Raj Patel and The Value of Nothing
Offline Me, my friend and my mom simultaneously stumbled upon this guy last week. He kinda looks a bit like Mohinder Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) from the Heroes show. But this guy has B.A in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford, a Masters Degree from the London School of Economics and PhD in Development Sociology from Cornell University. And the topics he speaks on, it's just like taken out of my mind!
His concern for global economy, food crisis and opposition to "free market" fundamentalism seems to stir a visible response in public opinion. Because, there is no free market at all. Today, most of markets are oligopoly, this is what I've been taught in Economy classes. And there really are some people, who thought that free market can solve everything? That's the greatest nonsense since the statement that "God sees you." I'm glad there is finally someone in media, who can say this aloud. And who will inspire the people to save starving millions and stop this nonsense called global capitalism.
Here's a promotional video on his book:
Beings who deserve worship don't demand it. Beings who demand worship don't deserve it.
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Good video, my favorite part's at the end "The value of nothing, $14.95"
It's now on hold for me at my library. Don't you just love tax-payer sponsored libraries? Thank you Andrew Carnegie here in the US.
I have heard a similar discussion around the dinner table. In our case, it is development vs open space. A number of people seem to think that open space is "wasted". You could build on it, the owners could pay taxes, there is money to be made! But ---
If you develop hillsides, they come crashing down when it rains. Watersheds that support entire metropolitan areas (Seattle depends entirely on surface water, for example) dry up if developed. Ground water is not recharged and so irrigation suffers. Those open spaces are not wasted, they are being utilized by the communities that depend on them for drinking water. Trouble is, not many people are aware of the ecosystems until it fails. And then it is really expensive and time consuming to restore both the land and the water.
Another good one is Permaculture, if you haven't read it.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
There was a free market economy not too long ago...it was called the Mafia.
I found some more short videos. Very clever stuff! It may be strange with my know-it-all attitude, but I really can't think of anything to add. Here, for example, he compares scarcity of food and water to the source of violence, violence against women, mainly. Unfortunately, I can't find the whole interview in one piece.
Hear, hear! Do I need to emphasize how I like the consumer society?
Beings who deserve worship don't demand it. Beings who demand worship don't deserve it.
I'm really intrigued.. definitely going to get my hands on this. Thanks.
Signature ? How ?
LoL Proud to be an American? Here he writes about how he got the american citizenship. I didn't know the ceremony of citizenship approval is so militaristic
Beings who deserve worship don't demand it. Beings who demand worship don't deserve it.