Lenses by Richard Seltzer
46,156 words
Inspirational non-fiction
The "lenses" in this
book are
essays that look at knotty questions from unusual angles. They are
my way of
trying to ponder imponderables.
I need to know who I am
and why I am
and how my life might matter in the context of those who came
before and those who
will come after. But the answers offered by religion feel
insufficient, and scientific
knowledge has advanced to the point that it is beyond the
understanding of laymen.
It would be wonderful to participate in the vast endeavor of
scientific
discovery and make a contribution, but the advancement of science
will not end
in my lifetime and will probably never end. I need answers that
make sense here
and now.
Many of these lenses
derive from my belief
that, as
individuals and as a species, self-regulating mechanisms push
us toward balance
and reason and compassion. Our worst experiences and dreams
can help nudge us
in the right direction as if some force were trying to
navigate a huge ship
down a river, with the crudest of controls -- a push this way,
then a push that
way. Toward what goal?
These
111 short essays cover --
-
"Big questions" like the meaning of life, the nature of time
and
reality
-
Identity, memory and communication
-
Understanding the world we live in, including evolution and
climate change
-
Politics and government, with practical suggestions for
solving deep-seated
problems
-
Literature, reading, and writing, including the impact of the
Internet and
ebooks
-
History, with tidbits on trends from ancient history up to the
present day
-
Business and product ideas that could easily be implemented
for the benefit of
many
Comparables
--
Everything I Need to
Know I Learned
in Kindergarten by Fulghum
Thursdays with Morrie
by Albom
The Order of Time by
Carlo Rovelli