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Interesting idea, although it has the same failings as classic sci fi and much of the modern left when it comes to economic illiteracy (in particular agricultur
by JesperRavn 11y ago
Interesting idea, although it has the same failings as classic sci fi and much of the modern left when it comes to economic illiteracy (in particular agricultural efficiency being mandated by law instead of left to the market).
Also projections of population don't suggest any more than doubling by 2080 at the maximum. And raising and killing animals humanely should become easier with improvement in robotics technology.
- dullcrisp 11y agoYou mean of course to say, robotically.
- JesperRavn 11y agoOf course, but Robotness would probably be an improvement over humaneness given our tendency to ignore animal suffering as long as it's out of sight.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- icebraining 11y agoInteresting idea, although it has the same failings as classic sci fi and much of the modern left when it comes to economic illiteracy (in particular agricultural efficiency being mandated by law instead of left to the market). The law does mandate efficiency in a lot of areas currently, like in car mileage. It's not outlandish to imagine that future governments will mandate efficiency in agriculture, even if you consider that those will be redundant or misguided.
- JesperRavn 11y agoThat is a really good point. Perhaps one could compare it to creating and driving an car from the 1920's, and trying to satisfy all the regulations around cars nowadays. On the other hand, I do think that combination of extreme scarcity leading to government regulation is so out of line with how the world is moving, that it reflects flawed thinking. It's almost as if people want some kind of crises to escape the decadence of modern capitalism (and there are as many on the right who think this way). The only thing that could create this kind of scarcity is global warming. But maybe the reference to a farmer on the arctic circle was a reference to this?
- icebraining 11y agoI do think that global warming (and subsequent sea rising) is pretty much what they were alluding to, from the cover picture of water flooding NY. By the way, if you're looking for some SF very much in line with your posts, I suggest James P. Hogan's The Multiplex Man. It's not a great novel, but the background of Western governments using environmental protection to justify massive intrusions in personal liberties is intriguing. As someone who doesn't believe that AGI is some conspiracy, but who prefers the State as a mechanism of last resort, I'm hoping we can avoid the conditions that would provide justification for a much heavier hand.
- philtar 11y ago> And raising and killing animals humanely should become easier with improvement in robotics technology. I don't know if this is better or more disturbing.
- ams6110 11y agoNot much to do with robotics maybe, but I would guess we might be able to grow beef or poultry meat tissue synthetically, rather than having to actually raise and then slaughter animals.
- jameshart 11y agoI think this story imagines a future much like the past, where a mix of market and state solutions have been used over time to respond to acute and chronic crises. Imagining such a future doesn't seem like a 'failing' - it seems somewhat realistic. You might want to imagine a future where the state leaves agricultural regulation up to the markets, but this isn't a portrayal of anybody's utopia - either a left wing one or a right wing one.