Interesting thought on the Historical sequence of our liberty.
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back again into bondage.
I was looking at this and was surprised how quickly we can leap from one to the other. It seems that we can do one a generation on the downward section. Fighting our way up takes a lot longer. I don’t believe technology will make any real difference until we develop a FTL drive which will be used for many to go off and start again, New Worlds for all, Constitutions will be written and governments set up all with a Libertarian bent. After all the whingy whiney people won’t be going until everything is safe and looking good and then they see this, like it and move in and then they want it changed to their requirements which is where it all goes wrong. We need to cover that in the constitution.
However, we are nowhere near this. No unexplored land to move to so we will introduce our surveillance society and move to a Police state. Then the terrorists fighting against our way of life will have won and we will be the terrorists and will be seen by history as freedom fighters. Our futuristic films will become reality and we will build Christianity up again. Our next generation of soldiers will be Crusaders. And without the PC crowd they will be cleansing with holy fire. I wonder what the world population will fall too?
What a legacy are we leaving for our children and grandchildren.
For a start the scale of change is logarithmic not linear – the last two need less than a generation to accomplish. On the way up the time scale is reversed.
If we managed to develop an FTL drive that didn’t cost the earth, I am sure that most of those with ‘get up and go’ would indeed go – I would given the chance – not caring if there was another world to go to but determined to make one if necessary. For those left behind there would be eventual chaos because most of the people with scientific knowledge would have left. Life would carry on as normal while the machines still worked but when they stopped. . .
Unfortunately that is not an option open to us yet, as you say. Will the terrorists win because the government does their work for them or will the people rise up and say enough is enough? The former is the most probable outcome which leaves your prediction to come to fruition.
Indeed what a legacy we are about to leave.
Yes, you’re so right and I’ll post on this next post [I have just put one up now]. As you say, that is indeed how it happens.
Nice cycle that M’Lud – have nicked!
Ivan,
I agree. but that is their choice. They believe they can have their utopia without us but the first visit from a bad guy and it will all fall apart. can’t say i would be bothered then.
I see us rising up very late. But we will rise and then we will have the mother of all holy wars. Let’s have some cleansing nuclear fire.