Musing on Alan Greenspan’s book, The Age of Turbulence

Alan Greenspan has much in common with many of my favorite classic science fiction writers. Heinlein, Niven, and others claim Libertarian leanings, and so does Greenspan. They are also all pretty smart people that really want to understand the world.

Greenspan’s book is pretty close to a key about how some parts of the world work — and the old addage “follow the money” is more than just a cliche.

It seems that Federal Reserve Bankers have quite a bit of power. I would have said so before, but now I understand the nature of that power and its strengths and limitations more deeply.

I’ve been doing a lot of back-of-the-brain thinking about world governance. There’s much to be said for the invisible hand of market forces coupled with appropriate law and principles.

How do you solve problems like climate change without it? How do you keep such a concentration of power from creating or doing evil? How do you maintain a balance of diversity in a world governance structure?

No, Mr. Greenspan didn’t try to give me those questions, at least not directly. But I think a set of simple principles that gets applied as an “International Rule of Law” and enforced - probably via court - and which includes property ownership (and IP laws), lack of barriers to trade and information, requirements for honesty, and environmental regulation (or an equal rights for all species, not just humans principle) might work well when coupled with good economic policy.

So now the question in my head is “Seed of a good idea, or have I been drinking the Kool Aid?”

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Books

Reading the Wind by Brenda Cooper

Reading the Wind cover image

Audio promo:

"Brenda Cooper's newest novel is a feast of character and concept. She depicts the devastation of war on microcosmic and macrocosmic levels, and even more so, the driving motives of young men and women caught in deadly conflict. Cooper is a master explorer of the interaction of society and individuals. She probes the psychology of her genetically enhanced characters with both rare depth and fidelity to scientific plausibility. Moral conundrums drive the plot in this unforgettable narrative. Don't miss this compelling work by a major new talent." - Mary A. Turzillo, An Old-Fashioned Martian Girl.

"Brenda Cooper tells a tale of a powerful brother and sister in a fight for their lives, offering insights along the way into the nature of courage and the hunger for community that burns in every human being. This is a lively book, full of colorful images and a memorable cast of human and animal characters, a worthy successor to The Silver Ship and the Sea." - Louise Marley

Available in July, 2008, from Tor Books.

The Silver Ship and the Sea by Brenda Cooper

Silver Ship and the Sea cover image

Audio promo:

"The first solo novel by Larry Niven's Building Harlequin's Moon (2005) coauthor portrays the thoroughly convincing human colonial society on Fremont, a dangerous planet rife with vicious predators, frequent earthquakes, and falling meteors....Distinctive characterizations, well-limned interrelationships, and the vividly realized Fremont contribute to an exciting coming-of-age story with a strong message about the evils of prejudice." - Sally Estes, Copyright American Library Association.

Mass Market Paperback, July 2008.
Included by Booklist as a "Best Adult Book for Young Adults."

Building Harlequin's Moon by Brenda Cooper and Larry Niven

Building Harlequin's Moon cover image

"Fans of both hard and softer, psychological SF will welcome veteran Niven and newcome Cooper's well-written tale of a 60,000 year layover in space, in which physical challenges of world building are matched by the social challenges of collaboration among disparate groups." - Publisher's Weekly

About

I am a writer, public speaker, and a futurist. I'm interested in how new technologies might change us and our world, particularly for the better, and in global warming. Learn more.

Speaking

I can be booked for keynote speeches on the future. I'm a generalist, with wide interests, and tailor my talks to the topics audiences are most curious about. Talking about the future is one of the most important conversations we can have. I can also talk about writing and publishing books and stories. Learn more.

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