Thomas Lunde wrote:
>
>Do this in reality specific terms. Are we close to a societal breakdown?
>How would we know? What conditions would or should exist for a radical new
>paradigm to become popular?
>
>Well, I know this is a load of loaded questions and I am making the common
>assumption that you are like me and it is the questions that stimulate the
>answers. If you choose to pass on my challenge, perhaps others would
>comment.
The Tofflers (and others of their ilk) have been telling us for years their
answers to these questions1 I take it that you don't believe them. McLuhan
observed that what we're experiencing isn't a breakdown, but rather a
breakthrough (presumably to something better).
How would we know? After the fact archaeologists/historians have attempted
to explain other shifts: hunting/gathering to agriculture, agriculture to
industry, church to nation-state, woman as property to woman as person,
USSR to CIS, etc. I suppose that in every case the dominant paradigm simply
became irrelevant. A few prescient individuals at the time, viewing things
holistically, might have perceived the pattern in events. McLuhan thought
that to be the role of artists of various stripes (societal radar
operators!). Unfortunately their insights were usually recognized post
facto.
I rather like the notion that we are moving from an electromechanical
pattern of livelihood towards a bioelectronic pattern. This motivates me to
look around for biological models (explanations) of what may be happening.
The evolutionary process that has produced the individual human being may
be moving on to incorporate the environment. Internally our physiological
processes are highly automated and do not greatly concern us, under normal
conditions. Each cell receives its logically necessary entitlement. As I
see developments in biology and electronics converging on information it
has occurred to me that we may be seeing the externalization of these
internal processes.
Books by Beniger (The Control Revolution) and Kelly (Out of Control)
suggest, to me, the popularization of the ideas of cybernetics
(communication and control). Absorption by the general populace of such
ideas, reflected in current art (drugs and music (forms of control!)), may
inspire the changes in consciousness that you seek.
(I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow!!)
Bob
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