A year ago, a debate here changed my main perspective

Social Forums Non-Philosophical Chat
1

You see, at an impressionable age, I heard Ok Computer by Radiohead.

I took that to be my bible, or my railing point against technology.

I read Time Wars, by Jeremy Rifkin, about the increasing pace of societal everythingness. And that became the fuel for any theory I had where I warned others. I told them they suscribed to doom, willingly.

I loved the movie, The Matrix, but hated that it wasn’t enough, that people were actually entertained by sequels.

While I still indentify with some of those beliefs, a thread took place here between a member called Joker (Luddite), and another member who “I wish I could remember his name”.

That member had a good argument. Not so much persuasive, as eternally optimistic.

Now, no lie, I wouldn’t mind being a bionic man.

It seems that N. was right. “God is dead”. And yet, god can be born once more. Even if it means we become a god, in concept.

I dont know, it just felt good to look forward to all that Ray Kurzweil, live forever stuff. No great american novel to speak for you after you’re dead, collecting dust on a shelf. No children to carry on your last name. Just you, for all times.

2

If it weren’t for the fact that no technology is ever truly liberating then I’d also approve of living forever.

My prediction is that if we could do that now that a hell of a lot of people would kill themselves before they reached 200.

3

SIATD,

I do agree about not being fully liberated. However, I do believe in universal oneness. It seems like this could be achieved by both dying and living forever. Short cut or the long road. Same destination.

“If” we were to die, become god in concept, we might be the most powerful thing. But we would be the only thing. In that sense, we would have a ton of power over nothing else. That is not liberating either. That power/knowledge could not be exercised.

Do you know what I mean, or agree with this partially?

4

Nano,

You seem to be talking about some kind of spiritual life as opposed to technological transhumanism.

I agree that omnipotence would be a bit dull. Certainly takes the fun out of sport.

5

Mr. Door Man

Very curious, do you personally view boredom as a bad thing?

6

was it gia?

7

i dont know

8

I’m not sure what you mean by this. What is true liberation? Are we not freer with cheap flights from place A to place B than we were when traveling across the Atlantic took months and a royal bankroll? It seems that we are relatively liberated, compared to where we were before the technology changed our lives. Would you agree that technology is truly more liberating (than a lack of technology)?

9

With knowledge comes chains. With technology comes dependence and more choices. We get bogged down with it all. I apreciate technology I just understand the weight of its chains. Frankly, the best invention was indoor plumbing and bathrooms. After that well I would say breweries.

10

“Relatively” is the key word. There’s no free lunch. Liberated relative to what? Relative to the ability to move from place A to place B cheaply? Of course. But then how cheap is it really? It’s certainly not just the apparent cost of the flight. We pay in many ways. Is it worth it? Maybe, maybe not. We probably can’t go backwards though, even if we wanted to.