23 May 2012, 7:48 pm
marshall wrote:
Also, as for culture it seems there's less optimism. People no longer believe that technology will save us. There are no lofty sci-fi notions of space exploration and colonizing other planets. Even the idea that the earth will one day be a better place with the end of poverty seems dead. People no longer seem to believe that "progress" will continue. Instead we're sitting around wringing our hands over budgets and deficits and how the whole world is going to go to hell, and we just need to buckle down and cling tightly to what we have and not let the animals come and steal any crumbs. In short, idealism is for losers. Politicians exist only to be despised. Everyone is an idiot (except ourselves 
) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.
) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.I love you. That is spot on.
techstepgenr8tion
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23 May 2012, 8:50 pm
donnie_darko wrote:
marshall wrote:
Also, as for culture it seems there's less optimism. People no longer believe that technology will save us. There are no lofty sci-fi notions of space exploration and colonizing other planets. Even the idea that the earth will one day be a better place with the end of poverty seems dead. People no longer seem to believe that "progress" will continue. Instead we're sitting around wringing our hands over budgets and deficits and how the whole world is going to go to hell, and we just need to buckle down and cling tightly to what we have and not let the animals come and steal any crumbs. In short, idealism is for losers. Politicians exist only to be despised. Everyone is an idiot (except ourselves ) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.
) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.I love you. That is spot on.
The ironic thing about that is - the first thing, belief that technology will save us, is likely the most sane thing to look forward to. Technology quite literally takes the bottomline fundamental rules and works to rearrange them closer to our liking, make our world more hospitable, even make our relationships with each other (such as thickening the veil of society with sturdy abundance or finding ways to treat things that inherently cause friction and no benefit - such as various forms of criminal psychosis).
When people go naysaying that its like saying "Please - my head's spinning, I'm tired". Perhaps people are getting a bit of future shock and feel sick or disoriented by the current pace? They have to keep in mind though - they can either give in, let it be, and stay out of its way or they can indulge themselves but at the cost of suffering, war, famine, etc. while they try and displace themselves and inadvertently decide to frown on progress.
23 May 2012, 8:55 pm
23 May 2012, 9:30 pm
donnie_darko wrote:
marshall wrote:
Also, as for culture it seems there's less optimism. People no longer believe that technology will save us. There are no lofty sci-fi notions of space exploration and colonizing other planets. Even the idea that the earth will one day be a better place with the end of poverty seems dead. People no longer seem to believe that "progress" will continue. Instead we're sitting around wringing our hands over budgets and deficits and how the whole world is going to go to hell, and we just need to buckle down and cling tightly to what we have and not let the animals come and steal any crumbs. In short, idealism is for losers. Politicians exist only to be despised. Everyone is an idiot (except ourselves ) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.
) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.I love you. That is spot on.
It's funny because I feel like I'm quite a cynic myself, but I've sort of come full circle to the point where I'm also cynical of cynicism, if that makes any sense. It's just gotten to the point where it's overbearing.
24 May 2012, 11:05 am
24 May 2012, 12:56 pm
25 May 2012, 3:02 am
25 May 2012, 4:43 am
techstepgenr8tion
Veteran
Joined: 6 Feb 2005
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Posts: 24,694
Location: 28th Path of Tzaddi
25 May 2012, 7:04 am
25 May 2012, 8:55 am
25 May 2012, 9:13 am
marshall wrote:
Also, as for culture it seems there's less optimism. People no longer believe that technology will save us. There are no lofty sci-fi notions of space exploration and colonizing other planets. Even the idea that the earth will one day be a better place with the end of poverty seems dead. People no longer seem to believe that "progress" will continue. Instead we're sitting around wringing our hands over budgets and deficits and how the whole world is going to go to hell, and we just need to buckle down and cling tightly to what we have and not let the animals come and steal any crumbs. In short, idealism is for losers. Politicians exist only to be despised. Everyone is an idiot (except ourselves ) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.
) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.Yep, its the ultimate "can't do" society. A complete failure of imagination on all fronts. Irrational approaches, like, let's expand the economy by reducing everything, downsize all the business and slash the public sector - this will produce growth (??! !!???!??!)
25 May 2012, 9:16 am
edgewaters wrote:
marshall wrote:
Also, as for culture it seems there's less optimism. People no longer believe that technology will save us. There are no lofty sci-fi notions of space exploration and colonizing other planets. Even the idea that the earth will one day be a better place with the end of poverty seems dead. People no longer seem to believe that "progress" will continue. Instead we're sitting around wringing our hands over budgets and deficits and how the whole world is going to go to hell, and we just need to buckle down and cling tightly to what we have and not let the animals come and steal any crumbs. In short, idealism is for losers. Politicians exist only to be despised. Everyone is an idiot (except ourselves ) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.
) and nobody is to be trusted. We are all bound by forces beyond our control (whether its "Evil Big Government", "Evil Big Business", or "Selfish Human Nature" ) and to think anything can change is to be mocked and ridiculed.Yep, its the ultimate "can't do" society. A complete failure of imagination on all fronts. Irrational approaches, like, let's expand the economy by reducing everything, downsize all the business and slash the public sector - this will produce growth (??! !!???!??!)
The Mother of Growth is technological innovation. Therefor those societies which nurture and encourage such innovation are likely to be better for the folks who live in them.
ruveyn
25 May 2012, 9:17 am
25 May 2012, 9:20 am
25 May 2012, 9:21 am
25 May 2012, 9:37 am
