Books by Brights


Hope's Fool: A Grandfather's Millennium Notebook

Author: William H White
ISBN-10: 0738807028
ISBN-13: 978-0738807027
To Purchase: Amazon.com

Description

Where are the voices of vision and reason as we gaze timidly, even somewhat fearfully, into this new millennium? Where, the impossible dreamers we knew? The likes of Bertrand Russell, Alfred North Whitehead, Albert Schweitzer, Aldous Huxley, Isaac Asimov, Carl Sagan? All gone now.

One such dreamer's voice, perhaps lacking their clout and complexity, is that of William H. White.

In his book, "Hope's Fool", humanist counselor White shares our loss of such giants, urging us to keep dreaming where they left off. While many of today's thinkers steer us toward a " Third Way" between Capitalism and Socialism; here the author briefly seizes the helm of our imaginations to point out yet another " Fourth Way" looming on the horizon. A world of  SERMATION ( a shorthand for Service-Information-Automation) made possible by our almost daily technological breakthroughs. Although Bright White seldom champions either Left or Right, this idealistic, little book certainly springs from Progressive/Populist roots. It also swims boldly against many of our strongest consumerist and conservative tides. And it does affirm what many of us have long suspected. That we have undoubtedly reached a momentous and evolutionary watershed in the human story. Many of our old, cultural standbys are being drained of social significance as we move into this new age. A time we must ALL enter, ready or not!

Since closing out the Cold War, the U.S. (and much of the world) have often rejected many collective considerations and participatory solutions out of hand. Is this really wise? As we embrace the marketplace, deluged with data, how many of us can delude ourselves that some great peak of democratic achievement has been scaled?  Likely not too many! Not when bureaucratic bumbling or corporate callousness confront us whichever way we turn.

White suggests our machines may yet free individuals in ways we'd never dreamed possible. The results may astonish us. At its core this is a work of great hope and optimism; yet could we fail again, as we have so frequently in the twentieth century? With progress has come so much pain! A world divided. Even as we're dragged closer together! In chronicling his times for grandchildren who won't read this book for years to come, White poses the ultimate question to them. Did we succeed or fail?  He will never know - but they will. If they're here to read it! Meanwhile, it's a good read for the rest of us who are...

About the Author

White is one of two Humanist Celebrants and Counselors in the State of Florida, and leads the "Humanists of Greater Fort Walton Beach". He was overheard to say if humanists had a Hell it would assuredly be located in the Florida Panhandle. But this little book's aimed at future-oriented Brights - which surely includes us all...


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