommended. One of the key messages: in unstable transition times, free will comes at the fore again.
Book of the Week: Towards the hyperconnective society
When I pit my $75/hour rate against someone in Pakistan asking only $30/hour, how do I survive? And if I cut my rate to $35/hour, does someone else offer the same service for $15/hour? * Book: The Next Billion Seconds. Mark Pesce. I think this new book of Mark Pesce, which will likely suffer from… Continue reading
Understanding the Consensus Methodology at Occupy Wall Street
“A look into the “HOW” of the Occupy Wall Street movement: The consensus process. The community of occupiers at Liberty Plaza have sparked the process of building a movement that now transcends any one physical landmark. The tools to keep the movement alive belong to all of us.”
John Robb: we are entering a new era of Reformation
Full republish from John Robb, stimulating as usual. My own comment is below. John Robb: “Here is some thinking that you might find interesting. Here’s a simplification of the historical pattern of Reformation. Think of it in terms of the global Capitalist system: * Universal system. * Compliance and participation enforced by violence. * Bureaucratic… Continue reading
Slavoj Zizek on Occupy Wall Street: a moving speech
Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek, spoke at Zuccotti Park, where the historic Occupy Wall Street events are currently unfolding. He spoke Saturday, October 8, 2011. Filmed by Chris Spannos. Length 18 min. 39 sec. This beautiful speech is well worth listening to, or reading, as the transcript is below. Watch the video: Slavoj Zizek: “We Are… Continue reading
The tactical and strategic innovation of the #OccupyWallStreet Movement
Excerpted from Randy Shaw: “If you are among those still wondering if the Occupy movement sweeping the nation is sustainable, read Jane Mayer’s article “State for Sale” in the October 10, 2011 New Yorker. Mayer paints a stark picture of how right-wing millionaire Art Pope, little known outside of North Carolina, has used to wealth… Continue reading
On the coming synergy between food movements
Food First Executive Director Eric Holt-Giménez talks about “Food Movements Unite!” an upcoming publication from Food First! Books. (via Nicolas Roberts’ Permaculture.tv)
Are Non-Reformist Reforms the way forward for #Occupywallstreet ?
Excerpted from Peter Marcuse, who asks, what’s the way forward for the movement: Peter Marcuse: “The pressure to whittle down the movement to one for specific reforms is one that is significant, but the discussions thus far seem increasingly to be aware of the pit-falls of that direction, the dangers of converting a mass popular movement into… Continue reading
Towards a ‘maker journalism’
For Stray, too much contemporary journalism is either “in service to the status quo” or represented by a “zealous suspicion of power.” Neither of these frameworks for journalism encourage deep engagement with systems, Stray argues. He proposes a different framework, drawing on the participatory values of “maker culture” (see for example Make magazine): “Geeks who… Continue reading
On balancing horizontal and vertical (spiritual and psychological) development
Republished from Theravada meditation teacher Kenneth Folk: “One way to model spiritual development is by comparing it to a computer hard drive. A hard drive is a device for storing information in a digital magnetic format. The first hard drive was introduced by IBM in 1956. It was as big as a washing machine. Since… Continue reading
An example of the suppression of free thought in the economics profession
The quote is from Prof Richard Werner of the University of Southampton’s school of management, who spoke at The European Conference on Banking and the Economy conference. Via David Jones: “Prof. Werner was also remarkably candid about the intellectual disgrace at the heart of the economics profession: its near total suppression of “dissident” thoughts. He… Continue reading
John Robb on Real Open Source Leadership at #OccupyWallStreet
In the context of the importance of this social movement, we republish John Robb‘s analysis (nearly) in toto. Below, see also the analysis of Fast Company of the leadership dynamics at #ows. 1. John Robb “Occupy Atlanta blocked a local Congressman from speaking at their general assembly. Essentially, the general assembly’s rules require consensus to… Continue reading
An assessment of the costs and benefits of a great debt-write off for European countries
According to a recent poll, two thirds of EU citizens believe that the single market has benefited only large corporations. Half believe that the European status quo has debased working conditions and that the current state of political integration brings nothing for the disadvantaged. That says a lot about the character of the Europe that… Continue reading