Monday, December 10, 2012

7… 11... 21… (Maybe not such a lucky number)


     Hi All, I hope you’ve have had a good week.  Myself, well for the most part it’s been good other than a little self-inflicted turmoil.  I had picked up Glenn Beck’s AGENDA 21.   First off, the book is an easy read, one, maybe two days; I had knocked out ¾ of it before I had to set it down.  I didn’t pick it back up for several more days, not because I didn’t find it interesting or… (enjoyable?).  Just the opposite, I wanted to know how it ended but I found the storyline extremely disturbing.  I had to prepare myself, almost strengthen myself for what may lay ahead in the pages.


     The story takes place in possibly the near future, maybe 10… 20 years down the road.  A fictional vision of one path that the American culture appears to be following (along with many other industrialized nations).  In this future society humans are compartmentalized and dehumanized to the point of being little more isolated flesh and blood gears, pulleys and cogs in the social machine with no other purpose than to feed the system.  In the tradition of Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, the social equalities that are promised, degenerate into a two class system, the elite “Authority” class that directs… and all others.  As to be expected the “Authorities” by their self given privilege consider and use all others as beast of burden.  For their labors the subjugated citizens are provided minimized shelter, food, water and care (all at the discretion of the “Authorities”).  Any citizen that becomes a burden to the system through age, health or defect is removed (left to your imagination) but what else is to be expected when you must produce more than you consume…  In an interesting twist unlike the works of Orwell, service to nature and the planet is the driving force behind this obscene fictional society.  This obligation to serve the planet is paramount, to the point of being detrimental to the average citizen.   

    The final pages (Afterword) does a nice job of tying this fictional vision to the realities of today, giving direct cause, effect, unintentional and intentional outcomes of international agendas.  I found my place within the story; I know where I fit in.  As I said, I found this story disturbing.  Not because of what I see as my place within it (30 years ago unknowingly, I made that decision) but disturbing because I see how those around me fit into this vision…  This book is not a pure work of fiction; several of the observations illustrated are rooted in programs that have already been enacted or being considered in your local community.  I recommend you set aside the time to sit down with this book and find your place in it.  Read this book then look at your community, do initiatives, programs and phrases like Sustainable Development, Smart Growth, Best Practices ect… take on new meaning?
 

After reading you will (if not already)
QUESTION what you hear and see…

The TOMCAT

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