September University: Summoning Passion for an Unfinished Life, Charles D. Hayes, Autodidactic Press, 2010
This book is intended for those in the second half of their lives who are not ready to die just yet.
September University is not an actual school, but more of a frame of mind or philosophy. It radically changes the idea of retirement from doing very little while waiting for the Grim Reaper, to helping to create a better world for future generations. Within the next 20 years, the baby boomer generation will reach retirement age. They have plenty of demographic power to change American society for the better. Why not start using it?
Among the major obstacles to getting more out of life are a fear of death, and a lack of curiosity. The book shows how to turn those around. In this extremely media-centric world, it is more important than ever to be able to filter through the media noise and get to the important stuff. In attempting to get past the "us versus them" way of thinking, the author looks at the human belief in the "group," those who look or think like us, and the automatic bias against those who are not part of the group. Imagine the possibilities when new technologies are used to quench a thirst for knowledge. How does one reconcile a new-found desire for a just society with the system presently in place? The author gives alternatives.
What can the average person do to help create such a society? Pick a subject or issue that you really care about, and find organizations working to build such a future. Seek out chances to engage in civil dialogue. Join or visit groups whose values are different from yours. Read the books that you have never had a chance to read. Create an e-mail list of legislators to contact, and don't be afraid to use it. Learn about the Internet world of teenagers. Visit a senior center or an orphanage. Connect with younger generations. Write frequent letters to the editor of your local newspaper. Write your own epitaph.
Just because you are getting on in years, don't think for a second that you can't still contribute to society. This is a wonderful book full of inspiration for those who have the desire to better society, but don't know what to do with that energy. This gets two strong thumbs-up.
Showing posts with label hayes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hayes. Show all posts
Monday, November 5, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Portals in a Northern Sky
Portals in a Northern Sky, Charles Douglas Hayes, Autodidactic Press, 2003
This multi-faceted novel takes place in and around the state of Alaska. Part of it is a multi-generation saga of one family over the last 150 years. It starts with a young woman named Sara Spencer Peek, part of a westward-bound wagon train in the mid 19th century. Back in the present, Bob Thornton is a Wall Street superstar, who, one day, walks away from everything, and heads for Alaska. He's not totally sure where he's going or what he'll do once he gets there, but there has to be more to life than Wall Street. While hitchhiking, he is picked up by Ruben Sanchez, self-educated philosopher. They do a lot of talking about philosophy, most of it centered on the book "Moby Dick".
Adam Whitehead is a world-renowned physicist doing his best to drop off the face of the earth. Both his parents died of complications from Alzheimer's Disease, and, being of the age where such a thing is a major concern, he is terrified that he will be next. Should it happen, he will end his own life before he ends up in some nursing home. James Tall Tree, the Presidential Science Adviser, calls out the Alaska State Police in almost-desperate search for Whitehead. His theories have led to a mjor discovery that is about to be released to the public. Tall Tree wants to officially acknowledge Whitehead's contribution.
It has become possible to go back in time and watch events as they happen in real time. Going to any coordinates, as long as it was outside and there was no cloud cover, it is possible to go back as far as the cavemen and watch it 'live'. Access to this system will be freely available to anyone with an internet connection. The repercussions for all of human society, especially fields like history and archaeology, will, of course, be cataclysmic.
I really enjoyed this book, but it's not for everyone. The reader had better like home-grown, self-educated philosophy, because there is a lot of it in this book. Otherwise, it works as a science fiction novel, as a Jack London-type adventure novel, and it will give the reader plenty to think about. It's very much worth reading.
This multi-faceted novel takes place in and around the state of Alaska. Part of it is a multi-generation saga of one family over the last 150 years. It starts with a young woman named Sara Spencer Peek, part of a westward-bound wagon train in the mid 19th century. Back in the present, Bob Thornton is a Wall Street superstar, who, one day, walks away from everything, and heads for Alaska. He's not totally sure where he's going or what he'll do once he gets there, but there has to be more to life than Wall Street. While hitchhiking, he is picked up by Ruben Sanchez, self-educated philosopher. They do a lot of talking about philosophy, most of it centered on the book "Moby Dick".
Adam Whitehead is a world-renowned physicist doing his best to drop off the face of the earth. Both his parents died of complications from Alzheimer's Disease, and, being of the age where such a thing is a major concern, he is terrified that he will be next. Should it happen, he will end his own life before he ends up in some nursing home. James Tall Tree, the Presidential Science Adviser, calls out the Alaska State Police in almost-desperate search for Whitehead. His theories have led to a mjor discovery that is about to be released to the public. Tall Tree wants to officially acknowledge Whitehead's contribution.
It has become possible to go back in time and watch events as they happen in real time. Going to any coordinates, as long as it was outside and there was no cloud cover, it is possible to go back as far as the cavemen and watch it 'live'. Access to this system will be freely available to anyone with an internet connection. The repercussions for all of human society, especially fields like history and archaeology, will, of course, be cataclysmic.
I really enjoyed this book, but it's not for everyone. The reader had better like home-grown, self-educated philosophy, because there is a lot of it in this book. Otherwise, it works as a science fiction novel, as a Jack London-type adventure novel, and it will give the reader plenty to think about. It's very much worth reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)