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To: mcg404 who wrote (19646)	11/20/2003 4:03:48 PM
From: sea_urchin	Respond to of 81177

John > the thoughts of a couple of writers that provide a good perspective by which to view the Wal-Mart story. Thank you very much and I agree. However, it will take more than a few minutes to peruse and digest them because I can see they are both classics which require considerable thought.

To: mcg404 who wrote (19646)	11/20/2003 4:35:10 PM
From: sea_urchin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81177

John, I think you will find these articles by Hazel Henderson to be quite inspiring. hazelhenderson.com Now you can also have some homework to do!

To: mcg404 who wrote (19646)	11/20/2003 7:32:23 PM
From: sea_urchin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81177

John, in response to both articles I have to say that, however awful the present situation may be, it is not possible to turn the clock back to "mythological" times. What was, was! As I see it, a variety of factors have contributed to the present societal and economic situation and not just human frailty, stupidity, greed and malice. Firstly, the enormous growth in population is probably the biggest stimulus to innovation and change, secondly, competition, thirdly, education, and fourthly, growth in money supply (the goldbug fantasy!). And I'm sure there are other factors. These factors, however, create a vicious cycle leading to more population growth, more competition, more research and knowledge, and more business and circulating money, and so on. Indeed, the idea that the "old farming days" were the halcyon days of human existence largely ignores where the farmers came from and what drove the agricultural revolution. bbc.co.uk Coincident with, or slightly later than, but definitely driven by the agricultural revolution came the industrial revolution and with this came all the good and bad of the modern world, as we know it. history.evansville.net In their "agricultural paradise" in the New World, however, whether in the Americas, Africa or Australia, the "magnificent farmers" developed from a bunch of thieves, opportunists and ne'er-do-wells who frequently were fleeing from misfortune and oppression in their their home countries in Europe to seek their fame and fortune in the new lands of opportunity --- and this, invariably at the expense of the indigenous people who were living there. All this is conveniently omitted from the eulogies of "the good life on the land, in touch with God and Nature". It is my opinion that we each have to make the best of life as we find it --- and at the time when we are living. To do this, we have to learn the rules and also learn to live outside them, in order to survive and find freedom for ourselves. Each person does the best he can. To recall a saying I once heard, "If someone does well he's a capitalist, if he can't succeed at that, he tries socialism, and if he fails at that, too, he becomes a buddhist." Wal-Mart will be here until it isn't. No amount of wishing for the days of the corner-shopkeeper and greengrocer will chase it away. If it is to fail for that reason, however, then it will be only as result of someone with the necessary guts, foresight and money who opens a "corner shop" and is supported by the community in his endeavor, not for old times' sake, but because they obtain value and service there which Wal-Mart does not offer. No-one should fear "large" --- indeed, judging from the dinosaurs, "large" definitely does not guarantee permanence.