title: The Culture of Contentment
author:  John Kenneth Galbraith 
description: This is Galbraith's analysis of the bind we Americans have put ourselves in since Reagan-Bush. His thesis is that we have become a "culture of contentment" wherein the majority of those who vote are socially and economically advantaged and will fight like tigers to maintain that advantage by voting against increased taxation that would reduce the federal deficit and respond to aching social problems. "The result is government that is accommodated not to reality or common need but to the beliefs of the contented." "Having enough, many wish for more." Greed has thus given us reduced income taxes for the rich, Michael Milken, the S&amp;L scandal, a bloated military, etc. What is needed is a return to strong governmental regulation, reduced military spending, and a stringent progressive income tax. Nothing "would so contribute to social tranquility as some screams of anguish from the very affluent" that would provide more money to public education, welfare services, employment training, public housing, and libraries. "The question . . . is not what can be done but what will be paid." Essential for all academic and public libraries. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/91 . -- Jeffrey R. Herold, Bucyrus P.L., Ohio<br />Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
zlib_text: Culture of Concentration by Judge v. 07.15, www.philaletheians.co.uk, 7 December 2017 
  Page 1 of 10 
  Culture of Concentration 
  
  DOWN TO EARTH SERIES 
  CULTURE OF CONCENTRATION 
  Culture of Concentration by Judge v. 07.15, www.philaletheians.co.uk, 7 December 2017 
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  A paper read by William Quan Judge before the Aryan Theosophical Society of New York. First published 
  in: The Path, Vol. III, July 1888, pp. 116-23; Vol. IV, February 1890, pp. 329-31. Republished in: Eklund 
  D. (Comp.). Echoes of the Orient: The Writings of William Quan Judge. San Diego: Point Loma Publica-
  tions, Inc., 1975-1987. Vol. I (1975), pp. 64-73; second edition, Pasadena: Theosophical University 
  Press, 2009, pp. 70-80. 
  Part I 
  The term most generally in use to express what is included under the above title is 
  SELF CULTURE. Now it seems to well enough express, for a time at least, the practice 
  referred to by those who desire to know the truth. But, in fact, it is inaccurate from a 
  theosop