Mike Lorrey wrote:
>
> Samantha Atkins wrote:
> >
> > I do not know what you wish to imply as to my motivations.
> > However, if I took Mr. Joy and other fear-mongers seriously and
> > I wanted to slow down the march of technology and/or preserve
> > existing power structures and I had the means to do so then I
> > would bring about a situation that looks pretty much exactly
> > like what we are in. Think about it. I don't believe all
> > players are simply fumbling around in the dark.
>
> Well, if it takes a little longer, so what? Might it be more
> controllable, and therefore with results more to our liking than to that
> of fate if we took our time to get it right? Joy gets listened to
> because he does have real concerns. Progress is supposed to serve man,
> not enslave us, improve us, not destroy us. If the myserious forces you
> fear were so interested in enslaving us, I'd expect they'd do a bit
> more. You have to actually reverse progress to fulfill the aims of Joy
> and the luddites, not just slow it down.
There are no "mysterious forces" in what I floated and I resent
your implication that there are.
If you can slow the rate of change temporarily and impose the
right kind of laws when the people aren't really paying enough
attention and put into place sufficiently onerous enforcement of
these laws then you begin to have a chance (or believe you do)
at the control and limitation of the process. Some of the
forces wishing for such control are not simply concerned with
better serving humankind but with preserving their own relative
wealth and power. Others are concerned with keeping the world
within the bounds of their beliefs.
- samantha
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