[ColonelBlimp]

>These guys just seem to want to talk. I find this beyond useless.

I'm not sure this is how George Monbiot defines himself, but for me he's an intelectual. There's a place and a value in what intelectuals do. They think, they talk, they discuss. Historically, good intelectuals have helped societies identify problems by asking questions and challenging common assumptions (something very difficult to do well).

And, of course, we need engineers and people with the right technical skills to develop solutions that improve life in practical ways.