A Reasonable Life

Ferenc Máté sounds the alarm that with our single-minded emphasis on short-term economic gain we are devastating, not only our cities, our long-term economy, and our very planet, but also our communities, families, and even friendships. We are allowing the impersonal and uncaring: immoral-governments, the mindless mass media, and profit-only driven big business to destroy things humane--to degrade the individual and the society of man. He pleads for fundamental change--by each of us--to live our lives on a more human scale: to place profound and simple human longings and the needs of our human spirit far ahead of material possessions. He pushes us to rethink our concepts of career, home-life, habits, and what we call security and success. And to resurrect our foundations: the vibrant and supportive small town and family, and a caring and passionate self. It is the fantasy of every thinking person to change his or her life, to move to a simple place; Máté shows us how to take control. His voice is outraged yet hopeful: he insults us like a brother and cares for us like a best friend as he urges us to change course and find more reasonable lives for ourselves and our children. He has given us an audacious, engaging, inspiring polemic that will make a difference in the lives of us all.