On 09 Dec 2014, at 00:41, LizR wrote:
On 8 December 2014 at 23:44, Bruno Marchal <[email protected]> wrote:
On 07 Dec 2014, at 22:17, LizR wrote:
On 8 December 2014 at 01:30, Bruno Marchal <[email protected]> wrote:
On 06 Dec 2014, at 10:37, LizR wrote:
That's a curious question. The ruins and record indicate that
there was no ancient civilisation that had anything like the
knowledge or resources of modern day technology. For example, no
ancient civilisation discovered the use of fossil fuels or nuclear
power. One could argue that these things aren't in fact good for
modern civilisation, but since we don't know how things will work
out that would be presumptuous.
For the nuclear resources, I follow you. For the use of petrol
(dead plants), arguments (in favor of Hemp, 'course) already
mentioned that it was not sustainable, and that it would disrupt
life equilibrium in the middle run (a point made already by Henry
Ford).
My point is that using fossil fuels MAY have bridged the gap from
preindustrial society to a sustainable postindustrial one - we
don't know yet.
I think so for fossil fuels other than petrol. And we would have use
living plants, we would have still used petrol, but with a means of
an economical regulation based on fair or fairer competition. The
problem is that once we get criminals organizing the market, we lost
all the regulating factors, and the society get pyramidal in the
Monty way. This leads to social crisis, and life becomes hard. In UK
the number of people having food problem has gone from 200,000 to
900,000, for example. The current austerity is nonsense, but we are
all hostage of bandits.
I agree. But again we don't know how this will pan out. Someone (I
forget who) recently published an economic analysis that indicates
the western world is due for another round of revolutions soon (his
analysis was, to simplify no doubt enormously, that inequalities
tend to become magnified over time and eventually get so bad that
the ruling class is overthrown - then the cycle starts again).
A revolution aginst bandits? Maybe. I hope the democratic idea will
survive through this. But exactly like it is impossible to put the
lie in a trial, it is difficult to imagine a revolution for people
dismissing their own constitution. So, well, maybe there will be a
revolution, but that would be sad. It is enough we learn to do our
jobs, ... and being reasonably paid for it.
If that happens, then it's possible the slate will be wiped and
rewritten. There have certainly been signs that we might be heading
for some form of cyber-revolution, with govts failing to keep up
with technology (except for surveillance) and being undermined by a
tech-savvy middle class.
People wanting control cannot like the net, but the net, like drugs
and religion, will always prosper from attacks against it.
(Perhaps. Or was that just the plot of my next novel...?)
:) Go for it Liz! (just keep in mind that reality is beyond fiction
and at the same time all young people take it for granted).
Bruno
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