According to a study published in The Economist, activities that make you NOT desirable as a housemate include visiting farmers' markets.

             The study, conducted by R.M. Shafranek and titled "Political Considerations in Nonppolitical Decisions:  A Conjoint Analysis of Roommate Choice, ranks relative lifestyle and belief systems as liabilities or assets.

             I think this is profound because these were young people.  Studies like this really help to establish a trajectory, a "where we're going" kind of predictability.

             The single biggest liability is with a person who affiliates with a different political party--so Democrats and Republicans don't want to live together.  That's the biggest.  Second is housekeeping--messies are not desirable.  Well duh.  The next one?  Evangelical Christian.  Wow.  I thought we were supposed to be inclusive.

             The next negative and literally in tie with Christian is a person who goes to bed early.  You'd think with all the medical connections well established between sleep deprivation and health, an enlightened generation would realize the importance of going to bed early.  It always makes me wonder about people who cause trouble or get caught up in trouble late at night.

             Listen, if you're in a bar at midnight, nothing good comes from that.  I will never be shot in a bar at 1:30 a.m.  I won't be shot in a bar at 11 p.m. 

             Ready for the next liability?  Listening to country music.  Oh my.  And right behind country music is the one that got my attention:  visits farmers' markets.  Now why, in a generation that supposedly is interested in climate change and saving the planet, would visiting a farmers' market be a bad activity?  It really makes you wonder, doesn't it? 

             Tied with farmers' market patronage is hunting and fishing.  So let's see, anything involving rural life, music, activities, early bedtimes is a turnoff.  So what is the turn on?

             Yoga.  Hop-hop music.  Being Jewish.  Same political party--boy, I do not like my ideas questioned.  And the most desirable characteristic?  Watching sports.  I don't know about you, but this list does not make me optimistic about our future.

             At conferences where I speak people always ask me if our side is winning.  They want to hear a definitive "yeah, man, we're winning and all will be well."  Folks, I've got news for you, McDonald's is building 1,200 more restaurants this year.  And this list, sadly in my opinion, simply confirms that we are still heading the wrong way pretty stubbornly.  We still like our silos; we'd rather imagine a better future than work to create a better future.

             So let's all just sit around staying up late sitting in a yoga position watching sports with people who vote just like us.  That's the way to the future.  We're not going to talk about the country, eat nutritious food, connect with a farmer, or actually invest in anything concretely ecology-enhancing. 

             So how do you answer the question:  are we there yet?