From: Brett Paatsch (paatschb@optusnet.com.au)
Date: Sun Jul 06 2003 - 18:03:19 MDT
>Randy writes:
>> From Extropians of the past:
>>
http://architecture.mit.edu/house_n/web/resources/articles/lifeinthefuture/M
IRACLES%20OF%20THE%20NEXT%20FIFTY%20YEARS.htm
> Damien writes:
>
> Some good calls among the dross (and stuff that could have
> happened if people had chosen them)
I reckon the following was a pretty good observation then and
still would be today.
--- "The only obstacles to accurate prophecy are the vested interests, which may retard progress for economic reasons, tradition, conservatism, labor-union policies and legislation. If we confine ourselves to processes and inventions that are now being hatched in the laboratory, we shall not wander too far from reality" --- The extent to which politics and current social structures and vested interests can mitigate or retard the emergence of technological solutions that look eminently desirable and reasonable to extropic types seems to be a key differentiator amongst us. Some seem more of the view that nothing can stop a technological breakthrough who's time has come others are considerably less sure. Penicillin sat on the to be further investigated eventually shelf for something like 20 years before WW11 and the Normanby invasion with the anticipation of massive casualties sparked up the research and development engines. The space race seems to have been driven largely as a sideline to the cold war. Ironic that plain old fashion military considerations (not greatly different from what probably drove innovations 50,000 years ago) seem to drive the innovation streak in us so strongly. Jet engines, rocketry, nuclear fission. Pity we can't re-categorise the common enemy and the "principle war" as being against death. Or can we and perhaps are we? - Brett Paatsch
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