TOEXPLAINWHEREIhavearrivedinmyunderstandingofpowerandloveandsocialchange,IhavetoexplainhowIstarted.
IgrewupinMontrealandstudiedphysicsatMcGillUniversity.Inthesummerof1981,asIwasfinishingmyundergraduatedegree,IattendedameetingofthePugwashConferenceonScienceandWorldAffairsinBanff,Alberta,whereIheardaspeechaboutthecrucialenergyandenvironmentalchallengesarisingoutoftheincreasingcomplexityandfullness-ofpeopleandideasandthings-oftheworld.Idecidedtoshiftmystudiesfromphysicaltosocialsciences,andIwentontodoagraduatedegreeineconomicsandpublicpolicyattheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeley.Aftergraduation,IworkedatavarietyofresearchinstitutionsinNorthAmerica,Europe,andAsia,andtheninthecorporateplanningdepartmentofPacificGasandElectricCompanyinSanFrancisco.
Myfatherhadtaughtmethevalueofindustriousness-ofdoingmyjobwell,whateverthatjobwas-andofself-determinationandself-improvement.HisfavoritestorywasofHenryDavidThoreau,whohadlivedinthewoodsatWaldenPondandaftertwoyearshadcomeoutwithhisa