Food for Thought

[rrneck]

59. I find your optimism appealing

but I'm afraid I don't share it.

I don't think we'll return so some pre industrial Mad Max dystopia, but science runs on oil and there's no ready replacement in sight. Religion on the other hand only needs the most abundant resource on the planet - human emotion. That will never run out.

I think it will be the way it always was. Those with the most resources will enjoy the most genteel lifestyle. Right now that means a 100,000 square foot house when it used to mean silverware.

It seems we largely use science and technology to define the attainment of civilized behaivor. That doesn't mean we can't be civilized without it. We will just have to use something else as a canvas for our humanity. Is there really that much difference between sitting in front of a computer screen and sitting in prayer?

I wonder if we are on the cusp of another axial age when human values will be globally redefined. That's an exciting notion. The road to that place though will be an ugly one I'm afraid.