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I think that’s too pessimistic. Problems don’t get solved to the extent that they completely go away, but it is possible to make things better. That’s not to sa
by pimlottc 5y ago
I think that’s too pessimistic. Problems don’t get solved to the extent that they completely go away, but it is possible to make things better. That’s not to say we’re on a constant slope of monotonic improvement, but with effort and patience, progress can and does get made. And we need those new crops of fresh-faced 20-year-olds to carry on the fight.
- madrox 5y agoI used to share this view, but bitter experience has taught me that people do not change in the aggregate. Individuals may change, but that doesn't affect society at large. There is virtue in expanding knowledge and abilities, such as improving the mortality rate or getting us to the moon, but without a corresponding improvement in societal ethics it's like handing a child a knife. The systems and technologies we improve only increase the potential for chaos like chekov's gun waiting to go off. That's been true throughout history and the last several decades are no different.