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Does anybody read [books] anymore?

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I'm a masochist so after reading a few Pynchons I went and bought this. It's good that till late may I will probably read 5000 of pages of screenplays too

 

skibunny24

Enthusiastic Receiver of Reputation
Jun 16, 2010
3,281
585
Renton, WA
http://data:image/webp;base64,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
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada


I haven't read a non-fiction book (not related to parenting - I'll spare the audience those) in a while. This one was fascinating and well written. It was entertaining and educational. It's not really a self-help book, but there's certainly enough in there to be helpful.
 

skibunny24

Enthusiastic Receiver of Reputation
Jun 16, 2010
3,281
585
Renton, WA
http://data:image/webp;base64,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
Really disappointed in the ending. Her writing got super vague and it was hard to follow for any sort of an ending I could get closure with... and it was supposed to be a happy ending even. :thumbsdown: Great book other than that...
 

Muddy

ancient crusty bog dude
Jul 7, 2013
2,032
907
Free Soda Refills at Fuddruckers
Started this over this nasty winter gone by, was 1st to check it out of library so could not finish.



In the interim I read Paul Newman's Autobiography - A Life, a great read. grew up under the foothills to his area of Conn.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,037
7,554
I just finished this one:



I liked it enough that I ordered a copy to gift to my dad.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,037
7,554
If you want an analysis of the creation of the "prosperity of the modern world", read Eduardo Galeano, op. cit.
It covers Latin America, whose greatest plight seems to have been due to its colonization by the Spaniards rather than the British. The hoarding of silver and general atrocities of conquest were transitory in the grand scheme (and probably were detrimental to both the colony and the colonizer in the long run). The lack of institutions, namely stable property rights, is an ongoing problem.
 
It covers Latin America, whose greatest plight seems to have been due to its colonization by the Spaniards rather than the British. The hoarding of silver and general atrocities of conquest were transitory in the grand scheme (and probably were detrimental to both the colony and the colonizer in the long run). The lack of institutions, namely stable property rights, is an ongoing problem.
And slavery in Latin America, actual and effective, funded what became the current economic rip off system.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,037
7,554
The book's point is that economic success of a country is necessary before democracy can develop spontaneously (which entails, eventually, abolishing slavery--we certainly took our time as a nation to do so). In turn, economic success requires protection of property rights, an intellectual climate that's free from oppression (both by state and by church), open capital markets, and modern systems of rapid transport.

In Latin America not all of these things haven't been achieved, and the redistributions by the leftist governments have arguably made things worse than under the right wing dictators. In Africa none of these things have been achieved.

Can't put the cart before the horse, as we should have learned by now from Afghanistan and Iraq. Puppet governments that don't truly arise from a content, safe populace have no chance for long term success.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
Just finished 'Through the Bamboo' by Mack Green. It's about a Marine rifle squad in the Vietnam War. It was an amazing adventure that I couldn't put down. At the same time I was glad it was over because of its intensity and reality. Excellent writing and really hits in the gut. Not like any other Vietnam book I've read.
 
The book's point is that economic success of a country is necessary before democracy can develop spontaneously (which entails, eventually, abolishing slavery--we certainly took our time as a nation to do so). In turn, economic success requires protection of property rights, an intellectual climate that's free from oppression (both by state and by church), open capital markets, and modern systems of rapid transport.

In Latin America not all of these things haven't been achieved, and the redistributions by the leftist governments have arguably made things worse than under the right wing dictators. In Africa none of these things have been achieved.

Can't put the cart before the horse, as we should have learned by now from Afghanistan and Iraq. Puppet governments that don't truly arise from a content, safe populace have no chance for long term success.
Our current "success" is still based on the effective slavery of others.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,037
7,554
Our current "success" is still based on the effective slavery of others.
Sweatshops and the like? I'm ok with that provided the workers are there by choice. The fires where workers locked in their buildings died are an egregious example of effectively modern day slavery, not to say that there isn't outright slavery still in existence: housemaids in the UAE with passports withheld, tribes in Africa still waging their tribal wars to this day...
 
Sweatshops and the like? I'm ok with that provided the workers are there by choice. The fires where workers locked in their buildings died are an egregious example of effectively modern day slavery, not to say that there isn't outright slavery still in existence: housemaids in the UAE with passports withheld, tribes in Africa still waging their tribal wars to this day...
Read The Open Veins of Latin America. Published in 1970, it holds true today.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,037
7,554
Read The Open Veins of Latin America. Published in 1970, it holds true today.
Full text is here: https://archive.org/stream/fp_Open_Veins_of_Latin_America/Open_Veins_of_Latin_America_djvu.txt

I shall peruse it. It's not an auspicious start that the foreward commends Allende--Pinochet was a dictator, sure, but he also significantly improved the overall lot of the country: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6069233

p. 1: Concessions with regard to foreign loans only makes sense if one's native country has a strong base of capital… which presupposes a strong economy with numerous willing investors in the first place.

p. 2: "The United States citizen's average income is seven times that of a Latin American and grows ten times faster." Yeah, that's because we developed industry. It is indeed a tragedy that countries bestowed with abundant natural resources turn out backwards (see Saudi Arabia for the most extreme example) because the resources enable a lack of development of industry, capital markets, etc.

p. 5: "Its aim is to justify the very unequal income distribution between countries and social elates, to convince the poor that poverty is the result of the children they don't avoid having, and to dam the rebellious advance of the masses." This is true, though, visible in a microcosm in the U.S. as well. It's no accident that educated "breeders" here, as you put it, wait to have kids.

p. 5: "No less than half the territory of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Venezuela has no inhabitants at all." This is not a rebuttal to the assertion that people are having too many children. This is pointing out that large parts of the country are either uninhabitable or effectively so due to lack of transportation and development.

p. 13: In general I agree that the Spaniards were wealth-greedy plunderers who massacred the native populations. What he's missing is that the Spaniards ultimately lost: once their plunder stopped, well before the industrial revolution, they were left where modern day Latin America is left. It wasn't until the 20th century that they started to catch up, and their current predicament shows that they really haven't. I guess he does acknowledge this on page 22: "The Spaniards owned the cow, but others drank the milk."

p. 24: "Spanish capitalists became no more than rentiers through the purchase of titles to Crown debts, and did not invest their capital in industrial development." Very much this.

p. 27: "Ernest Mandel has added up the value
of the gold and silver torn from Latin America up to 1660, the booty extracted
from Indonesia by the Dutch East India Company from 1650 to 1780, the
harvest reaped by French capital in the eighteenth-century slave trade, the
profits from slave labor in the British Antilles and from a half-century of
British looting in India. The total exceeds the capital invested in all European
industrial enterprises operated by steam in about 1800. 14 This enormous mass
of capital, Mandel notes, created a favorable climate for investment in Europe,
stimulated the "spirit of enterprise," and directly financed the establishment of
manufactures, which in turn gave a strong thrust to the Industrial Revolution."

What this passage is missing is that Spain didn't give away the gold and silver that it plundered. It sold it to merchants in other nations that provided services to it. These services didn't spring from nothingness upon the sight of wealth. They sprung from labor allowed by more favorable structure in primarily Holland and England, and inventions allowed because the Church's repression had started to have been cast off (see abolishment of Star Chamber, finally).

In other words, even if the New World's loot did kick start the engine, it only took light in regions that were primed for it. Keeping that gold in Latin America would have done nothing, in all likelihood.

p. 28: "the bourgeoisie took control of the cities and founded banks, produced and exchanged merchandise, conquered new markets." Again, this one sentence dismisses the added value in all of these steps. Engineering and producing a working steam engine opened up whole new possibilities that could not be envisioned before, no matter how much gold one might have.

p. 29: "The dominant classes took no interest whatever in diversifying the internal economies or in raising technical and cultural levels in the population." This belies a belief that central action was responsible for "diversifying" one's country's economy. Europe came from serfdom and subsistence level poverty, too. It was the collective actions of a myriad of small landowners that built the economy, not direction bestowed from above. For an example of how that latter approach didn't work, see 19th century France or 20th century USSR…

I'm done. It's interesting, but it's written from a perspective that I can already parse in these first 30 pages and do not need bludgeoned into my head even more.
 
Full text is here: https://archive.org/stream/fp_Open_Veins_of_Latin_America/Open_Veins_of_Latin_America_djvu.txt

I shall peruse it. It's not an auspicious start that the foreward commends Allende--Pinochet was a dictator, sure, but he also significantly improved the overall lot of the country: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6069233

p. 1: Concessions with regard to foreign loans only makes sense if one's native country has a strong base of capital… which presupposes a strong economy with numerous willing investors in the first place.

p. 2: "The United States citizen's average income is seven times that of a Latin American and grows ten times faster." Yeah, that's because we developed industry. It is indeed a tragedy that countries bestowed with abundant natural resources turn out backwards (see Saudi Arabia for the most extreme example) because the resources enable a lack of development of industry, capital markets, etc.

p. 5: "Its aim is to justify the very unequal income distribution between countries and social elates, to convince the poor that poverty is the result of the children they don't avoid having, and to dam the rebellious advance of the masses." This is true, though, visible in a microcosm in the U.S. as well. It's no accident that educated "breeders" here, as you put it, wait to have kids.

p. 5: "No less than half the territory of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Venezuela has no inhabitants at all." This is not a rebuttal to the assertion that people are having too many children. This is pointing out that large parts of the country are either uninhabitable or effectively so due to lack of transportation and development.

p. 13: In general I agree that the Spaniards were wealth-greedy plunderers who massacred the native populations. What he's missing is that the Spaniards ultimately lost: once their plunder stopped, well before the industrial revolution, they were left where modern day Latin America is left. It wasn't until the 20th century that they started to catch up, and their current predicament shows that they really haven't. I guess he does acknowledge this on page 22: "The Spaniards owned the cow, but others drank the milk."

p. 24: "Spanish capitalists became no more than rentiers through the purchase of titles to Crown debts, and did not invest their capital in industrial development." Very much this.

p. 27: "Ernest Mandel has added up the value
of the gold and silver torn from Latin America up to 1660, the booty extracted
from Indonesia by the Dutch East India Company from 1650 to 1780, the
harvest reaped by French capital in the eighteenth-century slave trade, the
profits from slave labor in the British Antilles and from a half-century of
British looting in India. The total exceeds the capital invested in all European
industrial enterprises operated by steam in about 1800. 14 This enormous mass
of capital, Mandel notes, created a favorable climate for investment in Europe,
stimulated the "spirit of enterprise," and directly financed the establishment of
manufactures, which in turn gave a strong thrust to the Industrial Revolution."

What this passage is missing is that Spain didn't give away the gold and silver that it plundered. It sold it to merchants in other nations that provided services to it. These services didn't spring from nothingness upon the sight of wealth. They sprung from labor allowed by more favorable structure in primarily Holland and England, and inventions allowed because the Church's repression had started to have been cast off (see abolishment of Star Chamber, finally).

In other words, even if the New World's loot did kick start the engine, it only took light in regions that were primed for it. Keeping that gold in Latin America would have done nothing, in all likelihood.

p. 28: "the bourgeoisie took control of the cities and founded banks, produced and exchanged merchandise, conquered new markets." Again, this one sentence dismisses the added value in all of these steps. Engineering and producing a working steam engine opened up whole new possibilities that could not be envisioned before, no matter how much gold one might have.

p. 29: "The dominant classes took no interest whatever in diversifying the internal economies or in raising technical and cultural levels in the population." This belies a belief that central action was responsible for "diversifying" one's country's economy. Europe came from serfdom and subsistence level poverty, too. It was the collective actions of a myriad of small landowners that built the economy, not direction bestowed from above. For an example of how that latter approach didn't work, see 19th century France or 20th century USSR…

I'm done. It's interesting, but it's written from a perspective that I can already parse in these first 30 pages and do not need bludgeoned into my head even more.
If by "written from a perspective that I can already parse" you mean Marxist, you're correct. There is not a political analyst in Latin America absent the influence of this viewpoint. The author, as does every author, has a number of blind spots. By choosing to stop at page 29, however, you choose to close your eyes to conditions at the time of writing that continue to today, feeding our "prosperity" by promulgating the misery of others.
 

Kevin

Turbo Monkey
I find myself highly entertained. :nerd:

Just read this cause i saw it here.
At times i felt it was written by someone who did a lot of research on videogames/culture but wasnt in fact a gamer/nerd himself.

References felt like they were forced into it to please a certain crowd or something.

Read through it in a few days and was definitly entertained, in a Hunger Games for nerds kind of way. :)