His book "Overshoot" is one of best books ever written ...

Notably, Catton coined the the term 'cosmeticism', which covers about 99% of our 'save the planet' activities. The Prius. Or driving your Volvo to a 10-mile distant recycling centre to dispose of three plastic bottles and 12 back numbers of 'The New Statesman'. Growing 'organic' vegetables. All those tips and tricks about closing the fridge door and not allowing your car engine to run overnight and wearing pullovers so you can turn down the thermostat. Worrying about low-level ionising radiation. Alar scare. Rainbow Warrior Hysteria. Etcetera ..

Wot's 'Ishmael'?

If you are frequent reader of TOD, (and especially if you can quote Catton from memory) you don't need to read Daniel Quinn - its fiction - that via conversations shows how mankind didn't NEED to end up this way - it all happened because one tribe (or group of tribes) started the agricultural revolution, then from there we stored food, had to hire people to count it, guard it, etc. and we ended up here. For someone with a brain but whose life has been an illusion colored by mainstream media, the book was an eyeopener (though even I put it down after 20 pages in 1998 cuz I thought it really stupid) Shows how you have to be ready to change/accept new ideas for it to occur (n=1)

Anyways - Catton the real deal, especially as a social scientist.