Bad Combination
Yesterday, I was reading this post over at Chris' place about medical advances allowing us to regrow limbs. And today I ended up reading this editorial at the National Post* about the global conspiracy of scientists.
When we think about civilizations advancing or declining, we tend to imagine that all aspects of the civilization are moving in the same direction at the same time. But what I'm seeing is that, in our case, our technological capabilities are still racing ahead** but our social institutions for directing that technology are in decay. This is of course not a new combination (think Germany in the 20's and 30's for an obvious example) but it certainly doesn't seem like a good combination either.
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* they've always been crazy over at the NP, but it's been a while since I looked in over there and they've really gone completely looney-tunes)
** except for anything that requires a lot of energy - the provision of which being something we can't seem to figure out despite decades of trying. No flying cars any time soon.
When we think about civilizations advancing or declining, we tend to imagine that all aspects of the civilization are moving in the same direction at the same time. But what I'm seeing is that, in our case, our technological capabilities are still racing ahead** but our social institutions for directing that technology are in decay. This is of course not a new combination (think Germany in the 20's and 30's for an obvious example) but it certainly doesn't seem like a good combination either.
---
* they've always been crazy over at the NP, but it's been a while since I looked in over there and they've really gone completely looney-tunes)
** except for anything that requires a lot of energy - the provision of which being something we can't seem to figure out despite decades of trying. No flying cars any time soon.
Labels: decline, national post is a joke, technology
posted by Declan at
Thursday, February 11, 2010
4 Comments:
When we think about civilizations advancing or declining, we tend to imagine that all aspects of the civilization are moving in the same direction at the same time.
Another example of why I like reading this blog: elegance.
By
KevinG, at 9:16 PM
I think it's pretty much received wisdom at this point that our technology grows faster than our social maturity.
It's depressing to think that reality is that not only is technology growing faster, but that that we're actually experiencing "negative growth" in social maturity at the same time. Depressing does not in any way imply "unlikely", unfortunately.
For medical stuff in particular, there are some special issues--particularly where technology, medicine, and economics overlap.
Some--like how to turn pharmaceuticals from a massive profit industry into a common good, while maintaining the level if research--seem to me trivially easy to solve. (To solve in principle--theory is so much easier than practice) There are others though, that I admit stump me.
As a liberal, progressive sort of guy it pains me a bit to admit that I don't have a good answer, or even a good system for determining an answer to questions like "If we constantly invent new--and consequently expensive--technology that can prolong or save lives, how do we as a society decide when it is appropriate to use, or more to the point not use, this technology?" I know lots of things that the answer isn't, of course, but without a good answer of my own to offer in the stead of commonly suggested answers...
By
Chris McLaren, at 9:22 PM
What KG said - seriously.
Declan BPalooza tomorrow/sat....usual place...2pm...WestEndBob has all the details.
RossK
By
RossK, at 11:47 AM
Thanks Kevin, Ross. I'll be on my way to watch some short track speed skating tomorrow afternoon though.
Chris - yes, the health care issue (inventing more technology than we can afford to give to everyone) is almost its own issue. I've thought about that one as well, without coming up with a good answer.
Meanwhile, more progress on other fronts...
By
Declan, at 10:45 PM
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