This book explores the necessity, possibility and means of creating a sustainable 21st century American society (primary emphasis) and global community (secondary emphasis). It focuses on a destructive relationship that is currently manifesting itself between our accepted ideology (a cultural construct existing beyond our normal level of awareness within the confines of the human mind) and the strategic variables of economics, environment and population. It is argued that an unsustainable imbalance exists between our accepted ideology and the strategic variables; that this imbalance is at the heart of our most pressing problems; and that this imbalance can be corrected and the desired condition of 21st century sustainability can be achieved via a political revolution underpinned by fundamental ideological change.
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Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
Accessible to both the layperson and academic alike, Dr. Roberts has written what may turn out to be one of the most influential books of the late 20th century. Well-structured and superbly written, The Ideology of Life illustrates what it means to be human in the latter part of the 20th century and points the way to a higher level of consciousness. It is a must read for anyone who is concerned about the future of humanity. Dr. Roberts' controversial and potentially life-changing views deserve to be taken seriously and examined.
About the Author
Dr. Roberts is a biocultural anthropologist and biologist. He has taught at universities in both the developed and developing world and has contributed articles to various professional journals and nonacademic publications.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Responsible science at its best...a major leap forward.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Ideology of Life: The Foundation of Political Revolution and 21st Century Sustainability (Software)
Reminiscent of Alvin Toffler's classic book "The Third Wave," Joseph Roberts presents us with a new conflict model comprised of two diametrically opposed ideologies: one leading to an unsustainable future, the other leading to a sustainable future. In contrast to Toffler, Roberts places far more emphasis on the deeper cultural forces that are giving rise to the unsustainable surface-level conditions of the present, and his remedy to our current problems is more prescriptive, tangible and politically relevant. Perceptive readers will discern that Roberts' work on deep ideology underpins Toffler's findings with regard to structural rules and historical trends. Indeed, Toffler himself suggested that other assumptions about reality underpinned his theoretical model: "Beneath these convictions lay still deeper assumptions about reality--a set of unspoken beliefs about the very elementals of human experience" (The Third Wave, p.102). Roberts has discovered and illuminated those deeper assumptions. And he has done so in a down-to-earth writing style that avoids the intellectual puffery and obfuscation that is so common today among academic writers. For this reason alone, this book is a must read. But there is another reason one should read this book, one that is independent of the massive amount of well-researched data presented and the grand synthesis that this book represents: It restores hope for the future.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
more cliche than fact,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Ideology of Life: The Foundation of Political Revolution and 21st Century Sustainability (Software)
If you like the books of Alvin Toffler, this one is worth a look, but if you prefer more substance, look elsewhere. Far from earth-changing and monumental, this is psuedo-intellectual pap.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My review certianly recommends the book as a worthwhile read,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Ideology of Life: The Foundation of Political Revolution and 21st Century Sustainability (Software)
The Ideology of Life: The Foundation of Political Revolution and 21st Century Sustainability By Dr Joseph Palmer Roberts ISBN: 1-890456-02-0 In The Ideology of Life, Joseph Roberts defines two broad groups of people, the Maladaptors and the Adaptors. The former are the Systematized types who are the spoilers and the latter, those who are seeking something entirely new. Joseph Roberts sees that the underlying cultural ideology is primal in coercing the former behavior and way of thinking and insists that this factor is not generally appreciated. Thus, people continue plugging away at mis-aligned policies and ways of life detrimental even to themselves. While familiar in a general manner with most of Joseph Robert's positions, certainly the support material and concepts he holds are more detailed and further reaching than I usually see expounded. I see the value of this book, not only in educational terms - as it is targeted at those in the Maladaptor sector - who will be reluctant to read it - but for those activists and thinkers who are trying to do something about the mis-directed circumstance of the human being today. Here is a lot of information and a comprehension of processes. The most receptive audience of course is the already converted, but isn't this always the case! Here, those on the brink of a universal change, likely because of personal suffering which causes them to begin a rethink for the matter is coming from a place beyond their own immediate control - the System reverting to default. In this way The Idealogy of Life will help turn the tide in the favour of the Adaptors. Beyond that it appears Joseph Roberts writing has all the elements of a world-wide manifesto for a political entity that takes as its focus the entirety of the problems which, implicating all people's on their own doorstep, originate elsewhere. This points at the multi-national corporation, the supporting industrial and military complex and the power holders of today who refuse to give an inch or assist in the furthering of real democracy. They only want a style of formal democracy where they retain control. Because of a fixed market - the Maladaptors would say free market' - the stance of the developing nations is negatively affecting economically distant countries as seen in the North America-South America fiascos of market domination and the suppression of home industries, which in turn - as detailed in the Ideology of Life - is breaking families everywhere. Quote: "Make no mistake about it, it is the negative economic impact that the globalization and centralization of the economy is having on families and communities, not the lack of family values' as the ruling elite want us to believe, that is the primary cause of family and community disintegration.". Ignoring what is plainly stated in the book may result in a general collapse where humanity has to start again. This means terrible world-wide suffering. So we had better use such as this writing as a basis for change in a linked grouping of political parties - or create them if they don't exist as Joseph Roberts assumes - across the world to begin affecting the kind of root changes delineated in The Ideology of Life. A worthy read that is more than timely; that is almost too late... Tony Henderson, Chairman, Humanist Association of Hong Kong, and Asia Zone Representative of the Humanist International.
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