THE PARABLE OF THE TRIBES is an awesome achievement that will completely restore your faith in human nature. The book presents a stunning theory of social evolution every bit as revolutionary as Einstein's theory of general relativity or Darwin's theory of natural selection. Like those two previous theories, the PARABLE represents a paradigm-shift in thinking. (My jaw hung open the whole time I was reading.) The book provides a path beyond guilt, shame, and hostility toward love, compassion, and wholeness within the human condition. Ranging over the subjects of psychology, anthropology, religion, and sociology, the book's implications could not be more sweeping and profound. It presents a breathtaking critique of civilization that shows us how humankind is more the victim and less the instigator of history's violence and oppression. It disproves the erroneous commonsense view that civilization is merely human nature and human choice writ large. It leads us to understand fully our predicament so that we might solve our problems intelligently. For a couple million years, humanity lived within a fairly circumscribed biological niche. Culture evolved slowly and was in step with biological evolution. Suddenly with the agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago, social evolution began to outstrip biological evolution. In an unprecedented way, our genetic inheritance came to be out of joint with our environment. Schmookler's book shows that with the advent of large-scale agriculture, suddenly anarchy came to characterize the inter-societal system. Societies began to compete using the vast new possibilities offered by civilization. A process of selection began, continuing to this day, which favored the ways of power--a process that is utterly indifferent to natural human needs. Ways of being that had been inherently more humane and more sustainable were slowly but surely swept away in favor of cultures and societies wielding ever greater power. Schmookler reveals how Power is a contagion that leaves destruction, despoliation, and misery in its wake. The book also presents possible solutions to this problem of power. The PARABLE will definitely be one of the greatest, most liberating books you'll ever read.

If I were to list the top ten books of the century, this book would be one of them. Why? Because it dares to answer a question that few others have attempted, a question that is fundamental and vital to our future. It is the question: "What determines the direction in which civilization evolves?" Or, "What explains the overall thrust of history?" Or, "Are we shaping our own destiny, and if not, what is?" Not only does Schmookler dare to address the question, but the answer he comes up with is equal to the dimensions of the task.

If you think that the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is adequate for explaining the history of civilization, this book is not for you. If you think that everything is made crystal clear by the Marxian analysis of the "material conditions" of life, this book is not for you. If you believe that spirit-beings elsewhere in the universe are guiding us toward some wonderful end, this book is not for you. But if you think big, and are ready for a magnificent, breathtaking, and sobering view of humanity's course, based on best-science research into prehistory and panoramic interdisciplinary insights, you will come to cherish this book. I, for one, am glad that it has a poetic title, The Parable of the Tribes, and not just an academic title such as its subtitle, The Problem of Power in Social Evolution, because the sweep of the book includes but encompasses more than straight intellectual analysis. It tells the human story, our story, with all the poignant, tragic, and hopeful implications.

The stroke of genius that powers this book is Schmookler's insight into the broader applicability of Darwin's categories of "diversity" and "selection." In effect, Schmookler has shown that these are categories from the discipline of logic. Darwin's genius was to take these purely logical categories and show how they could be applied to, and did apply to, the natural world, resulting in biological evolution. Schmookler's genius is to free these categories from their usual ties with biology, and to show us how they have operated in human history as the fundamental underlying forces shaping our destiny, for good or ill.

Just one of the many themes in this book is that there is a commonsense view that human creativity is what accounts for the diversity in variations of forms of civilization, and that human choice accounts for which of these variations get selected. Hence the idea of simple progress. But we live in a disenchanted era that knows better. Schmookler reminds us that "For a story of improvement, the history of civilization makes rather dismal reading, and as the culmination of ten thousand years of progress the twentieth century is deeply disappointing." (p. 7) Similarly, the "invisible hand" of the free market, where human choice is supposed to reign sovereign, has led to only pockets of prosperity in the world (granted that some are big pockets), and even that prosperity is itself rent with stress. What is it that is systematically distorting our cultures, our civilizations, in directions that we are not deliberately choosing? If we don't gain comprehension of it, how can we ever alter it toward selection of more humane, more intelligent, more loving, more fun variations?

The "parable" is that once some human tribe becomes habitually aggressive toward other tribes, all others are eventually forced to adopt the "ways of power." "Eventually" can mean a long time, but the systematic distortion is there. The ways of power seep into every aspect of human life, from relations between men and women to harsh upbringing of children to weapons development to forms of economic exchange. It is part of the wondrousness of this book to make your way through section after section, discovering how yet another broad area of human life is illuminated by the quiet or not-so-quiet struggle for power.

In the end, it is a noble vision that is offered by The Parable of the Tribes. It simultaneously engenders compassion for the human race (trapped in the struggle for power), and clears away the confusion and the obfuscation that is part of the problem. The ability to see the human race in its last ten-thousand-year development has only recently become possible, and Schmookler has made it actual. His book gives me hope that we humans can understand our own long history and begin to shape our own destiny for good.

Parable of the Tribes

Gripping in its fascinating subject matter, Andrew Bard Schmookler's The Parable of the Tribes flows with the elegance of language rarely seen in writing today. This important work highlights the essence of human existence, that which makes the complicated and messy business of civilization work: Power. The evolution of biological systems discounts the idea that organisms are slowly giving way to more perfect descendents, and the same holds true for civilization. Civilization doesn't get "better," it gets "different" depending on the interface between power and the environment. Like the blood coursing through our bodies, power flows through each and every one of us, an invisible force between minds and souls. Tapped into this power, each man, woman and child since the beginning of human existence has contributed its share to the super-organism called civilization. Power drives the vast majority of our individual decision-making process. Individual freedom in the true sense of the concept never existed in the first place. We, it turns out, are less in control of our destinies than once thought. It is the constantly changing invisible nexus of power that determines how, when and why we respond the way we do to the world around us. It is important to know that power is a child of the merging of many intellects, and not some brutish club wielded against the weak, as is so often described in texts on politics and war. It is a unified human force that can be described on a relative scale of both good and bad, with shades in between. I can honestly say that few pieces of literature have moved me in a profoundly thought-provoking way like this work. After reading The Parable of the Tribes, human events both tragic and beautiful that characterize our civilization suddenly make sense. One begins to understand why and how wars are fought and peace is forged. The beauty of this work is that it describes in wonderful detail the bond we share with each other, that we are literally linked together to form a single, very impressive experience called civilization. Leaders would do well to read this book, and learn the true ways of power. Many believe that power is a thing sprouting from the few, and that some, indeed most do not have this supposed talent. The reality is that power is in all of us, like the current pulsing through our nerves, its dendritic connectors tapped into our fellows around us. Scmookler, it must be said, does not believe even remotely that we are puppets floating about in a river of power, forever subject to its unknowable flow. Schmookler's point is that while we may make decisions based on what we believe is best, it is power, manifesting itself in the millions of human interactions which occur every millisecond, that long ago set events in motion forcing you to make a decision in the first place. We, one realizes, are the power.

Mr. Schmookler does an excellent job critiquing conventional economic theory of all stripes in this book. He shows the virtues and flaws of markets in good detail. The finest part of this work, though, in my opinion, was its fine rejection of libertarian economic ideas, especially since it utilizes the words of the libertarians themselves in doing so. Mr. Schmookler has obviously studied the views of numerous conventional and alternative economists and he does a fine job of explaining their views and problems with them. Just an excellent work - easily the finest text I've seen on economics yet. Highly recommended.

Living Posthumously will help everyone with a chronic neurological disease or fatigue. Multiple sclerosis and stroke readers have much to gain. Schookler communicates his adjustment to chronic weakness with such clarity, humor and clear-eyed verity. He faces the loss squarely and effectively.

Living Posthumously collects the best of comments from notable sources who are "confronting the loss of vital powers". Many of the quotes are delightful. The French philosopher Montaigne complains that his mind "has picked up such a close friendship with my body that, when the body calls, it deserts me at every turn". Exactly so.

Through his eyes and words, I see my weakness and resignation to it. He stunned my passive acceptance. I am changing my future as a result of spending these few hours with Dr. Schmookler

It's a nifty trick for Schmookler to synthesize a host of voices, including those with whom he presumably does not agree. But not one of his overly intelligent, articulate characters identified as a feminist or offered any gender analysis when various characters described as "human" instead of "historically male" various behavioral problems, including the use of violence to achieve political ends. This same blindness is seen in reaction to school shootings at such places as Columbine, where our "teenagers" are urged not to use violence to solve their problems. Show me one school where our daughters have armed themselves and slaughtered anyone. Virtually all such societal violence is our *sons'* problem. Schmookler ignores to the detriment of his book the gender issues involved in establishing a good order.

Debating The Good Society is an impressive attempt to cut through the passions and mistrust that divide Americans and identify wisdom and ideas that guide our good society. Andrew Schmookler scrutinizes a wide range of views and attitudes - religious, libertarian, etc. - exploringing their limitations, but also looking for how they might bring us together. The vehicle for this debate is an cast of characters engaged in a broad and deep conversation. You can learn from and argue with these people. Schmookler combines imagination and intellect in ways unusual for a book like this. Debating The Good society provoked good conversation with family and friends.

Thanks for making my bedtime reading a true learning experience. I appreciate your sincerity, especially as I am a father of two toddlers. The book took a long time to read, but I hated to see it end just the same. If only most Americans would think things out to the extent that these e-mail characters do!

I appreciated the attempt to include as many points of view as possible, but I did notice some conspicuous absences. I would have liked to hear the opinion, for example, of someone on the radical left. No, I don't simply mean someone who opposed the Vietnam War thirty years ago, but someone who sees much of the current American situation as a result of corporate domination over government and the media. This theme was touched on here and there, but not represented by a consistent voice.

Perhaps even more conspicuous in its absence was the lack of a religious voice outside that of Fundamentalist Protestantism (with the exception of a liberal minister who is confused about where morality comes from and is the least confident of his position of all of the contributors). I mean, certainly there are other Christian approaches to the questions put forth besides the simplistic, Bible-has-all-the-answers one put forth by "Kenneth" and "Carl," for example, a Reformed perspective in which faith and science are seen as complementary rather than in tension. And there was not much representation of other religious perspectives at all, with the exception of one brief quote from a Muslim and some pseudo-Taoist prattle.

These exceptions do not necessarily weaken the book, however. The one thing that saddened me as I finished it was that so many Americans are unwilling to undertake this kind of exploration. Again, thanks!