Comments on: Recommended Reading http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:37:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Odysseus http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32275 Odysseus Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:30:58 +0000 http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32275 Thanks for the tip, Lincoln. I'll have to check this out, but I have to say that I'm *very* suspicious of claims like these: "truly functioning local communities". Utopian visions scare me because they don't work and people get hurt. Thanks for the tip, Lincoln. I’ll have to check this out, but I have to say that I’m *very* suspicious of claims like these: “truly functioning local communities”. Utopian visions scare me because they don’t work and people get hurt.

]]> By: Mogogo http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32292 Mogogo Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:21:31 +0000 http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32292 but Odysseus, isnt ours a vision of truly functioning local communities? and perhaps even a utopian vision or two? but Odysseus, isnt ours a vision of truly functioning local communities? and perhaps even a utopian vision or two?

]]> By: Odysseus http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32306 Odysseus Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:14:53 +0000 http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32306 Describe these visions, dear Mogogo. I don't see them the same way. Describe these visions, dear Mogogo. I don’t see them the same way.

]]> By: Lincoln http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32313 Lincoln Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:48:35 +0000 http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32313 When you read Berry, Odysseus, I think you'll see that his vision is hardly utopian and is based in what I find to be a fairly robust--though by no means unassailable--understanding of human beings and human communities. When you read Berry, Odysseus, I think you’ll see that his vision is hardly utopian and is based in what I find to be a fairly robust–though by no means unassailable–understanding of human beings and human communities.

]]> By: Mogogo http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32338 Mogogo Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:33:48 +0000 http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32338 In my version of the future, supermarkets will be banned. the purity of locally grown produce shall be extolled. but above all, local spiritual assemblies shall dispense justice for the community at home. orphanages, schools, hospitals, elderly care homes shall intermingle with houses of worship. the lion shall lay with the lamb. In my version of the future, supermarkets will be banned. the purity of locally grown produce shall be extolled. but above all, local spiritual assemblies shall dispense justice for the community at home. orphanages, schools, hospitals, elderly care homes shall intermingle with houses of worship. the lion shall lay with the lamb.

]]> By: Odysseus http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32383 Odysseus Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:02:50 +0000 http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32383 Banning supermarkets? Are you serious? That's what I mean: people will get hurt by a radically localised food distribution system. I'm all for 'extolling' local produce, but we'd need to see major population movements to make civilisation viable on the basis of local produce. And even then, do you want to ban fertilizers, pesticide and large-scale farming? Sheez... Banning supermarkets? Are you serious? That’s what I mean: people will get hurt by a radically localised food distribution system. I’m all for ‘extolling’ local produce, but we’d need to see major population movements to make civilisation viable on the basis of local produce. And even then, do you want to ban fertilizers, pesticide and large-scale farming? Sheez…

]]> By: Lincoln http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32473 Lincoln Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:55:53 +0000 http://www.neocrats.com/2008/02/14/recommended-reading/#comment-32473 Well, Odysseus, Berry contends that fertilizers, pesticide and large-scale farming have a far-reaching negative side effect: they leach the fertility from the earth. That leaching, while not catastrophic in the short-to-mid-term, has the disadvantage of making large-scale farming non-sustainable. Now, I'm not out to ban supermarkets, but if Berry's right, what strategies can we take that will face the reality of declining fertility and increasing population? What will sustain an ever-advancing civilization? Well, Odysseus, Berry contends that fertilizers, pesticide and large-scale farming have a far-reaching negative side effect: they leach the fertility from the earth. That leaching, while not catastrophic in the short-to-mid-term, has the disadvantage of making large-scale farming non-sustainable.

Now, I’m not out to ban supermarkets, but if Berry’s right, what strategies can we take that will face the reality of declining fertility and increasing population? What will sustain an ever-advancing civilization?

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