What’s wrong with computers, cars, telephones, and airplanes?
Posted by Steve Welzer on 02/28/07There is an insanity to the modern world having to do with scales and distances.
Advanced technology is an enabler of the insanity.
Computers, cars, telephones, and airplanes enable the illusion that we can handle, control, and live well within a context of hyper-scales and mega-distances.
Comments
Yes, mostly. The problem with hyper-scales and
mega-distances is not absolute; it is the
hyper and mega nature of modernity's embrace of
them. A pinch of hyper/mega is OK. It just
needs to be kept in balance.
Specifically, with respect to the examples you
cite, the opposite problem (of hypo-scales and
micro-distances) would manifest as provinciality,
in-bred-ness, narrowness, etc., and perhaps
also failure of moral imagination (which can
be fueled something wonderful by communication
technologies).
Balance in all things... including balance!
Alan
mega-distances is not absolute; it is the
hyper and mega nature of modernity's embrace of
them. A pinch of hyper/mega is OK. It just
needs to be kept in balance.
Specifically, with respect to the examples you
cite, the opposite problem (of hypo-scales and
micro-distances) would manifest as provinciality,
in-bred-ness, narrowness, etc., and perhaps
also failure of moral imagination (which can
be fueled something wonderful by communication
technologies).
Balance in all things... including balance!
Alan
By Alan2012 on 2007 08 01
typo:
"...would manifest AS provinciality,
in-bred-ness, narrowness, etc..."
Further thought, along the same lines:
Recall the old maxim "think global, act local".
That's actually quite excellent, I think. Let
the mind encompass the larger scales and distances,
while the body stays in place. Of course, this
too can be taken too far, like anything else. I
am not arguing for permanent dissociation or
psychic disconnection from place. I'm arguing for
occasional or episodic awareness of the larger
context of things. Without that episodic
awareness, one tends to shrink and shrivel...
into provinciality, in-bred-ness, narrowness.
You dig?
"...would manifest AS provinciality,
in-bred-ness, narrowness, etc..."
Further thought, along the same lines:
Recall the old maxim "think global, act local".
That's actually quite excellent, I think. Let
the mind encompass the larger scales and distances,
while the body stays in place. Of course, this
too can be taken too far, like anything else. I
am not arguing for permanent dissociation or
psychic disconnection from place. I'm arguing for
occasional or episodic awareness of the larger
context of things. Without that episodic
awareness, one tends to shrink and shrivel...
into provinciality, in-bred-ness, narrowness.
You dig?
By Alan2012 on 2007 08 11
mega-distances is not absolute; it is the
hyper and mega nature of modernity's embrace of
them. A pinch of hyper/mega is OK. It just
needs to be kept in balance.
Specifically, with respect to the examples you
cite, the opposite problem (of hypo-scales and
micro-distances) would manifest and provinciality,
in-bred-ness, narrowness, etc., and perhaps
also failure of moral imagination (which can
be fueled something wonderful by communication
technologies).
Balance in all things... including balance!
Alan