i heard this story on npr last week, and it has kept coming to mind. a farmer in drought afflicted california is talking about switching his crops to pistachios, because they are a more lucrative crop. the problem is that pistachios require much more water than what he currently grows. he is going to drill his wells deeper to reach water and this will cost $2 million, so he needs the money, right? when the interviewer asks him if maybe he should be growing flaxseed or safflower (much less water guzzling crops), he pauses and says, "should i be planting it? i don't know. i'm trying to make money here."
this story came to mind during a conversation about the presidential candidates, as in…should? i'm trying to win an election here.
it also felt relevant when i read a negative book review for a logic book i was considering buying for julia's schooling this year. this review actually convinced me to buy the book! here's the review:
"Having been written by a professor who has obviously never left the womb of academia, this book has multiple examples and comments that make clear the author's socialist-leaning political position. Of course, it can be said that the entire subject of philosophy is the pursuit of 'ideal' human thought, so professionals in the field will naturally be inescapably idealistic, to greater or lesser degree.
I am still looking for a book of philosophy for young adults that does not use so many political examples ... perhaps one by an author who understands that socialist utopias cannot exist in the real human world, only in shallow thought experiments that discount higher-order economic facts."
as in... should? i'm trying to be realistic here…not to mention "higher-order economic facts".
i'm not totally certain that this review is even about this book, since it is a logic book not a philosophy book. i think that the comments could be made based on the fact that the book uses advertisements and politicians as examples of relevant situations where the student may be able to encounter false logic in action.
the knowledge that all of this is common thinking... that capitalism is about getting my piece of the pie…and who cares if there's no pie left for anyone else…it's sad…and maddening!
call me idealistic, fine. i would like for there to be water for people and for diverse, nutritious, organic food production. i would like for politicians to work to protect everyone and promote a peaceful and productive society that helps all of us prosper now and in the future. i am not under the delusion that everyone will come around to my way of thinking in my lifetime and produce any type of "utopia", but that fact will not stop me from aspiring to my ideals and doing what i can to move toward them. capitalism is an amazing gift and opportunity, but we cannot lose sight of the greater good.
a bit ranty,
jane :)
this story came to mind during a conversation about the presidential candidates, as in…should? i'm trying to win an election here.
it also felt relevant when i read a negative book review for a logic book i was considering buying for julia's schooling this year. this review actually convinced me to buy the book! here's the review:
"Having been written by a professor who has obviously never left the womb of academia, this book has multiple examples and comments that make clear the author's socialist-leaning political position. Of course, it can be said that the entire subject of philosophy is the pursuit of 'ideal' human thought, so professionals in the field will naturally be inescapably idealistic, to greater or lesser degree.
I am still looking for a book of philosophy for young adults that does not use so many political examples ... perhaps one by an author who understands that socialist utopias cannot exist in the real human world, only in shallow thought experiments that discount higher-order economic facts."
as in... should? i'm trying to be realistic here…not to mention "higher-order economic facts".
i'm not totally certain that this review is even about this book, since it is a logic book not a philosophy book. i think that the comments could be made based on the fact that the book uses advertisements and politicians as examples of relevant situations where the student may be able to encounter false logic in action.
the knowledge that all of this is common thinking... that capitalism is about getting my piece of the pie…and who cares if there's no pie left for anyone else…it's sad…and maddening!
call me idealistic, fine. i would like for there to be water for people and for diverse, nutritious, organic food production. i would like for politicians to work to protect everyone and promote a peaceful and productive society that helps all of us prosper now and in the future. i am not under the delusion that everyone will come around to my way of thinking in my lifetime and produce any type of "utopia", but that fact will not stop me from aspiring to my ideals and doing what i can to move toward them. capitalism is an amazing gift and opportunity, but we cannot lose sight of the greater good.
a bit ranty,
jane :)
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