X-Message-Number: 28150
References: <>
From: David Stodolsky <>
Subject: Understanding political economy
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:32:53 +0200

As probably the only professional social scientist on CryoNet, I try  
to follow the debate and correct obvious nonsense when it arises.  
However, recent messages are of such a low quality, that I don't even  
bother reading them.

Little can be accomplished if people don't use words to mean the same  
thing. A basic knowledge a subject is essential if debate is to lead  
to even education. These requirements have not been satisfied.

Anyone wishing to show that the cryonics movement is populated by  
anti-social ignoramuses has plenty of quotes available from these  
messages.


I suggest this thin volume - about 125 pages - of easy reading for  
your consideration:

Colin Crouch
Post-Democracy
Polity Press (August 1, 2004)

<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0745633153/qid=1151488432/sr=1-4/ 
ref=sr_1_4/104-5099076-2163120?s=books&v=glance>

Post-Democracy is a polemical work that goes beyond current  
complaints about the failings of our democracy and explores the  
deeper social and economic forces that account for the current  
malaise. Colin Crouch argues that the decline of those social classes  
which had made possible an active and critical mass politics has  
combined with the rise of global capitalism to produce a self- 
referential political class more concerned with forging links with  
wealthy business interests than with pursuing political programmes  
which meet the concerns of ordinary people.



dss


PS: While you may not agree with the author's view, you will at least  
gain an understanding of the terms under debate.


David Stodolsky, PhD                   Institute for Social Informatics
Tornskadestien 2, st. th., DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark
                        Skype: davidstodolsky

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