Current Events – Seminar Presentation
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Age of Enlightenment 2.0

Session 03

“A Purpose for Enlightened People”

Curt Gibby

Saturday, 16 November 2013
9:30AM til 12:00 noon

Room B-102, (the usual place), Lone Star College – Montgomery
3200 College Park Drive – Conroe, TX – 77384 – 936.273.7000

Our theme for Saturday is: “A Purpose for Enlightened People.”

The issue, is something like: Assuming we become enlightened and finally recapture the inalienable rights and freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution, what will we humans will have to do?

There are already machines to do our heavy lifting, and producing large quantities of identical products cheaply with almost no human effort and minimal intervention.

As the traditional roles of human endeavor, enterprise and society are taken over by machines, will humans devolve into some sort of idle creatures supported by our mechanical servants or, will that free us to think and work creatively to make our own existence relevant not only to our own communities but to others as well.  Can we bring our activities more in balance with web of life of which we are a part?  Will we work cooperatively as we create?  Will we ever create a culture of respect and justice?

Let’s Talk about it Saturday

This  is the third meeting in our Enlightenment 2.0 Series and in a way a continuation of our meeting in May 2013, “THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WORKFORCE” (Session 08) as well as exploring how an “Enlightenment 2.0” in our own era may support the evolutionary progress of the human race

From the May session’s meeting notice:

The Great Recession may have accelerated or exacerbated the catastrophic job loss, but the reason mid-level jobs are not coming back is technology.  In spite of fewer employees, production and profits have soared, and corporations have found they can do more with less.

Parts of society have frequently had their economic existence challenged by technology, but in the past, the new technology benefited society as a whole benefit and the economy grew.  Technology in the past replaced brawn, but now it is taking on tasks for which we relied on our brains.

You can review the meeting notice and the presentation of the May meeting for your review if you like.

Labor Force Statistics from the Current BLS Population Survey

The following graph taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site show the population’s participation in the real economy rising until the late 1990’s and shrinking ever sinc

Figure 1 – 1948 – present

Note how  from 2004 – 2006 it looked like participation was trying to stabilize and grow, but then in, 2007-2008 it succumbed to the credit collapse.

Figure 2 – 1996 – Present

LS.Gov

Data extracted on: November 12, 2013 (11:52:58 PM)

Here is the Syllabus which we will continue to develop as we proceed (Spring Semester dates revised.  Some meetings in Spring will be on the fourth Saturday to accommodate the nexus of academic, holiday and break schedules.  The Blue Highlighted texts are links to take you to the Meeting Notices, and presentations from the first two sessions of Enlightenment 2.0

Reference/Reading Materials
To help you get started may I suggest reading or skimming some the following short Wikipedia Articles: (your own  sources are welcome too.)

1. Age of Enlightenment  (First page)
2. Islamic Golden Age (Again, the first page)

The following short sections of the Outline of the History of Western Civilization:

3. Renaissance and Reformation 
4. The Reformation 
5. Rise of Western Empires 
6. Dark Ages  
7. List of Revolutions
   (worth scanning to see just to see how being a revolutionary is a good business,
   also a convenient list of historic milestones in the ascent of man.)   
8. Econ 000(Work in progress, will be updated)

CURRENT EVENTS: as usual we will start with 45 minutes of current events:

Would you believe?

1. The destruction of Assad’s chemical warfare capability moves ahead.  What’s the deal?
2. I saw a headline that fiercest fighting in Syria is between rebel factions.
3. Virgina elected, in a tight contest, a governor from a field of two candidates and each had lower approval ratings than President Obama.
4. ObamaCare hits the fan!   You may remember my predictions that when struggling young adults got smacked in the face with the ObamaCare individual mandate that there would be repercussions. What amazed me was the total lack strategic thought about how do you go about launching a major reform of an existing although barely functioning healthcare system, especially when it involves computers and will touch the lives of almost every American yet still leave millions out of the program and in line at the emergency rooms.  And, to not make sure that every public announcement, especially by the President himself that would be heard by the people as a promise was accurate.  I do remember pointing out that Howard Dean announced at the time ACA was passed that it would be a massive boon to the insurance industry.
5. Wendy Davis has filed as a candidate for governor as has Abbot.  The word at the time was Davis 25%, Abbot 35%, and undecided 20%. We shall see.
6. Have you heard that Elisabeth Warren is thinking of joining the race for president?
7. Iran, aside from their diplomatic negotiations with the “Five Plus One” are talking to the IAEA about resuming inspections to “clarify” what the concerns are about production of higher  uranium concentrations and heavy water (used in the production of plutonium.)  What do you suppose is going on?  Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has stated publically nuclear weapons are un-Islamic.

From last time:

Richard Haass, was interviewed recently by Diane Rehm regarding, “Foreign Policy Begins At Home: The Case For Putting America’s House In Order” (1 hr) “The president of the Council on Foreign Relations says the biggest threat to the United States comes not from abroad but from within. He says that only by getting our own house in order — fixing our crumbling infrastructure, second-class schools and outdated immigration system — will we be able to lead a world that will otherwise be overwhelmed by global challenges, regional conflicts and failed states. Diane and her guest discuss why he believes foreign policy begins at home.”

Public Service Announcements

Parking

1. At this time No Parking Pass is required for Saturday events at Lone Star College Montgomery
2. We recommend parking in the parking structure in the West Parking Lot near building B
3. The campus police office is located on the ground level of the parking structure 

Save the Date(S)

ALL Open House is Saturday, January 25. 2014

1. Open House will have a new format and location
2. Open House will be from 11-1pm in Building E, NOT Building A
3. Computer labs in Building E will be open to help students obtain their username and password
4. Computer labs in Building E will be open to help students learn to register for ALL Classes on-line. (Imagine the self-serve line at Kroger or Home Depot, Lone Star College is moving to a similar format)
5. 2014 Spring ALL class schedules will be in the mail to members the week between Christmas and New Year

Upcoming 2014 Spring classes of interest…Save the date!

Generational Differences- Is there a Generation Gap?

1 Session, No Fee

If you are a Baby Boomer or a Traditionalist and having a challenge communicating and understanding the Generation X, Generation Y and Millenials, then this is the lecture for you. Gain a better understanding of the generational differences and how to work to a common goal with your children, grandchildren or co-workers

16617             W               4/16              1PM-2:50PM                                TUC               Ray

The Roots and Legacy of the Enlightenment

A few men, from Copernicus to Newton to Voltaire and Beethoven totally changed western thought resulting in the Renaissance and Enlightenment, encompassing the Scientific Revolution and overturning centuries of dogma based on Aristotle and the church.

16614             W                    4/2                   1PM-2:50PM                         TUC                Haydel

Third Saturday Seminars

4 Sessions. No Fee

To refer to an ancient Chinese saying, “our world is in interesting times” and individual citizens are assaulted with a blinding array of propaganda from every conceivable source. The Third Saturday Seminar is about demystification of what is going on around us. Time will also be spent on current events. Meets 2/22, 3/22, 4/26, and 5/17. Meets on Montgomery Campus in B102.

9637               S                     2/22-5/17       9:30AM-12:00PM                 B102               Gibby

Current Events Discussion Groups

4 Sessions. No Fee

Serious and civil discussions focus on local, state, national and international topical issues, sorting through often conflicting opinions and “facts” in an attempt to establish some common ground. The atmosphere is collegial. A new group starts each month.

14186             F                      2/7-2/28          10AM-11:50AM                    TUC                Gorman

14187             F                      3/7-3/28          10AM-11:50AM                    TUC                Gorman

14188             F                      4/4-4/25          10AM-11:50AM                    TUC                Gorman

16516             F                      5/2-5/23          10AM-11:50AM                    TUC                Gorman

About the ALL Program:  http://lonestar.edu/all-montgomery.htm

See you Saturday 16 November, 2013 — Thanks for your support!
And DON’T (be) PANIC(ked) (by our leaders) 

Curt Gibby
Director, Third Saturday Seminar

http://northstarinst.org/TSS/