I just finished reading a book now almost 25 years old entitled, "The End of Affluence", written by Paul and Anne Ehrlich who brought us the scary and prophetic "Population Bomb".

What really frosts my cookie after reading this book is that the knowledge of tenuous global sustainability, technology interdependence run amok has been there. In 1974 these researchers/activists were urging storing a year's worth of food and planning for alternate forms of energy. I graduated from high school in 1970, but was not taught about any of this...it was more important that we memorize how many congressmen and senators there were in the US and the dates of protracted wars and victorious battles....I find myself wanting to climb up on the roof and scream, "IDIOTS!!"

Anyway, I'll stop myself before I start ranting...book highly recommended...."The End Of Affluence", Paul and Anne Ehrlich, by Rivercity Press. I don't know if it is out of print, but worth looking for at the library, or used bookstore.

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), July 17, 1998

Answers

What really frosts MY cookie is that Paul and Anne Ehrlich have been wrong about most every specific prediction that they have made. We were supposed to see worldwide famine back in the 70s. He should have lost a lot of credibility, but evidently, in some circles, he hasn't.

-- Ned (entaylor@cloudnet.com), September 24, 1998.