Excursions to the Far Side of the Mind: A Book of Memes - Softcover

Rheingold, author of Tools for Thought, calls himself an "extraterrestrial anthropologist," one who views earthly society from an off-planet perspective. These glib, often superficial pieces from Playboy, Oui, Whole Earth Review, California Living and elsewhere do not support his cosmic pretensions, however. He touts computer networks as "virtual communities"; dabbles in pop sociobiology (" . . . humans fight so much because so many males find fighting sexy"); interviews a chemist who invents mind-altering drugs; sniffs at human pheromones (message-transmitting odors); and speculates on whether men will have replaceable sex organs and electronic aphrodisiacs by the year 2000. A couple of the 15 essays are solidly informative, howeverfor instance, his discussion of dreams as a tool for self-analysis and an examination of the use of visual imagery in artistic and scientific creativity.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.