John F. Schumaker The Age. New Internationalist. Humanist ideals have been lost as society descends into the fatuous, stupefied by the narcissism of mindless consumerism. Can enlightened 21st-century style help us climb out and save the planet?

THE RESULTS of the cultural indoctrination stakes are not yet in but there is a definite trend — triviality leads, followed closely by superficiality and mindless distraction. Vanity looks great while profundity is bringing up the rear. Pettiness is powering ahead, along with passivity and indifference. Curiosity lost interest, wisdom was scratched and critical thought had to be put down. Ego is running wild. Attention span continues to shorten and no one is betting on survival. Read more here