Comments on The Technology Strand

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HI DAMON!! You are deep dude!! I like your stuff...

posted by Schree on September 1, 2005 at 9:33 PM | link to this | reply

I am fascinated and will continue to read however I can't help but want to nano bot myself a tall, dark, wealthy, handsome lover at this present moment... *wink*

posted by Ca88andra on August 7, 2005 at 3:57 AM | link to this | reply

Possible answer:

even if we eliminated the causes of premature death or achieved virtual immortality, some may pursue technology out of sheer curiosity, desire for change and innovation, or further improvements upon the human condition. Even if we're all living and know that we will survive for a very long time, we may still seek ways of making things easier. In other words, I believe it would take a very long time (far beyond 2012, I suspect) to exhaust our desire for improvements. I am not saying that improvements necessarily increase our happiness in the long-run. But even though people know that money does not buy happiness, they continue to act as though it does. I think that's because the maxim is not entirely true: money does buy happiness (or things that cause a bit of extra happiness), for a little while, after which more money is needed to buy a bit more happiness (if only the novelty of the new gadget or other advantage gained by the extra wealth), and so on. Maybe technology is the same way. Talking of money, that might be another motive: financial gain, even if the case for new technology is not compelling, people will probably pursue it as long as someone will pay a lot of money for it.

On the other hand, I do agree with you that technology may help us to reduce our consumption of natural resources. You are arguing that technology will help make us less desirous of greater consumption, and that may very well be. I also believe that certain technologies -- particularly if supported, incentivized, by good public policy -- will improve life further and use less of our resources. What if we fully harness the power of the sun and the wind to create energy? The sun and the wind will presumably be around a very long time. I know just from experience that the sun's energy can be enjoyed -- albeit in a primitive way -- without being depleted. Moderate sun exposure may be good for our health -- some doctors attest to this -- and one person's basking awhile in the sun neither depletes the sun nor excludes someone else from the same pleasure. If we could start getting more and more energy from such clean and renewable sources, we could end up having truly sustainable industry -- but I think that controlling population growth will still be important. But if we wait for that control to happen naturally (i.e. population reaches a critical point at which the concentration hastens disease, starvation or war and thus depletes the population) we will have caused a lot more suffering than we needed to in order to achieve a positive result (I refer to a sustainable population, not the premature death that caused it).

Because of the continued prevalence -- overwhelmingly powerful and sanctioned by business and government -- of the mentality that ardently advocates excessive consumption and the rejection of all limits -- personal or collective -- on that consumption, in moralistic language no less, I remain broadly pessimistic about our future as stewards of the Earth.

posted by Dyl_Pickle on August 6, 2005 at 9:16 AM | link to this | reply

iSiSeYeSs...

...you're very kind - I appreciate the on-going support here.

D x

posted by DamonLeigh on August 3, 2005 at 9:42 AM | link to this | reply

Ariala...

...good you're keeping your eyes open - as you say, anything could happen in the next phase!

However, as you'll soon see, technology is just part of the puzzle - and not even the most exciting part!

Thanks for reading, m'dear!

D

posted by DamonLeigh on August 3, 2005 at 9:40 AM | link to this | reply

Damon,

Once again, bravo for a thought-provoking and forward-thinking blog.  You have done yourself proud here, and I'm excited to keep reading more!  This is truly fascinating...

posted by myrrhage_ on August 3, 2005 at 8:54 AM | link to this | reply

Damon, very interesting thoughts here...I am definitely keeping an eye

out to the changes among the collective as well as in me individually as the time passes and gets closer to 2012.  I agree that technological changes are in the works and just about anything is possible...

posted by Ariala on August 3, 2005 at 8:36 AM | link to this | reply