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Introduction to Jacque Fresco’s Recommended Reading
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Jacque Fresco, a visionary futurist and social engineer, passionately advocated for systemic societal overhaul rooted in scientific principles and sustainability. Throughout his life, Fresco amassed a profound collection of seminal books that reflect his interdisciplinary approach and his commitment to constructing a better future for humanity. This carefully curated list encompasses diverse themes such as social science, environmentalism, technology, economics, and human behavior, offering a comprehensive guide for those seeking to understand the foundations of his philosophy and the vast breadth of his intellectual influences.
Among the most significant books that encapsulate Fresco’s vision are his own works and those that have deeply influenced his thinking. Jacque Fresco’s “Designing the Future” and “The Best That Money Can’t Buy” provide essential insights into his blueprint for a sustainable and equitable society. Complementing these are collaborative works like “Looking Forward,” co-authored with Kenneth Keyes, which delineates a future shaped by scientific and technological advancements.
Buckminster Fuller’s “Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth” is another cornerstone of Fresco’s reading list, emphasizing the need to think globally and act with mindful stewardship of the planet. Similarly, Carl Sagan’s “The Demon-Haunted World” champions a scientifically informed worldview, encouraging skepticism and critical thinking—principles central to Fresco’s ideology.
Turning to socio-economic critiques, Thorstein Veblen’s “The Theory of the Leisure Class” and Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” offer pivotal insights into understanding systemic inequities and the historical context of social structures. These readings reflect Fresco’s commitment to recognizing and addressing economic disparities.
Environmental themes are prominently featured with Elisabeth Mann Borgese’s trilogy, including “The Drama of the Oceans,” “The Mines of Neptune,” and “The Oceanic Circle,” which stresses the vital importance of oceanic conservation and environmental sustainability.
Scientific inquiry and futuristic thought are well represented by Charles Darwin’s “On The Origin of Species” and Ray Kurzweil’s “The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology.” These works delve into the evolutionary foundations and the transformative potential of future technologies, respectively, aligning with Fresco’s advocacy for tapping human ingenuity.
Psychological and behavioral studies, crucial for understanding human interactions and societal dynamics, are thoroughly explored in B.F. Skinner’s multiple works, including “Beyond Freedom & Dignity” and “Science and Human Behavior.” These texts offer essential perspectives on the mechanisms underlying human behavior and potential avenues for societal improvement.
Finally, Fresco’s list is enriched with visionary explorations and critiques from literature and science fiction that include Edward Bellamy’s “Looking Backward” and Arthur C. Clarke’s “Profiles of the Future.” These works inspire forward-thinking and imaginative solutions, urging readers to visualize and strive for a better future.
Jacque Fresco’s collection mirrors his belief in interdisciplinary learning and the integration of diverse knowledge streams to address complex global challenges. By immersing yourself in these pivotal works, you embark on a journey through the vast intellectual landscape that shaped Fresco’s revolutionary ideas. Each book presents unique perspectives essential for grasping the multifaceted solutions required to design a sustainable and equitable future for all.
Jacque Fresco’s recommended reading list
- 1. Joel Andreas, Addicted to War
- 2. Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward
- 3. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, The Drama of the Oceans
- 4. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, The Mines of Neptune
- 5. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, The Oceanic Circle
- 6. Jagadis Chandra Bose, Response In The Living and Non-Living
- 7. Ellen Hodgson Brown, Web of Debt
- 8. Kenneth Burke, A Grammar of Motives
- 9. Kenneth Burke, A Rhetoric of Motives
- 10. Walter B. Cannon, Bodily Changes in Pain, Hunger, Fear and Rage
- 11. James Patrick Chaplin, Rumor, Fear, and The Madness Of Crowds
- 12. Stuart Chase, The Proper Study of Mankind
- 13. Stuart Chase, Tyranny of Words14. Arthur C. Clarke, Profiles of The Future: An Inquiry Into the Limits of the Possible15. B. C. Crandall, Nanotechnology: Molecular Speculations on Global Abundance16. Clarence Darrow, Resist Not Evil17. Clarence Darrow, The Story of My Life18. Charles Darwin, On The Origin of Species19. K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation20. Ira Flatow, They All Laughed21. Jacque Fresco, Designing the Future22. Kenneth Keyes & Jacque Fresco, Looking Forward23. Jacque Fresco, The Best That Money Can’t Buy24. Buckminster Fuller, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth25. Martin Gardner, Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science26. James Gilligan, Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic27. James Gilligan, Preventing Violence28. Samuel Ichiyé Hayakawa and Alan R. Hayakawa, Language in Action29. Wendell Johnson, People in Quandaries: The Semantics of Personal Adjustment30. Fritz Kahn, Man in Structure & Function31. Alfred Korzybski, Science And Sanity: An Introduction To Non-Aristotelian Systems And General Semantics32. Alfred Korzybski, Manhood Of Humanity: The Science And Art Of Human Engineering33. Ray Kurzweil, The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology34. Willy Ley, Engineers’ Dreams35. Jacques Loeb, Forced Movements, Tropisms, and Animal Conduct36. Jacques Loeb, The Mechanistic Conception of Life37. Ferdinand Lundberg, The Rich and the Super Rich: A Study in the Power of Money Today38. Elliott Maynard, Transforming the Global Biosphere39. John McMurtry, The Cancer Stage of Capitalism40. Frank Ogden, The Last Book You’ll Ever Read41. Melford Pearson, There is a Way! To Peace and Social Justice42. John Perkins, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man43. John Perkins, The Secret History of the American Empire44. Jeremy Rifkin, The End of Work45. James Harvey Robinson, Mind in the Making46. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World47. Robert M. Sapolsky, The Trouble with Testosterone: And Other Essays on the Biology of The Human Predicament48. Michael Shermer, Why People Believe Weird Things49. Arthur B. Shostak, Viable Utopian Ideas: Shaping a Better World50. B.F. Skinner, The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis51. B.F. Skinner, Cumulative Record52. B.F. Skinner, Science and Human Behavior53. B.F. Skinner, Verbal Behaviour54. B.F. Skinner, Beyond Freedom & Dignity55. Homer William Smith, Man and His Gods56. Gerry Spence, From Freedom to Slavery57. Mark Twain, Letters From the Earth58. Mark Twain, The Mysterious Stranger59. Thorstein Veblen, The Theory of the Leisure Class60. Thorstein Veblen, The Engineers and the Price System61. Herbert G. Wells, The Shape of Things to Come: The Ultimate Revolution62. Fredric Wertham, The Show of Violence63. Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States64. Hans Zinsser, Rats, Lice & History65. William D. Hartung, How Much are You Making on the War, Daddy?66. William D. Hartung, Prophets of War67. Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle. Remaking the Way We Make Things
Literature that is either mentioned by Jacque Fresco in the lectures or that is additionally recommended by him
- 68. Fortune Magazine Article (1934), Arms and the Men
- 69. Smedley Butler, War is a Racket
- 70. Jack Catran, Is There Intelligent Life on Earth?
- 71. George Crile, A Mechanistic View of War and Peace
- 72. Donald Powell Wilson, My Six Convicts
- 73. Arthur Kallet, F.J. Schlink, 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs: Dangers in Everyday Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics
- 74. Lewis Mumford, The Story of Utopias
- 75. B.F. Skinner, Operant Behavior
Additional literature
- 76. Robert M Sapolsky, Determined: Life Without Free Will
- 77. Karen Pryor, Don’t Shoot The Dog
- 78. Jeremy Rifkin, The Third Industrial Revolution
- 79. Susan & Bruce Kodish, Drive Yourself Sane
- 80. B.F. Skinner, articles81. Dan Ariely, Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things
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