March 10, 2007
-
History's view of Our World
I'm taking the long view here. History may label our time as:
1. "The End of the Industrial Revolution and the Beginning of the Electronic Era"
The Industrial Revolution dramatically changed the life of all humans (and everyone else) in the World. People lived better and longer in some cases and had a more wretched life in others as their nations industrialized. The landscape of the world was greatly changed by ecological and mineral stripping, pollution, and pockets of overpopulation.With the beginning of the electronic era, solutions to the supposedly inevitable ecological downturn and collapse became more conceivable, but politics, tradition, and national rivalries made these difficult to implement and we saw the beginning of the:
2. "Age of National Instability" The Age of the Rise of Nation States ended with multiple revolutions and civil wars which led to the rise of "Modern Particularism", that is the demand for each ethnically separate group demanding autonomous rule and the migrations of large numbers of humans fleeing warfare, famine, and persecution.
This caused the :3. "Age of Collapse": All those problems of the world-wide industrialization came together: Overpopulation, Pollution, Global Warming, Natural resource depletion, National and ideological competition and warfare, all led to severe economic, political, and mass human migration changes which strained world civilization almost to total collapse.
All in all this seems to be the historic period which demonstrates the truth of the old Chinese curse:
May You Live In Interesting Times
Comments (7)
That's good that your wife has a physical therapist that cares it is hard to find people these days that do care. Your trip to Maine sounds wonderful is it nice weather there? It is really nice here it is warming up and things are blooming! I can't wait for everything to be in bloom again.
Interesting approach and take on the question, but has there ever been an age when there was no national instability? Every nation and world empire of which I am aware has had to deal with its own problems, both foreign and domestic, with many factions demanding change. Also, you seem more to be predicting an Age of Collapse than reporting on one. Why do you see such a Collapse? Is there no hope that Man can find a solution before such a collapse occurs?
"May you live in Interesting times" haha, I think I've gotten that on a fortune cookie once. I think I'd choose interesting over stale/static/boring any day.
And, I had no idea you two were the same! I mean, I could see similarities, but the fact that you took time to comment back with both sites threw me off.
Interesting counter argument against moral relativism. The universal law in any civilization is to follow the moral code... otherwise you'd be immoral. I feel however, this is way too broad. For example, we know our perception of the world is subjective. We can't prove the color green I perceive is the same green you perceive. Therefore, I would say my perception is subjective; the way I percieve the world around me is relative to me. But if we used your argumentation, then the claim would be: No, everything is not subjective. The fact that we all percieve something is the objective truth. And although that may be true, it doesn't take away from the fact that we percieve the same things different ways.
In the same sense, although the universal rule is to follow the moral code from each society, the definition of the moral code varies from society to society. So following the moral code in Soc. A, is not the same as following it in Soc. B. Ergo, objectivity falls apart when you go down to a societal level.
FYI medio - I have to log on in SocCafe mode in order to do things with that site and sometimes I just stay in that mode when visiting other sites - I have to go that way anyhow when I am linking you.
Besides that parthenon icon adds a sense of gravitas to the universal truths I am uttering
A major problem with the concept of relative morality is that no culture I am aware of is willing to admit its possibility.
OUR MORALS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT!!
Reluctant: We seem to be just coming out of an age of relative national growth and stability - probably caused by the Industrial Revolution - Which has seen the emergence of the great modern nation-states e.g.. the U.K., Germany, the U.S. the USSR (which only lasted about 70 years despite being a world superpower), China, Japan, etc. None of these states existed as a nation three hundred years ago in anything like their modern form.
I call this age (possibly) the "Age of Collapse" based on the collected reports of Geologists, Climatologists, and Political/Economic Geographers, none of whom are very optimistic about our present civilization's chances unless we start doing something; and world-wide political and intrenched special interests have been dragging their feet.
I do hope Britney doesn't go the Anna Nicole Smith for her kids sake but she really seems to be a mess. Isaw tonight they say she thinks she is in love with someone else another musician! I think she should quit worrying about falling in love and get her head straight. She is so young if she quits partying she has so much ahead of her and to look forward to but they never seem to know that at a young age.
My son is the classic type autism we have had him in school since he was 3 years old he has made improvements but he still has a childs mind, he is 15 now.
great factors altogether, you basically gained a fresh reader. What do you recommend about your post that you simply made a few days ago? Any good?