Ishmael Companion: Beyond Civilization -- resources for teachers and readers
When the vision turns ugly · Programs aren't wicked, just inadequate · But how could we get along without programs? · But how will we live then? · How can we achieve a vision we can't imagine?
"No unwanted behavior has ever been eliminated by passing a law against it" is a pretty sweeping statement. Can you think of any exceptions?
Quinn thinks we can't "win" just by defending the environment. Why does he believe this? Do you agree?
As the basis for a paper or research project, have students find examples of products that have come to be the way we know them because a series of individuals have "improved on something, then put it out there for others to improve on."
According to Quinn, people imagine that our distant descendants will have different gadgets and wear different clothes but will think just the way we do. Review the Star Trek films with this question in mind: Aside from gadgetry and imaginary science, do the captain and crew of the Enterprise think differently from the way we do?
Aside from the "Star Trek" future, what other possible futures does Hollywood see for humanity?
Quinn says each of you contains a complete set of the memes that are the conceptual building plans for our culture. Suppose the whole human race disappeared except for you and your classmates. Would you know how to go about rebuilding society? How would you begin? Compare this to what happens in post-apocalyptic movies like The Stand, Waterworld, and The Postman.
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