Teblog

Small is Beautiful

On June 21 1973, Peter Lewis - the Daily Mail's Literary Editor - wrote a review of a book that was to change the direction of my life: Small is Beautiful: a study of economics as if people mattered by E.F.Schumacher.

I rushed out and bought a copy and, among other things, was taught the wisdom of a focus on need rather than greed. It led me to the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG), now called Practical Action, and many other environmental and sustainability initiatives.

I mention it today because, clearing out the garage the other evening, it fluttered to the floor. I thought you might like to read it. Click on the image to see it in a new window (zoom to suit).

Apologies for its general dishevelment. (And, to those who are sensitive to such things, for the fact it was in the Daily Mail.)

Here on Earth

I finished reading Tim Flannery's Here on Earth a couple of days ago.

It lays out a fascinating history of our planet, the flora and fauna and their effects on it (including mankind, of course) and what we need to do to ensure our own species survives. We're the only ones with the intelligence and understanding to change our ways.

His recipe for global cooperation - a shared 'mneme' which acknowledges the harm we're doing and how to reverse it - is plausible in the abstract. But the book contains all the seeds (no pun intended) of why this is a tall order.

As a provocation, the book is excellent. If you're of a defeatist mind-set, you could end up very depressed by it. Especially if you have children and grandchildren. On the other hand, if you have a grain of imagination, it could start you thinking very seriously about how we get from an unacceptable 'here' to a desirable 'there'.

It will mean change, and that's the threat to religions, nations, different strata in society, business, politics, and so on. All have to find ways to put our common interest ahead of their own.

The book is very readable for the most part - at its best when describing our world and its mechanisms and, understandably, at its weakest when suggesting a way forward.

But, unlike the alarmist books which simply annoy, it gets you thinking. And, for that reason alone, I think it's worth a read.

I'm tired of the sterile AV debate

Today, we all have the opportunity to vote, although some will be more inclined than others to turn out because they have regional or local voting too. Londoners do not have this pleasure which means they have to turn out just to have their say on the AV versus FPTP voting system.

In all the acreage of debate about the new voting system (mainly in articles in newspapers, online articles and their comments), I haven't yet seen anyone commenting on what AV would require politicians to do - and that is act like adults and genuinely put their heads together for the good of the country.

The idealist in me says it's the only way forward. The realist in me says it's not going to happen.

In business, leaders have to make decisions rapidly and they (mostly) do it after due consultation with knowledgeable people. In the end, they make their decisions and stand or fall by them.

It's how government ought to work. But could it?

What do you think?