How do you foresee the future?

[Liara Covert]

I encourage you to watch this video from TED. It features photographer Phil Borges shares his stunning portraits, documenting the world's disappearing cultures, from persecuted monks in Tibet to embattled tribes in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Note in the lifetime of an elder, the languages spoken in the world will half. (already reduced from 6000 down to 3000 over last 100yrs)

During his speel, Borges notes that a recent $2 million National Geographic survey reveals Americans aged 18-26 rated second last out of nine developed countries in terms of knowledge of what's going on in the rest of the world. 70% of Americans questioned didn't know the wherabouts of Iraq or Afghanistan on a map, let-a-lone India. Apparently, something like 60% of U.S. respondants couldn't place the position of the Pacific Ocean?

How does this cause you to see yourself and how you think about the future? Can we reverse prospective cultural extinction? Are the on-line connections around the world in the program described a wave of the future? Or, do you foresee another kind of global fate?

Howstuffworks "Phil Borges Talks at TED About His Photography"

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Liara Covert

Can we reverse prospective cultural extinction?

I must admit that I have not viewed your video... but I believe that we are not seeing a cultural extinction... but a changing one...

Why would it matter to me if I could locate Iraq or Afghanistan on a map...??? I know that if need be... I could find out in a split second...

I am old enough to have gone through the times where people would study Latin and Greek... would learn by heart the name of each of the world countries' capitals... and assorted useless information...

Today, a typical ten year old kid already has more information stocked up in his brain than what a sixty years old guy who died twenty years ago had before he died...

We are not seeing a cultural extinction... but a changing one...

.

[Man of Kent]

I can understand the logic of not caring where Afghanistan or Iraq is, the problem comes when we are asked to make informed decisions (at election time, perhaps) on policies that influence what is happening in Iraq and so on. We have to be careful that a lack of knowledge of where these places are doesn't morph into a lack of interest in what is going on there. And I would add, the location of these countries is very important to the whole geo political debate. The US will vote for or against politicians who will talk, hopefully, reasonably about the issues in these countries. Shouldn't we have some knowledge of the issues?

Yes, it is very much a changing world, and its true the kid has his fingertips the ability to access all theat information, but and this is my point, does he have the wisdom to know how to use that information.

I went to an English grammar school and as well as learning all the redundant stuff Latin, trigonometry et al, i was told to think, to question and to argue a point. Kids have the information today but there exists a school system that does not promote thought (my three children learnt this through my wife's and m efforts).

The inability of a generation to think about the issues , will condemn them to being the pawns of those that would keep them in the dark.

So get out the map and look for Iraq, Timbuktu and Shangri-La.

Very Best Regards

Neil

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Man of Kent

The inability of a generation to think about the issues , will condemn them to being the pawns of those that would keep them in the dark.

Fifty years ago, it was almost impossible for people to take a rational decision because there was not enough information... so, people relied on the clergy and politicians to guide them into reaching a decision...

Today, the reverse is true... we are inundated with information to the point of being unable to keep up with it... so, people will count on "spin doctors" and the clergy (in many cases) to reach a decision...

And, the level or type of education has very little to do with how wise a decision a person will take... I have seen some very intelligent and well educated people reach some incredibly stupid conclusions... George Bush being a prime example... a graduate of Yale and Harvard... yet incredibly... (insert any pejorative term that you want here...)

The world is... and has been since the dawn of time , led by an incredibly small number of people... most of which are well meaning... and I honestly believe that, no matter what, it's not about to change...

.