(Free) Understanding Political Ideas and Movements

Ni kira hadiah Hari Raya untuk korang. Since you have clicked to this highly-rated, world-famous blog, and since you are interested in politics and such, I'm doing you a favour by giving something free!... the book above. Wei, kata-lah "Terima Kasih"!

If you read this, then the quality of your posts (if you have a blog) and your comments will definitely go up by at least two levels. Yeah, the cover does look boring. But then, what type of book is attractive to you... the Berlawan Dengan Jin type? Or something with a title like this: Sex and the Sizzling Supermodels By Maria Shiok.

No, these `boring-looking' books are what that help us to improve ourselves. But reading can be expensive - this book is quoted by Amazon.com at US$29 (RM104). Save by reading the book online. It's better to use the money for more useful things... like cigarettes, beer or drugs.

Here's a description given by the publisher:

Understanding Political Ideas and Movements
By Kevin Harrison, Tony Boyd; Manchester University Press, 2003. 360 pgs

This book is a comprehensive introduction to the various political ideas and movements that have shaped the modern world. Underpinned by the work of major thinkers such as Marx, Locke, Weber, Hobbes, and Foucault, the first half of the book looks at political concepts including “the state and sovereignty”, “the nation”, “democracy, representation and legitimacy”, “freedom”, “equality” and “rights, obligation, and citizenship.” The second half of the book addresses traditional theoretical subjects such as Socialism, Marxism, and Nationalism, before moving on to more contemporary movements such as Environmentalism, Ecologism, and Feminism.

Just have a quick look. Who knows, you might get attracted enough to read it until the end... an indication you might not have a real life Muahaha!

39 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist

Here’s something a lot better that what Umno, Pas, PKR, DAP and whatever else could ever hope to give you.

Folks, if you have been keeping up with stupidities like “convening a State Assembly session” when you aren’t the government of the day, this post here should help keep things in perspective. Yes, life is a lot more important than the adult version of “main masak-masak” or police and thieves” we played when in primary school.

To keep in line with “BLOG REVIEW”, I’m doing just that. This is one site that’s worth visiting regularly. Dumb Little Man… Who? Erm, people who still play main masak-masak when they’re older than 12?

Here’s one worthwhile post: 39 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist

"The proper function of man is to live - not to exist." -- Jack London
Too often we go through life on autopilot, going through the motions and having each day pass like the one before it.
That's fine, and comfortable, until you have gone through another year without having done anything, without having really lived life.

That's fine, until you have reached old age and look back on life with regrets. That's fine, until you see your kids go off to college and realize that you missed their childhoods.

It's not fine. If you want to truly live life, to really experience it, to enjoy it to the fullest, instead of barely scraping by and only living a life of existence, then you need to find ways to break free from the mold and drink from life.

What follows is just a list of ideas, obvious ones mostly that you could have thought of yourself, but that I hope are useful reminders. We all need reminders sometimes. If you find this useful, print it out, and start using it. Today.

1. Love. Perhaps the most important. Fall in love, if you aren't already. If you have, fall in love with your partner all over again. Abandon caution and let your heart be broken. Or love family members, friends, anyone -- it doesn't have to be romantic love. Love all of humanity, one person at a time.

Go on – have a good read of the other 34 here. After that, rather than getting all worked up by these politicians asking us to support this or that for THEIR sake , let’s just tell them to stuff it up their ar*e. Let’s use OUR TIME and EFFORT towards our own sake for a change, shall we?

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