Dear Tom
"Leaving politics aside..."
Gladly, as I value the good communication I have had with you over the years here on fqxi, but I see we both got overly worked up when discussing certain issues.
Yes regrettably Einstein has become a mythical larger-than-life figure and I am afraid I used this idealised persona to express some of my views about the future. The essay's anonymous co-author is a real admirer of Einstein as a social visionary and is knowledgeable about Einstein's friendship with Paul Robson and his support for what was to become the Civil Rights movement in the US.
I said 'regrettably' because I now think Einstein as a physicist has made some choices in his theories that 'worked' brilliantly in their own framework, but have lead physics to a real dead-end.
I have heard much about Spinoza and once tried to read some of his writings, but the text was very difficult. The trouble with belonging to any closed community, political party, state , and especially to a successful religion is that it has built-in often invisible walls that exclude those outside its beliefs or social networks. It is a real dilemma for mankind because human beings need to get organised, yet have to stay open to other people's legitimate reality and needs. How to do that in a way a Spinoza or Einstein would approve of is the question!
Perhaps the Internet is now allowing individuals to get organized globaly yet stay connected in small local sub-groups... but will the 1% allow this to continue?
Best wishes,
Vladimir