Comments on: Stirling notes

By: Sergio Tacchini

Sergio Tacchini — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:46:39 +0000

Industrial revolution really caused much CFC that causes global warming today, It's advisable to lessen our use of gas-powered vehicle.

By: Web Design

Web Design — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:26:39 +0000

Though the industrial revolution has brought a boast to economy but the dangers are far greater. The depleting ozone, increasing Cf Cs and now the Global warming and it has started a sort of rat race with everyone running around the same orbit.

By: travesty

travesty — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:00:01 +0000

Its not of course. Except when compared to some mainstream mindsets.

Variety, fashion, fluff, the sort of thing that makes a male peacock so elaborate.
Its about plumage, because the women use it, it is makeup 10 kinds, and 20
pairs of shoes that have to match. You pay extra for good shoes, but if you are
only going to wear it once.....

And then there is sentiment. i can't throw out the shoes I wore to my wedding!!!!!

By: MKP

MKP — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:56:52 +0000

Yes, BJ, I take your point completely.

I think the “hairshirt greenie” is a sort of mythical bogeyman. So we can declare that we are favour of consuming less, being aware of environmental consequences and so on but we aren't one of those horrible preachy “greens” and neither is anyone we know personally.

If this is the Bruce Sterling who co-wrote “the difference engine” then I can see he might not want to “identify” as “green”

By: Erik Sandblom

Erik Sandblom — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:11:07 +0000

Why is it male?

By: todd

todd — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:00:48 +0000

Full of enthusiasm, I presented this essay to my wife. She pronounced it irretrievably male, and inquired whether Mr. Sterling had a girlfriend.

By: Pre Lit Christmas Trees

Pre Lit Christmas Trees — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:11:36 +0000

Things that you cherish, that enhance your existence in the world. The rest is dross,Pre-Lit Christmas tree

By: BJ

BJ — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:36:12 +0000

I think this excerpt misses the point of the longer essay. I think the longer essay misses its on point, too, if that's possible. Because end the end, all he's saving is don't be a slave to your stuff and the often good stuff is more useful and cheaper than cheap stuff. So buy less but better. Buy functional over trendy. How is that so different than “purportedly mindful, and thrifty and modest?”

By: BAKFIETS EN MEER » Blog Archive » Some Americans do “get it”

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:12:21 +0000

[...] and those who think along these lines will get more people on bikes than all the “hairshirt green” martyrs in the [...]

By: henryinamsterdam

henryinamsterdam — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:55:39 +0000

Bruce Sterling is a brilliant, funny hero. I saw him speak a number of years ago at Doors of Perception and it it was absolutely inspiring. It was in fact one of the things that led me to leave my corporate job to start a company building bicycles: one of those everyday necessities that should be functional and beautiful. Do yourself and the world a favor by buying (or building) and riding a good utility bike.

Bruce is further dead on about the “hairshirt-green” mentality. When I began WorkCycles I just assumed this crowd would cheer and support us. In fact no other classifiable group has been so unhelpful. Our customers include liberals and conservatives alike, industrial giants and small businesses, parents, gays, academics, bankers, you name it but not “hairshirt greenies”. That mentality is, as Sterling so originally and eloquently states “useless to futurity”.