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The Ideology of Life: The Foundation of Political Revolution and 21st Century Sustainability

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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.

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.

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.

When Dr. Roberts says that a change in our thinking process will be the first step towards positive change and 21st sustainability, he is saying something that is profound and critical to understand. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who is interested in helping to save the planet. READ IT WORLD. S.Ray, Florida

Prepare yourself! You will never be the same. S.I. Bishop, CEO

Very thoughtful and interesting. Great book!

The revealed truth becomes obvious to the reader only after one has had time to digest all that the author is saying. Even though the ideas presented are controversial, it is the controversial nature of those ideas that make the book very interesting reading. Dr. Roberts is obviously a leading thinker on the subject of 21st century sustainability. His vision of a sustainable future is compelling. His suggested path to that future (a political-ideological revolution) is both compelling and controversial. I embrace that vision, if not the entire path, and urge others to fully understand and think about what he is saying. This book should be mandatory reading for all students, politicians and environmentalists. In fact, it should be mandatory reading for any person who is interested in using the democratic process to create a better world. -- M. Jones.

"The Ideology of Life" is unique in its field at simultaneously incoorporating a deep look at the causes of the Western world's accumulating crises, with a rational and detailed outline of solutions to our crises. He accomplishes his goal of instigating cultural change by presenting this information in a style that allows an average reader to fully and easily grasp the implications of the processes. His formula for cultural change remains within the framework of the capitalist infrastructure, a goal usually overlooked by writers of this calibur in the field of political revolution. Few writers present criticism this extensive and answer it with this level of detail in novel and practical solutions capable of being understood by the majority of people. This book presents a balanced paradigm shift.