I needed to thank you for this very good read!! I dfelniteiy loved every little bit of it. I’ve got you saved as a favorite to check out new things you post…

I understand your skepticism. I will say that I have given people people a copy of Ishmael that otherwise would never have seriously considered the ill effects of agriculture and the way humans have come to live and they have seriously altered their views. I think Quinn provides an accessible entry point into this discussion in a provoking way. He does cover a lot of ground, from agriculturally enabled over-population to the story of Genesis to the destructive belief that there is only one right way to live. I'd be interested to see what you thought of it if you get a chance to read it.

Charles has had a poor experience – Is it not typical of limited worldview that if your n=1 has failed then everyone must be having the same failure – doesn't follow.

i met my current partner of 12 years at a functioning (for 20 years) intentional community in Germany that includes the precepts of free love along with other parts of their program. I believe a more open sexuality and egalitarian ethic prevailed in our hunter-gatherer past.

I think this would work well if done as a gradual break. The community could produce some things (art, blogs, maybe if some people who truly enjoy their "work" were on board, some freelance, telecommunication type stuff, or even classes and tours for outsiders) use the funds to purchase more land or things the land couldn't provide yet. Hospital trips and birth control especially come to mind.

My main reason for not reading (yet) Quinn is the fictional component. Interacting with modern humans already tend to dismiss these ideas; drawing from works of fiction isn't particularly helpful in this regard. That said, allegorical narrative is a great way for *some* people to learn so it's not as though I don't think his work is valuable… it's just a matter of tactics. Am I being overly pedantic on this? Probably.

Seems like a lot of people are using that term. Do you remember where it was or the names of any of the individuals?

I didn't say positive, but his words here are more accommodating than mine would be: http://on.fb.me/Rj40DH

Ravi Wells, of course i would prefer everyone send me handwritten comments by raven, but i haven't made a final decision on the best system of coordinates. generally speaking, comment moderation is one of the most tedious and thankless aspects of running a blog. it's a constant search for the optimal solution because none are perfect.

i have a hard time believing that Quinn would make any kind of positive statements about agriculture. however, that we lived as horticultural semi-nomadic HG's for 10 of thousands of years seems quite plausible with some good evidence – heard a good talk by Toby Hemenway about this – sorry can't find the link–

and BTW – the gorilla thing in Quinn's work is kinda fun if you let it be…