My first post...
I found this book enjoyable. Is America full of fundamentalists? Justin has always hated, and has never wanted to work for "The Man," but has found himself in a job that, though not directly responsible, is responsible for futuristically hurting the common man. I find it increasingly peculiar that Hamid addresses American society as "pragmatic and effective." Do we as people just cut what we don't need, despite the cost for a person's quality of life and future happiness? I could get into corporations and such, touching on how much outsourcing is done by American businesses overseas for cost savings so as to increase profits, but I don't know all the numbers for that.
Another idea present in the book I latched onto was that Americans, after 9/11, were looking back instead of forward. I have yet to read any of the literature (novels) put out by Barack Obama even though I voted for him, but I hope I am not naive in my hope that he is looking forward. Isn't that what we are supposed to be doing as "intentionalist?" Looking forward? Is not being "intentional" premeditation on an idea, belief or occurrence and then pursuing it? Well, in light of this book, I hope that your goals/intentions do not in any way adhere to fundamentals. That you take into consideration the world and community in which the effects of our intentions evolve. Would that not be the proper Christian-like attitude?
Anyway, those are just thoughts I felt like sharing. I would be interested in hearing your ideas.
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Hey Becky,
I have some thoughts on the whole "looking back thing." There is a difference, I believe, between looking backwards with nostalgia and looking backwards with the hard-earned wisdom of living in the present. The former seeks refuge in the fanciful constructions of a time filled with less suffering and hardship, a time before the recognition of mistakes made gave rise to the anxieties that come along with a loss of innocence. The latter seeks to confront the mistakes made in the full realization that something happened prior to the present which set the context out of which the present arises. In other words, I don't think its an issue of simply looking back that is problematic. Instead, it is hiding in the past and not facing the anxieties of the present which is problematic. Colloquially, we might say that one who looks forward with naivety is "too heavenly minded to be any earthly good" as my father is fond of saying.
that said, I do see your point.
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