Deep Economy

The bestselling author of The End of Nature issues an impassioned call to arms for an economy that creates community and ennobles our lives In this powerful and provocative manifesto, Bill McKibben offers the biggest challenge in a generation to the prevailing view of our economy. For the first time in human history, he observes, "more" is no longer synonymous with "better"—indeed, for many of us, they have become almost opposites. McKibben puts forward a new way to think about the things we buy, the food we eat, the energy we use, and the money that pays for it all. Our purchases, he says, need not be at odds with the things we truly value. McKibben's animating idea is that we need to move beyond "growth" as the paramount economic ideal and pursue prosperity in a more local direction, with cities, suburbs, and regions producing more of their own food, generating more of their own energy, and even creating more of their own culture and entertainment. He shows this concept blossoming around the world with striking results, from the burgeoning economies of India and China to the more mature societies of Europe and New England. For those who worry about environmental threats, he offers a route out of the worst of those problems; for those who wonder if there isn't something more to life than buying, he provides the insight to think about one's life as an individual and as a member of a larger community. McKibben offers a realistic, if challenging, scenario for a hopeful future. Deep Economy makes the compelling case that the more we nurture the essential humanity of our economy, the more we will recapture our own.

Both true and false notions of connection exist in society and in the human imagination. In this work, economic and ecological claims of supposed connectedness are compared on a profound level. Starting with an historical analysis of the ethical and economic thought of Aristotle and Adam Smith, the two main representatives of the first and second waves of Enlightenment, this discussion clarifies the value of the term 'deep economy'. Concern about current ecological problems often confronts us with the history, theories, and experiences of natural and spiritual connectedness. This book adds an indispensable factor. It urges us to take into serious account the actual state of economic affairs. Discussion of the clash between ecology and economy has long been avoided, due to the paralysis it threatens. Dr. Van Hoogstraten, however, searched for a paramount view, and found it in religion. In his in-depth discussion of the character of both ecology and economy, the hidden religious pretensions of both fields are uncovered. A merely moral approach to the economy's devastating effects is deemed ineffective: the author offers readers a perspective beyond good and evil. The adoption of this Nietzschean approach he calls 'facing the fate'. Exposing unexplored, forgotten treasures in Jewish wisdom, Deep Economy lays out a possible way to proceed towards a new connectedness. He confronts us with the necessity of rethinking conceptions of life and death, sex and birth, wealth and work. He convincingly questions and explores hidden places, both in society as a whole and in human imagination, where basic decisions concerning living together are made. Unlike established economic thought, Deep Economy leads us through global economy's aspects of exclusion and enrichment, of curse and blessing, to the author's unique world-view presented in this book. Call it a provoking textbook for class discussion, a talking piece for politicians and political scientists, a philosophical work for economists, an interpretative study for theologians and philosophers to work with - or call it Deep Economy.

Is more really better? Can economies continue to grow indefinitely? And will our insatiable appetite for all things with a price tag finally bring the earth to its knees? In this powerful and provocative manifesto, Bill McKibben offers the biggest challenge in a generation to the prevailing view of our economy, arguing that our goal of endless economic expansion is currently destroying the planet, and with it, our humanity. Rather then pursuing unlimited economic growth—a mindset that has brought the world to the brink of environmental disaster—we should concentrate on creating localized economies, and rethink the things we buy, the food we eat, the energy we use, and the money that pays for it all. McKibben uses a variety of examples to show this concept blossoming around the world with striking results. Offering a realistic, if challenging, scenario for a hopeful future, he eloquently demonstrates that the more we nurture the essential humanity of our economy, the more we will recapture our own.

Since wisdom is the ultimate human virtue, its application is important for humans and civilization. Cognitive Informatics and Wisdom Development: Interdisciplinary Approaches argues that wise civilization cannot function without wise people and vice versa, that wise people cannot function without positive conditions for the development of wise civilization. Using the cognitive informatics approach as a basis for the investigation of wisdom, this book offers solutions on how to study and evaluate the state of wisdom in 21st century society and the requirements for wise civilization and its monitoring systems.

This collection of essays is a fitting tribute to Denis Edwards, who was one of Australia's leading theologians. In exploring the most challenging questions of our time, these essays canvas some of the great themes of Christian theology that were the focus of Edwards research. Denis Edwards was a theologian of dialogue: dialogue with our rich theological tradition, dialogue with science, dialogue with contemporary theologians. The contributors to this volume enter into a dialogue with substantial parts of the theological output of Denis Edwards. In the process, they capture something of his humanity, his love of creation, and his concern for our common home. The book demonstrates the commitment Denis Edwards had to a theology that is truly ecumenical and always learning from the insights of others. The editors and authors have done a great service in helping many others to deepen reflection on Denis Edwards' contribution to our understanding of God and the natural world.

In an era in which the individuality and vitality of small towns are under threat from globalization, and city planning discussions tend to center on topics like metropolitan regions, megaregions, and global cities, the authors of this volume see a need to reflect critically on the potential of small towns. They show how small towns can meet the challenge of a fast-paced, globalized world, and they use case studies to introduce movements, programs, and strategies capable of effectively promoting local cultures, traditions, identities, and sustainability. Small towns often play critical roles in regional economic systems. When small towns focus on their specific characteristics and take advantage of their opportunities, they can become stable niches within regional, national, and global economies and take on an important role in shaping a sustainable future. In einer Zeit, in der der Prozess der Globalisierung die Besonderheiten kleiner Städte und ihre Vitalität bedroht, und in der sich die meisten stadtplanerischen Diskussionen um Themen wie Metropolregionen oder Mega-Regionen und Weltstädte drehen, sehen die Autoren die Notwendigkeit, das Potenzial kleiner Ortschaften kritisch zu reflektieren. Sie veranschaulichen wie Kleinstädte die Herausforderung einer schnelllebigen und globalisierten Welt annehmen können, und stellen anhand von Fallbeispielen Bewegungen, Programme und Strategien vor, die örtliche Kulturen, Traditionen, Identitäten und Nachhaltigkeit effektiv zu fördern wissen. Kleinstädte spielen oftmals eine entscheidende Rolle innerhalb regionaler Wirtschaftssysteme. Wenn Kleinstädte sich auf ihre spezifischen Eigenschaften konzentrieren und ihre Möglichkeiten nutzen, können sie zu stabilen Nischen in regionalen, nationalen und globalen Ökonomien werden und wesentlich dazu beitragen, eine nachhaltige Zukunft zu gestalten.

Any serious consideration of Asian American life forces us to reframe the way we talk about racism and antiracism. The current emphasis on racial identity obscures the political economic basis that makes racialized life in America legible. This is especially true when it comes to Asian Americans. This book reframes the conversation in terms of what has been called ""racial capitalism"" and utilizes two extended case studies to show how Asian Americans perpetuate and resist its political economy.