The Age of Outrageous Ideas

By Jack B. Rochester, Managing Editor

A remark attributed to the great French philosopher Voltaire goes something like this: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." It seems a fitting phrase for the plethora of views of our modern world, economic systems, ways of life, etcetera: think of a problem or issue and somebody's written an article, blog, or book on how to correct it.

The latest entry is Joshua Cooper Ramo, weighing in with his first book, The Age of the Unthinkable. Ramo, a former editor at Time [a magazine - remember?] and currently employed by Kissinger Associates [yes, that Kissinger], gives us a great read and much to think about regarding aspects of the world and its systems that we can do next to nothing about.

Books of this seem to be proliferating. They're reviewed in the New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, and at the book's Amazon Web page. Who reads them? Or even parts of them? Why do publishers think we'll buy them?

How about you - what book of outrageous ideas are you reading, and why? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,
Jack

Comments

[ChristineBowen31]

Various people in every country take the loan from different creditors, just because it's simple.

[Jawoods]

The disparity between the haves and the have-nots and the haves who can't afford what they have along with people who think they have a pipeline to the truth and too easy access to weapons and channels of communication are perhaps some of the causes of today's craziness. I don't long for a simpler time. I do long for a more rational and self-reflective world where we acknowledge and affirm our differences. It's always easier to seek ways to get along than to fight one another, at least in terms of the consequences and costs. Unfortunately, I am afraid that I want so see that rationality in my lifetime. I can only hope my grandchildren will get at least a glimpse of it.

[Scoremore]

they can easily take a loan from different creditors its because its simple, until they cannot control their selves from spending much...