Quote:
Originally Posted by mercuryrising  I think this strikes at the heart of the problem. It isn't that science and technology are bad, we just don't have a worldview as a society that is compatible with it to give our life meaning. And what gives life meaning has something to do with how we experience life.
While this existential angst may cause some people to take themselves out of the human race, it also provides an opportunity to really tap into the human potential without the fetters of dogma. |
It does sound like I need to get to reading Flow.
Ah, priorities.
And you are effectively correct: the problem is people continuing to fail to take responsibility for their lives, now that the traditional structures that minded that are failing.
My worldview has no problem fitting science and technology in itself, and neither does that of a number of my friends. So while I can somewhat see the existential distress people experience (and I certainly share some of it myself), I consider it an artifact of sheer laziness and willful ignorance. As a culture, we have unchained the prisoners from staring at the shadows on the wall, but they see no reason to turn around, climb the steep slope past the flame and walk into the world.
Blaming science and technology for this doesn't make any sense at all. Take these people and put them on the great, hypothetical Desert Island. Give them no science or technology, but provide easily accessible food and water, with minimal danger. You will still get existential angst, unless they decide to stop whining and come up with their own raison d'etre.
In summary, well... read this:
The Sandman #8