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What I've endeavored to say in all my books is that the flaw in our civilization isn't in the people, it's in the system. It's true that the system has been clanking along for ten thousand years, which is a long time in the time-scale of an individual life, but when viewed in the time-scale of human history, this episode isn't remarkable for its epic length but for its tragic brevity. Beyond Civilization

New book from Daniel Quinn! If They Give You Lined Paper, Write Sideways "One of the most troublesome questions I've been asked--and it's been asked hundreds of times--is: 'Where do these strange ideas of yours come from?' In the beginning, I thought it was just the usual where-do-you-get-your-ideas? question that all authors receive. My readers soon set me straight. Read more ... Excerpt 1 Excerpt 2 Excerpt 3

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UNIT 22 The Open Tribe

People ask (and of course it's a valid question), "If tribalism is so wonderful, why do tribal people give it up so easily?"

[text to come] Jeffrey's friends were always urging him to "find a direction, get some ambition, and care about something," but Quinn says none of these things can be done "at will." Do you agree?

With whom do you identify more strongly--Jeffrey or the friends who thought he should "get with the program"?

The author says no one was able to give Jeffrey "as little as he wanted." What does this mean? [The things his friends wanted for him--a good job, a career--would have given him more than he wanted.]

Would you like to live in "a world of tribes"?

What is altruism?

Imagine two school football leagues, one devoted to altruistic play, the other strictly to winning.. On teams in the altruistic league, everyone who joins gets to play in every game. On teams in the other league, only the best players get to play. Which league would you rather play in? Which league's games would you rather watch? Which league do you think would have more fun?

Discuss office rage as an expression of the fact that workers perceive themselves as having "no way out."

Back to UNIT 21 Not Just the Same Old Battles

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Ahead to UNIT 23 Becoming Less Harmful