Paliani offers blueprint for a kinder society: Latest book shows geeks saving the world<\/p>\n
Published 11:24 am Tuesday, August 5, 2025<\/p>\n
Joe Paliani dreams of a kinder society.
His latest book spells out a way to get there.
And his biggest revelation is that the world will be saved \u2014 by geeks.
One theme is the value of diversity, a pushback against some actions of today\u2019s federal administration.
Paliani is in his mid-80s, and temporarily living in Longview. He retired to the Long Beach Peninsula after a career running anti-poverty programs, working with the California governor\u2019s office as an analyst and grant writer while helping to coordinate community action groups.
He wrote plays and directed for Peninsula Players for a dozen years. In 2021, he published his first book, \u201cThe Hounds of Heaven,\u201d a story about villagers who unite to battle a developer intent on seizing their land.
Paliani confided that the book\u2019s fictional threat paralleled his concerns that dams built on the Columbia and Snake rivers for hydroelectric power since 1933 have irreversibly damaged native salmon runs.
At the time, he was initially annoyed that his publishers characterized it as a \u201cyoung adult novel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018A better society\u2019<\/p>\n
His latest work has a clunky title, but it tells all: \u201cThe Great New Freedom State. How Five Nutcase Geeks Saved the World.\u201d It is illustrated with drawings by his niece, Isabella.
Some action takes place in Astoria; one passage reflects his continued concerns about the dams on the Columbia. Hunger and homelessness are other themes addressed. His wife, Charlotte, is a leader with the Ocean Park Food Bank.
\u201cI had the idea 20 years ago that we needed a better society,\u201d Paliani said. \u201cI proceeded to write a blueprint for a better tomorrow. I think that human beings have a great reward when they interact with each other with kindness and diversity.\u201d
Writing an adventure book targeted at young readers instead of a serious weighty nonfiction work was an intentional choice, because of his target audience.
\u201cWe are the victims of a stagnant society,\u201d he noted. \u201cThe idea is creating a new approach and targeting youth to inspire change in a new generation.
\u201cIf we can reach the young, we have a better chance for change. I do not think a political essay would reach an audience prone to making extreme change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Different system<\/p>\n
Sociologists and political observers who ponder strategies for social change balance disruptive revolution with excruciatingly incremental changes in existing conditions.
One of Paliani\u2019s characters, Jo-Jo, says, \u201cWe\u2019re thinking about creating a new society with a totally different political, educational and judicial system.\u201d Another character suggests working within the system.
Jo-Jo has it right, the author believes.
\u201cThe only advantage to working within the existing system is retaining the right to vote,\u201d he said. \u201cThe disadvantage is having to dismantle and erase the imperfections. The new system will have no police, no incarceration, no built in racism or negativity to other nations or nationals or race and religions.\u201d<\/p>\n
The one true god<\/p>\n
Paliani\u2019s respect for all religions and thoughtful beliefs about the existence of a god appeared in his other writing. In this new work, he names her \u201cFa.\u201d Her importance soon becomes clear.
\u201cThis character represents a supreme being, and I believe everyone is looking for one. This character has all the abilities to bring people together rather than separate them because she is the one supreme being and there will be no other,\u201d he noted.
\u201cAll the truths of all religions will be embodied in her truisms. She is the one true god. Up until now, mankind has not deserved heaven with wars, destroying the earth, etc. She will lead to peace in the world.
\u201cThe reader will accept the open door for them to possess the dreams of children and find the path to heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goal<\/p>\n
So, how does he hope readers will react to his work?
\u201cThat they will be on the kids\u2019 side,\u201d he said. \u201cKids will get the message that it\u2019s OK to disagree, but that we support one another.\u201d
Inevitably, early chapters highlight conflict when change is suggested.
\u201cThese youth were smart and serious and in the beginning rejected by their peers, and the reader will see that we can respect and support and accept one another,\u201d he said. \u201cWithout prejudice, we will have a better world.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Paliani offers blueprint for a kinder society: Latest book shows geeks saving the world Published 11:24 am Tuesday,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":46041,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[64,63,457,134],"class_list":{"0":"post-46040","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-books","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-books","11":"tag-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}