Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity

Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity by Paul Kingsnorth

Western culture has gone against itself. The elites have decided that the western culture is "bad" due to imperialist roots and sought to focus on individuals beliefs. Other cultures are still respected to some extent even if they go against individuality. However, they are also gradually being subsumed. Alas, we cannot dictate what will come and fill the void. What has been coming about is an unbridled individuality and capitalistic machine. Both the right and left work within this machine. Science and rational thought are the new "religion" of the machine. People are in a supreme position to remake the world however they see fit. However, what is instead being remade is humanity itself. People are attached to screens for much of their lives. New technology becomes ubiquitous, making it difficult to function outside of it. We have transportation that can move us faster - but the places we go are now all very similar. Religion and human-scale social ties are fading as mass algorithm-based communication has dominated. AI prevents many potential unknowns. The ancient Luddites were dispariaged for fighting against technology, but maybe they were on to something. Are all the benefits of modern technology worth it? Are we too busy debating the margins of the machine to notice what has subsumed humanity? The book is well reasoned, balance look from somebody that has taken part in various movements and tries to look at all sides of issues. 

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

As the bus driver walks away, he asks the reader to watch things and "don't let the pigeon drive the bus". The pigeon appears and pleads with the reader for a chance to drive the bus. He doesn't get his way. The bus driver returns. In the end, the pigeon gets the idea of driving something else.

The book can be heavily interactive if desired. There is a "no response" for each of the Pigeon's intreaties. I can't help but include a few sound effects as I am reading it. Mo Willems came from a TV background, and this could easily be a visual short.

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins (Author), Eric Gurney (Illustrator)

Monkeys have hands with fingers and thumbs that they use to drum and perform other tasks. The story utilizes the sounds to construct a word symphony. There is rhythm, rhyme and you can't help but crescendo up to the climax. The length is just right. The pictures work well. The book is a great fun to read.

A Little Princess

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

While listening to the audiobook, I couldn't help but hearing Patrick Doyle's soundtrack to the 1995 movie. It seemed to do a great job capturing the emotions in this tear-jerker. In the book, Sara's has her move from India to boarding school in England. He spares no expenses from his vast fortune for her. She also has a smart intellect, kind heart and a great imagination, making her popular with the other students. Alas, one day his solicitor arrives to tell the headmistress that the father has died and lost his entire fortune in a failed diamond mine. She is now reduced to being a servant girl.

She accepts her fate and works hard. She still tries to keep her dignity and manners. She observes the families nearby. One day a little boy gives her a coin, thinking she is a beggar girl. She wanted to return it, but accepted it because she knew it meant a lot for him. Another day, she found a coin on the ground near a bakery. When the baker said she could keep it, she bought buns - and gave most of them to a beggar child that was worse off than her.

In addition to running errands, she would continue to work at the school. She would officially help younger girls with their lessons. Unofficially, she would help friends and tell stories. She also got along well with the servant girl.

Some people from India move next door. She is able to communicate with the native Indian servant in his language when his monkey escapes. He later secretly returns the favor by making things better for her in her servants quarter. Later we learn that the person that moved in next door was her father's friend. His diamond business had succeeded magnificently, but not after giving him health problems. This neighbor had heard that his friend's daughter was at a boarding school and was eager to find her so that he could give her half the fortune. He was looking in France and Russia, not knowing that she lived next door. They finally do connect when Sara returns the monkey (again). Sara is now able to leave the boarding school and assume her great wealth. Some of her first actions are to hire the fellow servant away from the boarding school and to give money to the baker to feed any child-beggars that ask. (And her she finds that the first child she helped is now employed by the school.)

The book is a riches-to-rags-to-riches story with plenty of tear-jerker moments. A person's character can be shown with how they deal with different circumstances. Despite being destitute, she continued to work hard to help others. However, even with optimism, there is still a limit to how much pain can be endured.

Beach Day

Beach Day by Karen Roosa and Maggie Smith

We've had this in both regular book and board book form. (It is essentially the same.) It is simply the story of families going to the beach, told in rhyme. The words flow beautifully (and get stuck in your head.) The pictures match the words,and then include additional side activities - especially with the dogs. It is also just the right length for young children.