Evil Technology?

Are advancements in technology to blame -- or is it our ability to decide what to do with those advancements? While our capability to move forward in our virtual world advances, our ability to make thoughtful decisions seems to be declining. One wonders where the "turnaround point" -- or the "breaking point" -- will be. The next generations down the road will have amazing technology at their fingertips, but will they be philosophically crippled? But I see, as I write it, that my own stance here lacks hope. Every generation has its artists and we can hope that perhaps they will save the future world. For now, it's ours to enjoy, after all. Let technology whirl about us. We can rein it in, make it work for us -- and still honor ancient connections. I am typing on this blog instead of sending a letter -- and I am tremendously enjoying the immediacy of communicating with you all.

New Generation.........what about them...

the more dependent on technology the new generations are the less their skills will develop, because they don't need them ( evolution). which makes them very venerable emotionally and physically .... how can they survive without power for their finger tip companions ..cellphones and electronics ... and computers...the virtual world they find themselves in......they would laugh at us talking about stars...to them we are ancient and to be honest some times I think I am....the scary thing is ,changes are happening so fast that we can actually live them...and our grandfathers thought we were getting dumb because we read less books......hahahah

Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest

Susan,

I don't know if the dumber is a symptom or an inevitable condition. It is just a theory. I was watching a show last night in HD about the National Parks. Sometime between 700-1200, the Pueblos built the Cliff Dwellers in the West. I was amazed they could execute that architecture. They had to perfectly stack those rocks on an uneven surface, especially since they didn't have the mortar or concrete that we have. Have you ever played Jenga at a party? The game ends quickly. If the Pueblos had Jenga, they would likely need more blocks.

Teddy Roosevelt rode into the Yosemite wilderness with just John Muir and slept with just blankets under the stars. Almost nobody today would want to do that. However, even with being forced to do just that, how many today wouldn't even survive the night?

Keith

Keith's "Dumb Generation"

Keith,

I have been thinking for days about your feeling that the next generations are getting dumber (in addition to possibly growing both sex organs). Do you think that, in our collective craving for immediacy, that we are destroying our ability to contemplate? It's not stupidity as much as it is the loss of the ability to think. Because, in some ways, our next generation is faster and smarter than we are. They just don't seem to be able to slow down long enough to reach their "inner oasis."