One of my favorit journalist. The reasons can be seen for example here – unorthodox, but down to earth, career advice.

Some quotes:

“What the corporate or institutional world wants you to do is the complete opposite of what you want to do. It wants a reliable tool, someone who can think, but not for herself: who can think instead for the institution”

“The idea, so often voiced by new recruits who are uncomfortable with the choice they have made, that they can reform the institution they join from within, so that it reflects their own beliefs and moral codes, is simply laughable”

“Even the chief executive can make a difference only at the margins: the moment her conscience interferes with the non-negotiable purpose of her company – turning a profit and boosting the value of its shares – she’s out.”

“my second piece of career advice echoes the political advice offered by Benjamin Franklin: whenever you are faced with a choice between liberty and security, choose liberty. Otherwise you will end up with neither.”

“People who sell their souls for the promise of a secure job and a secure salary are spat out as soon as they become dispensable”

“If you can live on five thousand pounds a year, you are six times as secure as someone who needs thirty thousand to get by”

“Learn the trade by learning the issues, and gradually branch into journalism”
(eg: non-journalist can have the chance to become an excellent one)

“Remember that even the editor of the Times, for all his income and prestige, is still a functionary, who must still take orders from his boss”

“You know you have only one life. You know it is a precious, extraordinary, unrepeatable thing: the product of billions of years of serendipity and evolution. So why waste it by handing it over to the living dead?”

To see examples of his past articles, just browse around here. Loads of enlightening writings, which will be hard to put aside. So don’t click there until you have time to spare.

A few selections :

[ Growing My Own ] – In UK, you can have small pieces of land in your town strictly to be used to grow your own fruits/vegetables.
One day Monbiot decided he’s had enough with the verocious superstores killing local farmers and making ourselves dependent to them; he booked 4 plots (!), and started his journey to self-sufficiency — with quite spectacular results.

[ The Atheist met The Prophet ] – although written with a tone of seriousness, the ending is funny as hell. Find out why.

Enjoy.