Comments on: Reinventing Collapse http://zone5.org/2008/06/reinventing-collapse/ ...on the edge between Nature and Culture Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:05:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Shaun Chamberlin http://zone5.org/2008/06/reinventing-collapse/comment-page-1/#comment-32196 Shaun Chamberlin Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:21:25 +0000 http://zone5.org/2008/06/27/reinventing-collapse/#comment-32196 <p>Thanks Graham, I've also just finished Orlov's book, and have posted my own review, taking a slightly different angle, here:</p> <p>http://www.darkoptimism.org/2008/06/29/reinventing-collapse/</p> <p>All the best, Shaun</p> Thanks Graham, I’ve also just finished Orlov’s book, and have posted my own review, taking a slightly different angle, here:

http://www.darkoptimism.org/2008/06/29/reinventing-collapse/

All the best, Shaun

]]> By: Susan Butler http://zone5.org/2008/06/reinventing-collapse/comment-page-1/#comment-31671 Susan Butler Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:44:53 +0000 http://zone5.org/2008/06/27/reinventing-collapse/#comment-31671 <p>So happy to see Dimitry's brilliant work discussed here. Although fairly young, still this author brings all the deep cultural wisdom of Russian Jewish culture to his tale --the long familiarity with being outsiders, and thereby the priceless ability to appreciate absurdity. One of his warnings is to steer clear of political activists of any stripe, whom he sees as dangerous, prima facie, citing the case of his community garden in Boston: at their annual meeting certain well-intentioned "activists" brought up the subject of certain members not contributing to work days or attending meetings, implying their plots ought to be reassigned. Dimitry knew these individuals, also Russian emigres, wonderful gardeners, who due to deeply unpleasant experiences in Soviet society "would prefer death" to communal work parties. The garden organizer allowed the activist elements to voice their feelings but left the old men their plots. She did not play politics. The point being that an ounce of wisdom is worth a pound of politics... The strongest impression this book made on me is the likely futilty of any effort to "Do Something." Dimitry teasingly capitalizes the urge. I admit it goes against my grain to refrain from trying to do things when faced with looming calamity; but perhaps the implication here is that using the same mindset to try and fix a problem brought on by that mindset, might not work. Better to relax, enjoy good friends, and laugh at the spectacle of a world growing more bizarre and cartoonish each day --and prepare to eat some humble pie.</p> So happy to see Dimitry’s brilliant work discussed here. Although fairly young, still this author brings all the deep cultural wisdom of Russian Jewish culture to his tale –the long familiarity with being outsiders, and thereby the priceless ability to appreciate absurdity. One of his warnings is to steer clear of political activists of any stripe, whom he sees as dangerous, prima facie, citing the case of his community garden in Boston: at their annual meeting certain well-intentioned “activists” brought up the subject of certain members not contributing to work days or attending meetings, implying their plots ought to be reassigned. Dimitry knew these individuals, also Russian emigres, wonderful gardeners, who due to deeply unpleasant experiences in Soviet society “would prefer death” to communal work parties. The garden organizer allowed the activist elements to voice their feelings but left the old men their plots. She did not play politics. The point being that an ounce of wisdom is worth a pound of politics… The strongest impression this book made on me is the likely futilty of any effort to “Do Something.” Dimitry teasingly capitalizes the urge. I admit it goes against my grain to refrain from trying to do things when faced with looming calamity; but perhaps the implication here is that using the same mindset to try and fix a problem brought on by that mindset, might not work. Better to relax, enjoy good friends, and laugh at the spectacle of a world growing more bizarre and cartoonish each day –and prepare to eat some humble pie.

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