A Leaf That Floats upstream is a readable, straight from the shoulder Narrative Non-Fiction book which examines issues which constitute the threat that civilization is posing to the future of the Human Race and all life on Earth. Do we want to provide an environment and a society which will be safe and suitable for our children and those not yet born, or shall we allow arrogance avarice and apathy make the choice for us? All around us the deterioration of the Eco-system and our environment is obvious, morality is at an all-time low and almost every country on the Planet is so burdened with debt that their citizens are being taxed out of existence. The institutions and organizations which form the basis for our society are out of control, are they working for us, or against us? Are the people we appoint to look after our interests, to provide for our well-being, working for us or for themselves? You don't have to look far to find the answer to that question. Everywhere you look; there is dissatisfaction as people begin to realize they have become numbers on a ledger, that as people their value had been reduced to virtually nothing. Is there anything we, the grass-roots people of this world can do about what we see happening. Perhaps, just reading this book will make that clearer. I make no apology for the fact this book is contentious and controversial, it is meant to be, it is written to shock people out of their lethargy and raise awareness, for a very simple reason. That which we live with every day becomes invisible, we become oblivious of the obvious. We banish our passion when we come up against things we don't believe we can change. It's human nature. I don't expect that you should agree with everything I write, but I do hope it will give you cause for reflection and thought, for only then can you make the choices this world so desperately needs. It is time to take control of our lives for the sake of the people we love. We have a responsibility to provide for the future, that we may not be here to see it is irrelevant. The Earth is the source of all life; we have partaken of all it has to give, so now there is an obligation to give back so others who follow us may have the same opportunity. Does this excerpt ring any bells? Avoidable Pollution Courtesy of the Uncaring Civilization's Machine of Self-Destruction Civilization has created a colossal machine in its own image. It is a gargantuan, greedy, gobbling machine, designed to satisfy all the desires of mankind. It is fueled by avarice, lust, power, and acquisition, in fact, everything man considers necessary, even essential to compliment his extravagant way of life. It gobbles up all the natural, finite resources it can find; it consumes intelligence, morality, money, human production and the dream of ongoing life, for every creature that inhabits this planet. It is insatiable, relentless and it is out of control. But, hold on a minute, since it is created in the image of man, it will adopt all the functions of man. Whatever nutrition, the Cordon Bleu cuisine you put in your mouth today is tomorrow's shit. This machine is formed in our image, so whatever it crams into its cavernous maw today is tomorrow, excreted as debt, pollution, toxic waste and the mountains of rubbish, which are currently strangling our existence potential. Who would create such a destructive device, how could anyone be so selfish and uncaring, to allow such a monstrosity to even exist? The answer to that is so simple, no doubt you already have the answer and yes, it's you. Of course, if this machine is created in the ways we have been conditioned to accept, it will have built-in obsolescence. Yep! It will self-destruct; cease to operate, when and only when mankind is extinct. Life will have been trampled into the morass by the excesses of mankind's way of life.
About the Author: Alastair Batchelor, born Dunedin, New Zealand 1941, attended North East Valley School, Otago Boy's High School, King's High School and Otago University. His main interest has always been music, starting piano lesson at five years and later singing. He became a solo performer in solo performances, opera and much later as a musical director. In 2004 Alastair moved to Thailand with his wife Pranee, where he taught English as a second language for six years. Now retired, he spends most of his time writing; (four books published in 2013) playing the odd game of golf and riding a motorcycle through the countryside, which provides the opportunity to make videos, take photos and overcome the occasional attacks of writer's block.