View Single Post
  #27  
Old 04-27-2007, 06:47 PM
latefordinner latefordinner is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: monkeywrenching
Posts: 1,062
Default Re: What Are You Optimistic About?

[ QUOTE ]
You want us to become poor, in other words.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, what I want is for us to return to a philosophy of life that recognizes we are part of a system, rather than outside of it - I believe we can still do tremendous things within that space of recognition, but yes I believe that in 2000 years, if humans are still on earth, society will look much closer to what it looked like for 99% of our time on earth than for the past 1%

[ QUOTE ]
The Luddites of the 1800s too thought they were living in an age of unlimited consumption

[/ QUOTE ]

#1) I would argue that the Luddites recognized (correctly I might add) that the Industrial Revolution was not going to benefit humanity, as neoclassical economists claim, but the further enrichment and entrenchment of the elite ruling class.

#2) Evidentally the ruling class realized it was a war, not against technology, but against them as well. ("Any person who breaks or destroys machinery in any mill used in the preparing or spinning of wool or cotton or other material for the use of the stocking or lace manufacture, or being lawfully convicted ....shall suffer death.") View similar parallels to the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and the Green Scare of today.

[ QUOTE ]
I do agree with you that human consumption is insatiable.

[/ QUOTE ]

no only in so far as the myth of "progress" remains intact. What gives me the most hope asbout the next 100 years is that this myth will be shattered, grim as that shattering will be.

[ QUOTE ]
transform it using energy to a more ordered state

[/ QUOTE ]

thermodynamics FTW
Reply With Quote