2.17.09

The student who secures his coveted leisure and retirement by systematically shirking any labor necessary to man obtains but an ignoble and unprofitable leisure, defrauding himself of the experience which alone can make leisure fruitful. “But,” says one, “you do not mean that the students should go to work with their hands instead of their heads?” I do not mean that exactly, but I mean something which he might think a good deal like that; I mean that they should not play life, or study it merely, while the community supports them at this expensive game, but earnestly live it from beginning to end. How could youths better learn to live than by at once trying the experiment of living? Methinks this would exercise their minds as much as mathematics.

Thoreau, Walden

Social / Economic Theory 1.05 : Intelligent & Natural Design

When we learn about the Industrial Revolution as youth, the plough is attributed as a tipping point for industrialization – enabling farmers to work more efficiently, producing more in less time. This allowed them to have a surplus that could be traded for other goods, and it also freed up labor to work in factories to produce even more goods to consume & trade.

But just the other day, as I was listening to BBC radio, the plough itself was turned up. What we thought to be the mode of innovation, was in fact a mode of destruction. Each time we plough the earth, we expose tender, rich soil to the elements – heat, wind, pollution. Topsoil that took millennia to form, can be washed away in mere seconds by a fierce rainstorm.

Testing remedies to save the topsoil, a small group of farmers have essentially let their fields run wild. By working with instead of against nature, farmers allow crop waste to linger and decay on their fields long after the precious grains have been plucked from the stems. It looks unkempt and messy, but it is in fact some of the healthiest matter on earth. The “waste” is a natural fertilizer because as earth worms break it down, the soil is left rich with phosphates. New equipment has been deveoped to plant these unkempt fields by injecting seeds into the ground – and sure enough, the tender green sprouts emerge from the heaps into healthy stock.

Discovering that the plough is no longer good for our needs today, and that instead, we should return to how nature designed processes is certainly the cry for basics resounding in my introduction of Social / Economic Theory 1. We are a society fretted with processes, control, and instancy – and as we see them betraying us in this Recession it’s tough to admit defeat. And as we untangle the mess of policies, debt, and depression – reverting to simplicity certainly has a ring of relief.

The hippies, vegans, vegetarians, and greenies – have been preaching this for years: lose the additives, go natural, reduce-reuse-recycle, etc. – but they have generally been dismissed as radicals. As history shows, these radicals have actually form the new smarter norms – we just resist. When we do accept, and make the change tour ways – we’ll move forward intelligently and in harmony with natural design.

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To learn more about preventing soil erosion, visit the UK’s Soil Association
To learn more about the radical phenomenon, check out Hayagreeva Rao’s book Market Rebels.

Valentina

1.30.09

Not long since, a strolling Indian went to sell baskets at the house of a well-known lawyer in my neighborhood. “Do you wish to buy any baskets?” he asked. “No, we do not want any,” was the reply. “What!” exclaimed the Indian as he went out the gate, “do you mean to starve us?” Having seen his industrious white neighbors so well off — that the lawyer had only to weave arguments, and, by some magic, wealth and standing followed — he had said to himself: I will go into business; I will weave baskets; it is a thing which I can do. Thinking that when he had made the baskets he would have done his part, and then it would be the white man’s to buy them. He had not discovered that it was necessary for him to make it worth the other’s while to buy them, or at least make him think that it was so, or to make something else which it would be worth his while to buy. I too had woven a kind of basket of a delicate texture, but I had not made it worth any one’s while to buy them.

Thoreau, Walden

1.26.09

Hippocrates has even left directions how we should cut our nails; that is, even with the ends of the fingers, neither shorter nor longer. Undoubtedly the very tedium and ennui which presume to have exhausted the variety and the joys of life are as old as Adam. But man’s capacities have never been measured; nor are we to judge of what he can do by any precedents, so little has been tried. Whatever have been thy failures hitherto, “be not afflicted, my child, for who shall assign to thee what thou hast left undone?”
We might try our lives by a thousand simple tests; as, for instance, that the same sun which ripens my beans illumines at once a system of earths like ours. If I had remembered this it would have prevented some mistakes. This was not the light in which I hoed them. The stars are the apexes of what wonderful triangles! What distant and different beings in the various mansions of the universe are contemplating the same one at the same moment! Nature and human life are as various as our several constitutions. Who shall say what prospect life offers to another? Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant? We should live in all the ages of the world in an hour; ay, in all the worlds of the ages. History, Poetry, Mythology! — I know of no reading of another’s experience so startling and informing as this would be.

- Thoreau, Walden

Chanel Silent Film by Karl Lagerfield

10.13.08

sobriquet \SO-brih-kay; -ket; so-brih-KAY; -KET\, noun:

A nickname; an assumed name; an epithet.

Social / Economic Theory 1

Is it possible that the recession, this downfall in our economy is a purging of an over-indulgent consuming society? Is it a cry for help, a return for the basics, the remedy of a higher being? Is our misfortune a diamond in the rough?

As a competivie, perfectionist society, it is hard for America to succumb or admit to weakness. However, cleansing of our ways, a nod to efficiency, and reverence and return to ancient civilization may be just what the signs predict whether we like it our not.

The following theory is based on these key trends, in the American economy and society : 

1) The fall of the house market has resulted in the decline of retail. Malls are suffering as the cost of entry becomes hire, and key anchors – e.g. Starbucks and JCPenney – slash growth plans. (NPR)

2) As fuel / oil prices soar, people are less inclined to travel. Also, we look for alternative fuel sources, or at the very least move to conserve fuel / better utilize it.

3) Resources besides oil (i.e. air, water, land) are being overused and abused. Scares of global warming have called America to action – to reform its consumption, and recycle, reuse, and become more eco-friendly.

4) Technology and information resources make great improvement leaps in short expanses of time. Internet is widely accessible at a nominal or no fee. Smart phones increase in robustness of features, and are lower cost of entrance than computers / laptops.

5)Foreign countries are starting to turn against America’s omnipresence and meddling in affairs. In turn, Americans are disgruntled with our ever-increasing involvement in foreign affairs / wars and neglect on the homefront.

6) Health trends point to increasing obesity and consequential heart disease, diabetes, etc. Additionally, more carcinogens are being discovered in everyday consumer goods (e.g. fertilizers, soda, peanut butter, preservatives). As result diet trends are evolving into whole, healthy, organic “slow” food. Consumer products are being made out of natural minerals and elements – less chemical dependency.

7) Religiosity is increasing in popularity. People are interested in theology, a higher purpose, a more enlightened view on life. “Home churches” are also a trend – a remedy to overwrought “corporate churches” akin to the Great Reformation / back to basic movement.

8 ) Government is reaching capacity to care for impoverished and ailing masses. Welfare, Social Security, and Healthcare systems are losing efficacy and there is a cry for reform (e.g. universal healthcare).

9) Children are suffering in our present education system. Youth are becoming focused on social aspects rather than mental excellence (re: Two Million Minutes). 

 

Based on these trends, the following conclusions or predictions can be deduced : 

1) The expense and decline of brick and mortar retail establishments opens wide the opportunity for an expanding virtual retail landscape. People shopping from hone goes hand-in-hand to conserve fuel and reduce carbon footprint.

• Market structure for said virtual retail exists – making transition plausible / possible
• Low cost of entry into virtual domain, with existing free or low cost of entry structures (e.g. etsy.com)
• Technology / encryption available to ensure safe, secure transactions
• Holds constant that virtual territory is an infinite resource

2) Return of the physical community (harken back to ancient societies) and rise of the virtual community. 

• People will travel less to save fuel and be environmentally healthy, becoming more dependent on people resources in close proximity. Community relationships develop / prosper in such an environment.
• Long distance communication and presence in global community with thrive virtually (e.g. Skype, Facebook)
• Churches will prosper in small communities as people look for deeper connections – outside of virtual world – and extensions of family.
• School systems can become smaller and more focused. Youth receive more 1-on-1 attention, essential for healthy mental rigor.
• Poverty becomes of private rather than government concern. Poor and sickly hard to escape in smaller community. This results in remedy of failing welfare / medicaid system as the private sector steps in. 

3) Increased efficiencies in work / production empower people to work from home, or to produce more with less human resources, freeing people up to : 

• return to agriculture, resulting in : a) healthier diets, healthier people, and decreased dependency for healthcare / disease care; b) improved methods allow more food to be grown for more people; but this is also an easy-industry for those in skilled labor / factories
• Decline of the discount retailer? Depending on people’s ability to produce what they need in real time, may reduce the need to consume goods in bulk from discount retailers, and fill up on fluff / or non-essential goods.
• increased plant life good for environment
• more time for hobbies, athletics, healthy habits
• arts renaissance : people will have more time to engage in the arts, in hobbies, in thought and philosophy – resulting in a) decrease in physical / earthly strain; b) increase pleasure, purpose, fulfillment; c) learn more science by focus on / incorporation of the arts; d) relearn the art of storytelling, and renew importance of culture, history, religion; e) become a more enlightened people

4) America becomes more independent, self-sustaining

• Alleviate dependence on foreign oil and channel funds elsewhere (e.g.R&D for alternative fuel, healthcare, education, refurbishing Mother Nature)
• Minimize foreign conflict stemming from economic strain / disputes
• Develop global platform for think tanks

5) Evolvement of monetary / pecuniary system

• As trade moves to the online environment, global interaction is more common and supported, and the necessity for a common, universal currency increases in importance.
• Open source and technology trends point to the benefit of having many minds collaborate. This being said, more common, accessible and free sites or information will be the most progressive versus the private, secure and limited projects. This may result in a reconciling of the classes – and a new middle arise? or new stratifications emerge? More research needed (re : game theory, prisoner’s dilemma)

Consequences of these predictions, should they manifest, include : 

1) America becomes too isolated

• Loss of corporations decreases competition – both domestic and foreign – thus crippling an incentive for innovation
• Lose dominate player position in global affairs
• Neglect our role in global economy; decrease outsourcing harm dependent 3rd world economies, further stunting their economic maturity
• Close quarters allow inward strife / revolt to fester
• Susceptible to disaster / attack as we become dependent on ourself – place all our eggs in one basket
• Lose foreign investments / capital 

3) Vulnerability to online viruses and identity theft

4) Loss of community

• Become dependent on virtual world, and insulate ourselves from  physical contact / awareness; anonymity and personality invention may prove harmful to relationships

5) The Virtual Frontier may have a limit to its domain, landscape, code, and functionality

6) Expense of transfer

• Job loss – those unskilled in technology will be at a great disadvantage; retail downsizing will cause significant unemployment rise
• New infrastructure will be necessary to expand virtual highways
• Loss of big business America? will talents convert?

This theory is by no means complete, but all are ideas are original based on inferences from local news reports, NPR, and attentiveness to trends. Research is lacking, but in progress, and arguments will be fleshed out. 

The application of such a theory is unclear, and at this point, merely a prophecy, a warning, a prediction.

6.20.08

Lexophile – lover of words 

  

YSL

As he retired, he said: “I have known fear and the terrors of solitude. I have known those fair-weather friends we call tranquilizers and drugs. I have known the prison of depression and the confinement of hospital. But one day, I was able to come through all of that, dazzled yet sober.”