The Book of Five Rings by Mushashi

       Now this book is hundreds of years old, but I prefer it to Sun Tzu's the Art of War, also hundreds of years old.

            And there are many other idealistic ideas and books that motivate so many of us.

            For example, think of "living off the land", or the "noble savage", or the "bushido code", or even "self sacrifice".

            All these ideas are really motivating, but numbers also count. I think presently the idea is called swarming, in military talk.  Again, numbers count, too.

            I am always impressed when a human minority group can organize itself enough to dominate a majority's thoughts and ideas.  Think of a tail wagging a dog. It happens, at least for a while.

            And in marketing terms, sometimes called propaganda in other times and places, spin is a factor, too. Said another way, call it a good sales pitch.

            Things always appear dimmest, just before it gets totally dark.  No PC here, "just the facts mam", in Dragnet TV series terms.

            So one can't live off of just wealth and good ideas, like the numbers eventually catch up. Other factors also count, like seed vaults, and security for my Family.

            So if you like reading, check out Mushashi, as he may give you other ideas for today's times, and your times and cultures and locations, too.