/lit/ - Literature

>>16426024
>>16426092
The second possibility is outlined right there, of course colored with Ted's own thoughts on the matter.

It's not a fact that technology will "permanently reduce human beings [...] to engineered products and mere cogs in the social machine." First of all, this implies that one's environment plays the primary role in development, when clearly genetics have a greater role. Second of all, this implies that the political structure, and other factors, don't play a role. There can be people who benefit from the "social machine" without being a part of it. This means his use of the term "human beings" is vague. The basic premise here is an exaggeration of the importance of one part of the environment (technology and its demands) over the development of humans.

His idea of, let's say bugmen, being a "reduction," is also questionable. What glorious state of existence is he even referring to for the vast majority of these individuals? Do they not come from backgrounds like farmers and shepherds, maybe pastors or engineers, and other servile occupations? So why is commuting every day to an office job suddenly an indecency being committed against them? When has the majority of humanity ever been liberated and "higher" as he's implying here? It hasn't been, except for the nobility of only the last several thousand years in history. Calling for these people to attempt a revolution won't change their genetic calling, either.

Overall, there are two possibilities, which Ted himself admits in that paragraph. He says it will require pain to reach. However, a collapse of the system would ALSO require pain to reach. Therefore, both possibilities are painful, and should be measured by their outcome. So, which is preferable?

Possibility A:
>the system collapses
>humanity is once again free from modern technology
>work is still work, however
>the possibility that we'll return to the modern technological state is very high anyway

Possibility B:
>the system accelerates
>humanity is once again free from modern technology
>work is still work, however
>but now we're at a different state never reached before, like traveling in outer space or something to that effect

I think the answer is obvious.