Implications for Today Unmistakable...
348868
Although I had not previously been aware of the historical debate over when and how concern about the human frailty known as avarice entered into western thought, my uneducated guess would have been that it probably happened well before the arrival of the money economy. The human propensity for greed seems to be something that was likely second in arriving into human behavior, once man acquired the ability to conceive of his own death.  But of course there are no historical records back that far. But for those who doubt such a claim, Richard Newhauser has scoured the existing historical record to successfully prove his claim that avarita certainly pre-dated the arrival of money.

The most fascinating aspect of this study are the unmistakable consequences of the sin that, despite all the efforts of those in the early church (later church as well) to prevent it, greed has thrived as a human trait and continues to do so.  Interestingly, the wealth accumulated over and above the minimum necessary might be best illustrated by the wealth accumulated by the Catholic Church itself.

  Certainly, the arrival of money economies didn't hurt man's propensity to hoard.  But Newhauser not only shows us records of concern about creed all the way back to 1 CE, but includes slices of many prominent chuch thinkers who were already bargaining with the idea in order that possessions above and beyond what was necessary to live might be permitted - most notably when the nobility or wealthy wielded power in the immediate vicinity.  I guess not much has changed since then.

I became aware that, despite the early as well as later efforts by the church, it has failed to control greed in western societies even while demonizing it and collecting enormous amounts of surplus wealth itself.
344766
It is amazing to me how closely (in some respects) some of the thoughts of the author resemble what is happening today (2013).
The Government knows BEST (why can't the people see that?)
BUT Freedom & the People's spirit will always shine through!!!

Namleatherneck
3600681
Good read into what our future may hold if something like this ever were to occur. I highly recommend this book..
569113
A vivid, rigorous, yet accessible scientific support for what we know intuitively is true-- that there is a force for order and creation in the universe, and that humans are by nature in tune with it. The implications are wide-ranging and profound, yet applicable on a day to day basis; there is more to the universe than the simple winding down of entropy, and disorder and chaos are not necessarily the enemy
4966802
Wonderful book.  Very timely in light of recent events ... a reminder of how far we've come but how intense racial animosity can be.
422333
Prophetic! What might have seemed exaggerated when these cartoons first appeared now seem prophetic. "Yuge!" offers a disturbing picture of the man who would be President. Another illuminating book is, "A Clear and Present Danger: Narcissism in the Era of Donald Trump"&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-Clear-and-Present-Danger-Narcissism-in-the-Era-of-Donald-Trump/dp/1630513954/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A Clear and Present Danger: Narcissism in the Era of Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;that gives an insight into the psychology of the 2016 election. Why not get informed about the long-standing patterns shown by Trump while being amused.
2414633
Author Jonathan Cahn has cleverly woven current events into American and Biblical history to provide this timely logical and realistic analysis of America's apparent loss of Divine grace during our tumultuous 21st century.  Cahn cleverly immerses the reader into compelling absorption of ancient mysteries with modern conflict which captures and retains the reader's interest in this timely novel that is a challenge to abandon after venturing beyond the table of contents. Constitutional Conservatives will be impressed with how George Washingon and our Founding Fathers forged the sacred Covenant that became the basis of America's founding documents, as well the impact of the infamous "ground zero".  Engage in your own personal discovery of how "The Harbinger" is entertaining, enlightening and intriguing, as you weave your way through a series of profound discoveries in this haunting mystery of life!
2809811
I strongly recommend the book.

Peter Schwartz speaks of "Inevitable Surprises" - changes coming to us which, once here, we could see clearly have been upon us for a long time. This book is a carefully researched and argued introduction to one of the biggest inevitable surprises in the history of this country, and it is coming now. The economic structures underlying human productivity of this country are going to be turned upside down in the next decades, while the pressure on our health care systems will be multiplied many times.

Would you have been able to make use of a good characterization of the economics of the networked world we now find ourselves in, if you had listened to it back in the 1970s? Burns and Kotlikoff are characterizing the world we are about to enter.
118719
What would happen if man's advances in technology start to cast doubt on the validity of some of this planet's biggest influences, such as religion? What about freedom or what we perceive as freedom? This book by Leigh Janet sketches a story that already seems a possibility - even with technological advances that we consider as merely basic today. Without a doubt a thought provoking read that might just rattle your daily reality in areas that are a bit too hard to confront. Definitely a must read.
1285732
Short but very pertinent!  I do wish Levinson had found another verb than "to obsolesce" for "supercede, render obsolete" but probably I'm the only person that would bother. :-)  McLuhan's ideas are remarkably relevant to today's world, perhaps even more important than they were during his life.
2346579
Excellent read as to the current affairs going on - that seem never-ending. Keep it up, Tony. You may have a future. (Would the C-4 on the door cause a "percussion or a concussion?)
1733013
If you want to know where the future is headed and where we are today, take the time to read this book
4791564
I read this book a while before the Internet became the daily presence in most American's lives that it is today. Rereading this book quite recently, I am struck by how much closer our world is to the author's vision than it was 10 years ago. Eerie.

Try juxtaposing this novel with the novel, "Feed".
1017989
This book made me look at life in a slightly new, out-of-the-box, manner--and provided ample reasons why doing so is both rational and necessary.  Given the severity of today's world-wide banking and economic problems, I consider the information contained in this book TIMELY and RELEVANT to your own & your family's ongoing prosperity.
4687698
A thought provoking book. Some of the references to the tech world are dated now but that only seems to make the premise that the Internet is changing are mind permanently more prescient. It might be time for Carr to add an additional epilogue with recent advances in AI like Siri and growth of visual based social media like Pinterest & Instagram accelerating our cognitive focus on visual mediums making even 140 characters of the written word seem expansive. We may not even recognize how human beings process information in the coming decades but for those of that can still enjoy "deep reading" of things as quaint as books "The Shallows" deserves our attention.
504806
A thought provoking and timely book for the times we are living in and the dangers we might face.
3141337
Interesting technical analysis perspective of the future challenges that are likely to arise, as a consequence of today's approach to 'kick the can' down the road and avoid the necessary confrontation, omnipotence and resolve to overcome the many issues of unbounded, increasing global debt.