Book Publishers Seek More Sobering Economic Solutions

Book Publishers Bullish on the Economy — As a Subject (LAT)

As the U.S. economy deteriorates and millions wrestle with questions about their faltering 401(k)s and when — or if — to cash out long-term stock investments, major publishers are scrambling to cash in. They're working feverishly to find the next "big book" that reflects a more sobering view of the economy and offers solutions to help Americans survive the current fiscal woes.

I've been in and around the media since I worked at a radio station in 1969, I believe it was.  (I've slept since then and dates are getting fuzzy)... :-)  BUT, what I do recall during this time is that the economy has been on a tear.  Population has been on a tear.  Greed has been on a tear.  Wealth has... you get the picture.

Our American economy has been an unsustainable concept and process...and our main export to nations around the world who wanted "just a piece of that delicious pie".

When you look at nature as a pretty enduring model of growth, you find that invasive species run rampant in growth (look at kudzu or zebra muscles for example) -- until they crash the system!  Not just crashing their own species, but the entire habitat and neighboring species.  And we have history of empire crashes, as well -- British, Roman, Soviet...

That's a good metaphor for continuous, invasive, economic growth.

What's the solution?  My solution, if any publishers are listening...

Bring common sense back. Bring balance back. Harmony.  Slow growth.  Value.  Limit growth, focus on quality and human scale commerce.  Local concern.  Family concern.  Safe neighborhoods and less people in prison.  Care for one another rather than see them as victims for blood sucking...uh, I mean consumption.

Book publishers are in an interesting battle for growth.  They are suffering the results of invasive growth by a competitive species -- the Internet.  Paper is so yesterday -- or last century.  It uses trees.  It costs fuel and time to ship around.  Untenable return policies make book commerce a battle between publishers and retailers....etc, etc, etc.  For book publishers to be seeking solutions to lower growth is a matter of self preservation! THEY need a solution.

I wish them the best as they seek the next megastar authors that feed their own visions of high growth and grandeur at the expense of the "native species" who are stamped out by the invasive practices of high growth strategies.

Books have been the in-depth watertable for our shared cultural knowledge.  A resource we could all tap into for information, wisdom, strategy, history and common understanding.  By eschewing the middle of the author's ranks for the lowest and highest common denominators (crass humor to lofty political achievement) ... we  have turned the life-supporting heart of book publishing into a cottage industry that is benefiting from self publishing in print and on the Internet.  (Yes, that's me, too).

I hope book publishers find the solutions they are looking for -- but I doubt that another high profile author has much understanding of the real problems that need solving to make this a solvent nation, a wise people and a balanced civilization.  

But I can hope, can't I?