Why isn’t the future what it used to be?
29th May 2009
Well, let’s see: Nanny-state health & safety laws killed the moving sidewalks and the computer-guided cars (See SEGWAY), climate-scare luddites gave us HOV lanes that killed the congestion-free highways, tort lawyers and government bureaucrats killed the paperless office, etc., etc.
May 29th, 2009 at 12:49
uh, I think “technical” issues like the PRICE killed moving sidewalks. But it may have been the difficulty of conducting window shopping that put the kibosh on, or the inability to take a nap on one (you have seen them)…And the reality of a Microsoft car? good god man, I just got a patch and it STILL CRASHES!!! Congestion free highways? never a plausible pipedream and you can blame it on human stupidity withoput resort to politic or technological failures. Funny how those bureaucrats cant even leave a paperless trail when they immortalize their transgressions, same with the Enron crew. Human nature, not political adventurism again, and forever.
Do I believe in progress? “towards what?” as I once heard the reply. Indeed. I hardly believe in intelligent life on earth!
May 29th, 2009 at 13:00
Ultimately, the reason the future isn’t what it “used to be” is because of the denial that actions have consequences. The “perfect-future” dreamers are in denial that the actions they take today create the future they live in tomorrow. To answer the commentator’s cynical tone, the “nanny-state” comes from millions of voters being guided by fear rather than courage, and choosing safety over freedom (and same with the paperless office). The inevitable and documented climate change results from billions of people just like the commentator pretending that the laws of physics apply to everyone but themselves, so that the carbon THEY generate in the atmosphere is “good” and won’t warm it up. Ultimately, if the future isn’t going to “suck” then it will take a generation of people who are willing to take responsibility for it, rather than serving their immediate gratification. You’ll notice that those Star Trek episodes are all full of heroes willing to sacrifice for the good of the whole. I don’t see a lot of those around here.
May 30th, 2009 at 11:32
Indeed , seer: I believe you are refering to the so called rational decision making choices we are all too prone to. The short term cost answer that says I’ll start doing better TOMORROW. The one that runs our economy downhill to the short con of flimsy products and quarterly profit. Enlightened self interest has become a “quaint” concept, relegated to the dustheap with responsibility, the constitution etcetc. At least in this once great Republic. And yes, its ALOL ABOUT fear. That selfless generation might already be here, if we can stay out of the way and lend a hand without asking whats in it for me.