[p2p-research] In the future...the cost of education will be zero...Mashable

[Ryan Lanham]

On Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 11:15 PM, Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi Ryan,
>
> Every one is the realist and utopian to somebody else ...
>
> So, while you consistently decry the utopians, I'm sure plenty of people
> would find this phrase the summum of utopianism, i.e.
>
> <I certainly have, at times, shared this view.  But I doubt it is true at
> present.  My guess is that, in the main, people do not cling to bad
> systems...they rationalize the good they do and wait for proof of
> alternatives to show they are not contributing fair value.  In the end,
> people mostly acquiece to obsolescence.  It's hard, but it happens.>
>
> Clearly, my wish is that you'd be right ... but ...
>
> My experience is pretty much the opposite ... i.e. people will cling to bad
> systems, until they really can't anymore ... Otherwise, why would we accept
> global warming, world hunger, medications costing 5 cents in Cuba costing
> $120 to uninsured poor people in the U.S. etc...
>
> Change is hard ... not easy,
>
> Michel
>
>

Michel,

I agree change is very hard...the hardest thing.  But I also think people do
not do evil intentionally for the msot part.  They work to survive and
continue on in their own microcosmic agenda of what they see as a greater
local good.  The key, I think is to measure and measure hard...and
comprehensively.  No one would not prefer to be poor in the US to being in
Cuba...and there is reason to doubt that global warming will happen at a
pace that really matters.  You and I may know better, but should a person
destroy their own livelihood to act on something that MIGHT happen?  Only a
fool would do so.

In the end, things change when people have compelling evidence that things
will be worse for them and theirs if they do not change.  All the more
reason why idealism without experiment and measurement is simply narcissism.


Ryan
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