You bring up the threat of nuclear war, that’s a very good point and almost makes me want to change my argument. However even with that threat I would still argue we live in relatively safe times.
Nuclear war is a unique threat and the only time in history that we’ve had the capability to nearly destroy ourselves completely. This could have an effect on the human psyche as you pointed out, but only if you let it. Besides we lived through the cold war when the threat was much worse. Nowadays we just have to worry about some terrorist dropping a dirty bomb on a major city. (I really shouldn’t give you more things to worry about.)
I wasn’t preaching miracle medicine or immortality, I was just trying to point out the fact that technology saves lives to argue against your ideas.
The question you have to ask yourself is why you are so pessimistic? The problem is not the world as it is but the way you percieve it. Why are you so afraid of all these things, yet seem to think that life is not worth living. Why does nuclear war bother you when it seems you don’t even want to live, where’s the threat?
This life is short my man, don’t waste it worrying about shit that like that.
I dont know why I’m pessimistic. I’m trying to figure that out. The problem is not the world but the way I see it–I have trouble telling the two apart.
I am just browsing old conversations on here and came across this gem. Curious to here your perspective on this topic 9 years later… Yes, I am probably still an insensitive ass now as I was then, but I do take your anxiety to heart as I deal with similar anxiety on a daily basis. Have the dangers of technology remained a concern for you? I was just thinking of the relative dangers one would experience in pre-history vs today with modern medicine, etc. I still think I would take modern day problems like “mechanical vultures” than being hunted by lions. On the other hand, there is always that interesting thought about how life might be different if I had been born in the 1800’s and lived in the Wild West. Would the simple life have been better in its own right?
Sorry to get back to this late. It’s funny how perspective does change over time. I’ve adopted technologies like many people and can’t imagine life without them, depend on them. I realize people born into a world with virtual reality won’t gripe about the difference.
I do still love, however, thinking about the implications of tech. I just don’t worry as much about my reactionary non-action.
I completed a book that I posted here in the creative writing section called, Enter The Virtuplex Here. It deals with much of tech perspectives I’ve had over the course of those nine years, in entertainment form.
In truth, my initial fore-warnings started to soften after my first ipod fun. Silly, huh?
Yes, I could still rail against tech. And make an even better case these days. But those are all stories for AFTER the war. If we beat the machines.
Regarding the OP, I think you can be pessimistic about human affairs, but remain eternally optimistic.
Wow, what’s a topic!
Full agree with your fear.
I can’t believe there is no chance to move somewhere.
I don’t offer you buying a villa in safe Monaco but other part of the town OR the same place near the railway would solve the problem.