Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Apply for Membership

Categories

Please refrain from copy and pasting messages over and over and over, or you will be removed from the forum. We all have input to make so let's keep this at a discussion and not a text block of commercials. Here are some helpful guidelines for good discussion and debate recommended by one of our members:

  • * Stay on topic
  • * Be clear
  • * Build upon your points and address those of other people
  • * Refrain from making assumptions about others' unstated views
  • * If you disagree with somebody, do so politely
  • * Clarify your terms and seek to understand others' (but avoid semantic derails)
Note: The opinions expressed by the moderators and members of this discussion board do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Occupy Together or Occupy Wall St. In the spirit of free information, open discussion, and the freedom of expression, members are able to speak about issues relating and directly pertaining to the Occupy movement. You will be banned for hate speech or intentional misinformation and please refrain from any violent rhetoric; this is a peaceful movement. Thank you.
Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn
  • LilraineLilraine October 2011 +1 -1 (+1 / -0 )
    This book so altered my perception of our society and civilization, that I've never thought of it the same again. It was the very first hint at the reason for some of my inner discontent with the way things are, and explains in an easy way how things came to be this way. He really made it so simple, but it knocked me off my feet so to speak.

    Agrees: MundusVultDecipi

  • MundusVultDecipiMundusVultDecipi November 2011 +1 -1
    This is a very common gift I give. Whenever I find a copy at a thrift store I snatch em up. I have an original first printing I've re-read 'til the binding became weak. One of my absolute favorites. I remember the first time I read it I just cried from the epiphany. Daniel Quinn also wrote Beyond Civilization which poses many deep questions and explores them in a sporadic fashion. You can tell he threw it together but it still instills a very profound message.
  • lavant November 2011 +1 -1
    I have read all 4 books, Ishmael, The Story of B, My Ishmael, and Beyond Civilization. And I don’t read a lot. If you don’t read much either at least read Beyond Civilization. As he says himself:

    “”In Ishmael and my other books, I gave people a new way of understanding what’s gone wrong here. I had the rather naïve idea this would be enough. Usually it is enough. If you know what’s wrong with something-your car or your computer or your refrigerator or your television set- then the rest is relatively easy. I assumed it would be the same here, but of course it isn’t. over and over again, literally thousands of times, people have said to me or written to me, “I understand what you’re saying-- you’ve changed the way I see the world and our place in it-- but what are we supposed to do about it?”

    I might have said, “isn’t it obvious?” but obviously it isn’t obvious--or anything remotely like obvious.

    In this book I hope to make it obvious.

    Humanity’s future is what’s at stake.””
Add a Comment