My guest Stephen James, a communication media expert is now a first author. His book,
American Stew, Hope in A Toxic Culture is a timely and important book. Mr. James was
was part of the crew for my show Christina at its inception. He was a cameraman and then the director. His professional advice and encouragement helped launch the my show. He went on to create his own cable show Perspectives . He has written his first book
at a time when our country is searching to understand why things are the way they are
and what to do about it. This book fills the bill. Stephen is a fan of the late author Ernest Becker .a Jewish cultural anthropologist and writer and this book is influenced by Becker's theories about Death Anxiety.
I read the book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the problems and solutions of America's culture today.
The interview will be broadcast on Optimum's Channel 88 CT on the follow dates:
Thursday January 12th at 5:30pm
Tuesday January 17th at 9:00pm
Thursday January 19th at 5:30pm
Tuesday January 24th at 9:00pm
Thursday January 26th at 5:30pm
Tuesday January 31st at 9:00pm
Thursday February 2nd at 5:30pm
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| Stephen James Author, Communication Media Expert |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen James is a communication media expert who draws from thirty years
of writing and research experience. He has followed American culture from many
vantage points. He has written for the United Nations, public television, and various corporations. James brings a fresh perspective of independent scholarship to the
national issues and intractable discourse.
Author Photograph and book cover by Kevin McDevitt
ABOUT THE BOOK
America is in desperate need of new ideas, in the richest most powerful country in history,
America is profoundly troubled. The level of fear, anger and dissatisfaction with life in
21st century America is reflected in our social ills and questionable national
behavior; exacerbated by the general lack of insight to explain what is wrong. Where will
the new ideas come from. Cultural critic, Stephen James, offers a fresh perspective on the problems that plague America as well as the much-needed solutions. By applying modern social science and interdisciplinary thought to contemporary American issues,
James offers a sweeping relevant analysis of culture that has become toxic for it's members. James proposes that our drive to become the most powerful nation on
earth can be understood in terms the theories of Ernest Becker. Becker writes that all humans dread death and all cultures have developed measures to deny death and create
opportunities for immortality. Unfortunately our culture offers an inadequate antidote to
death anxiety, pushing us to success as a nation, while leaving us anxious, driven and
unhappy. Our own culture has evolved to oppress and exploit us. It is in a word, toxic. James suggests unique opportunities for hope as well as new forms of heroism, new values and fresh approaches to life that counter death anxiety and promote satisfaction
on a deeper level.
Intellectually bracing and highly readable, AMERICAN STEW synthesizes ideas from
a multitude of disciplines to help us better understand the complexities of culture
and human motivation
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| Ernest Becker, Author and Cultural Anthropologist 1924-1974 Some famous books by Ernest Becker The Denial of Death Escape from Evil |
