The pure, navel-gazing silliness that is the simple living industry has perhaps--I say perhaps because the competition is so vigorous--hit a new low with the arrival in our mailbox of the "Alternatives for Simple Living Fall/Holidays/1998" gift catalog, er, resource guide, with "Free 1999 JOY Calendar inside." Now, a catalog promising JOY and free STUFF to get you to BUY things so you can learn to have less STUFF in your life is idiotic in itself. But the rock bottom comes in their book catalog (of course) and its listing of Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book "Death Blossoms: Reflections From a Prisoner of Conscience." Before you get too pleasantly surprised that these folks would dare sully their simplicity with the writings of America's most notorious political prisoner and voice for radical African-American unity, consider the catalog listing. Here it is, in full:

John Berger wrote, "In order to know another's place in the world it is first necessary for us to dismantle the world as we know it." The first life principle Alternatives models, teaches and believes is "Do Justice." Here is a book that leads us into difficult self-evaluation in order that we can become active doers of Justice. Listen to Mumia: "If material things are not our salvation, why do we spend our energies in endless acquisition?"

That's it. There you have it: The perfect stocking stuffer, Mumia depoliticized, as feel-good New Age prophet. And what better way to strip the extraneous from your life than to be confined, pending your murder, to an 8'x10' cell and allowed virtually no personal possessions? Surely there's some sort of Club Med-type thing that can be worked up (at a price) for the more enthusiastic of you back-to-the-basics types. All meals, clothing, and surveillance included. Yucky Western medicine is strictly frowned upon. Cut the leash that is your cell phone--they're not allowed! Forget about your sun roof in a world with no sun! Cavity searches and manacles not optional.