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Public Citizen

Larry Barnett: Rehumanizing Work

During Europe’s medieval period guilds dominated the working environment; apprentices learned their trade at the feet of a master craftsman. From shoemakers to bakers to blacksmiths, a trade was not simply a livelihood, but provided a valuable, stable and reliable place within society. The rise... Continue

Larry Barnett: Ashes to Ashes 

What is life? Erwin Schrodinger, of cat-in-a-box-simultaneously-living and-dead fame, wrote an entire book of that title on the subject, arguing that life emerges from the physics of “Negentropy” or negative entropy, i.e., extracting order from the environment. However, in some way as yet not understood,... Continue

Larry Barnett: The Fascist States of America?

Fascism is more than political or organizational structure; it’s a state of mind, and that state of mind is about justifying dominance of strength over weakness. Taking their cue from a misunderstanding of nature, Fascists view human survival and achievement in simple predatory terms of... Continue

Larry Barnett: Our Not So Secret Power

People are remarkable creatures. Liberated from walking using arms and hands thanks to our bipedal gait, we’ve used them to successfully manipulate matter, from lighting fire to assembling spacecrafts. We play music, dance and create drawings and paintings. For better or worse we’ve mastered chemistry,... Continue

Larry Barnett: Changing Lines, Changing Lanes

There might be a purpose to life but answering that question is above my pay grade. An easier question might be is there a purpose to thought? We don’t know how long it is that humans have been thinking. It’s likely that some form of... Continue

Larry Barnett: Just the Right Spot 

It was just one year ago on May 22, 2025 that Norma, my wife of fifty years, died suddenly. I’m still wrestling with the impact of that, and I expect I will for the rest of my life. In my dream world she won’t leave... Continue

Larry Barnett: The Human Show

World feel crazy enough for you right now? It certainly feels that way to me. It’s hard not to get caught up in all the drama and treat it like it matters; some of it is real of course, but some of it is not.... Continue

Larry Barnett: Lessons from the Garden

For a while the idea of talking to your houseplants gained an audience. As living things, both plants and animals exist at a vibrational level, and establishing a resonance between you and your Begonia may be possible from a quantum perspective. I’ve been talking to... Continue

Larry Barnett: May 5, 1919

Just another day in May, and the day my father Norman was born. As it happens, he was given an unusual gift on one of his birthdays, a copy of The Globe, a New York City newspaper printed on the day of his birth. The... Continue

Larry Barnett: Befriending Sadness

For most of my adult life I avoided sadness. I didn’t cry much and tried to stay positive, and when trouble did arise, I’d adopt a stoic attitude and set my feelings aside. While I didn’t believe the purpose of life was to be happy,... Continue