Re: Asimov Site

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Paul Schlyter wrote in message <8ob3jn$u3$1@merope.saaf.se>...

>In 50,000 years a LOT of things will have happened !!!!  By them I'm quite
>convinced today's capitalism will be viewed as an ancient and hopelessly
>outdated ideology -- much like we today view the society of the stone age.
>
>Think back a mere 4,000 years -- less than 1/10 of those 50,000 years
>you mentioned: back then, mankind's most advanced civilisation was
>the Pharaonic Egypt.  A lot has happened since then -- and the pace of
>change seems to be going faster and faster...
>
>Perhaps environmentalism?  It's a vague ideology, still in its infancy,
>but it firmly points to one of the fundamental flaws in capitalism, i.e.
>that it assumes exponential economic growth forever, or else it collapses.
>In time, it must be replaced by a system which can sustain itself even in
>a non-growth situation.


Paul,
    I think because of some small-minded people, it will take us 50,000
years to reach a point we could have reached in 500 without them. I'd rather
not wait that long, if I didn't have to. The pace is picking up speed,
technologically, but philosophically it has come to a stop. Forty years ago,
our technology reached the point where we could undeniably provide for
everyone's necessity, and still have alot left over for entertainment, fun,
curiosity, art... the things that are good about humanity. Still, you are
worried about possessions and property. There is some sense in this, if only
a little. Even if you are 'evolved', the next guy might not be, and might
gleefully take what you now have, by force, simply because he is little
better than an animal. But when you take it any farther, and start thinking
that this is the only way it can ever be, and more so, it's even good that
it is like this...
    As for enviromentalism, it's only a small part of what we need, and only
answers a few questions we ask, most of which could be answered with common
sense. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I certainly don't see many
asking the question.
    I can tell you this, though. I get the feeling that 2 new evils of the
modern world will be creeping up on us, and they have a bit to do with the
current debate. #1 is all-pervasive advertising, unlike anything we are
capable of imagining today. Yes, it is bad now, but get ready for the 'real
thing'. No longer satisified with informing a potential customer that there
might be a product they'd be interested in, they have moved over to
brainwashing. And the 21st century will give them technology that they've
been yearning for for decades. #2 will be "everything is IP(intellectual
property)". When physical property is so easy to create, that our
slavemasters can no longer use it as our manacles, they'll be scrambling to
find new chains. $5 nanobots can build you a lambourghini look-a-like for
the cost of 3 tons of landfill garbage and 6 days of sunshine? Creating
sports cars out of nothing without a license will be a major felony. Wait
and watch.

Thanks,
John Oyler
http://aIIethernet.tripod.com/
jojo4@va.mediaone.net