Multi Disciplinary Perspectives on Society
The Materialist Fallacy – David Brooks
Coming Apart: The State of White America 1960-2010 Charles Murray
Archive for the ‘ Sustainability ’ Category
The Materialist Fallacy – David Brooks
Coming Apart: The State of White America 1960-2010 Charles Murray
Paul Gilding’s “The Great Disruption” – pessimist
John Hagel III and John Seely Brown “The Power of Pull” – optimist “The Big Shift”
The critical importance of building “character”, what it is and how to build it
Yesterday, I sent a letter confirming my intention to retire from UBC on 31st December, 2011. Today, I read an inspiring article by Oliver Sacks about the growing evidence about the opportunities for developing new capabilities throughout one’s life, even in the face of daunting disabilities and the onset of aging. Countering commonly held beliefs this is great inspiration for the coming years. Reminds me of the remarkable developments in understanding that were discussed last year in Charlie Rose’s round table discussion series about The Brain. I have been a slower learner, late developer all of my life. How exciting to think about what might still be ahead.
In Building a Green Economy, an April 5, 2010, article published in The New York Times Magazine, Paul Krugman provides a most accessible overview of the arguments for and against proposals for using cap and trade vs. emissions tax strategies in meeting the challenges of climate change. In the process he gives an easily understood introduction to environmental economics and convincing reasons for possibly combining the two strategies. In concluding he considers the relative merits of “ramp” vs. “big bang” approaches to acting on climate change threats in the light of the uncertainties involved in assessing their benefits and costs. His approach to this latter choice and conclusion that the “big bang” approach should be preferred, particularly caught my attention because of my interest in exploring arguments for adopting “strong sustainability” strategies sooner rather than later.