3 ms·

you will be downvoted for spouting facts. Nobody wants to admit it, but: The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human rac

you will be downvoted for spouting facts. Nobody wants to admit it, but: The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race. They have greatly increased the life-expectancy of those of us who live in “advanced” countries, but they have destabilized society, have made life unfulfilling, have subjected human beings to indignities, have led to widespread psychological suffering (in the Third World to physical suffering as well) and have inflicted severe damage on the natural world. The continued development of technology will worsen the situation. It will certainly subject human beings to greater indignities and inflict greater damage on the natural world, it will probably lead to greater social disruption and psychological suffering, and it may lead to increased physical suffering even in “advanced” countries.

NoGravitas 4y ago
You are literally quoting the Unabomber here.
- imwillofficial 4y ago
  Sometimes the most insightful ideas comes from the most unexpected places.
- 55555 4y ago
  I don't buy the argument; I think the world has gotten a lot better. But Ted Kaczynski was/is extremely smart, even if he was a domestic terrorist. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
  - Jerrrry 4y ago
    I think the argument is, that since the world improved so much, a lot of the social paradigms, customs, traditions that relied on and improved upon the human condition are left unsubstantiated, and the loss leads to social decay, that inevitably leads to societal decay.
- bombcar 4y ago
  I think that's the whole point/joke. It's a bit of a meme these days.
helen___keller 4y ago
Abject contrarianism is not the same as “spouting facts” GP went on some kind of unprovoked and unjustified screed about Marxism You’ve gone on some kind of unprovoked and unjustified screed about industrialism If you want to write about these topics, put some more effort into justifying your arguments, and don’t do it on a thread about unwed births
upupandup 4y ago
Uncomfortable truths ruin immersion for those who feel like we've achieved a better society: - incel culture - gender competition and conflicts - classicism - equity over meritocracy - normalization of pornography,, drugs, violence in liberal cities. Yet the benefit to women is not equal. At the top, attractive women (can be achieved with ease again thanks to technology like breast augumentation, cosmetic surgery that dropped in prices) control market attention and convert their sexual capital into fiat and orgasms. Similarly, benefit to men is not equal. At the top, wealthy and/or attractive men receive the attention of the most attractive class of women. So we've achieved equality where some are far more "equal" than the rest but the benefit goes to a small proportion at the cost of others who do not get access to it and you can't really speak out because it's seen as "rocking the boat" when we are just citing facts. It's a powder keg for a major social upheaval. Throughout history, concentration of young, single, unwed men in cities have produced volatility, especially when information now travels fast and far: ex) syria, arab spring and facebook.
- kelseyfrog 4y ago
  As much as some people like to claim that video games cause violence, I can't but help think of the billions of man-hours diverted into playing video games that would otherwise be expressed socially, politically, or violently. Video games represent a vast and unrecognized sink for masculine libidinal energy.
- pjc50 4y ago
  Historically, violence is at low levels: https://longnow.org/seminars/02012/oct/08/decline-violence/ https://longnow.org/seminars/02012/oct/08/decline-violence/ > - classicism What's wrong with studying ancient Rome?
- Jerrrry 4y ago
  I think Japan is a case study, as they are a little bit further down the "Fall of Rome" timeline, while also facing the population plateau. They have combated it with a strong national identity, and cultural retention, but time will tell in the next decade how it ends up. 20 years down the line, the Western world, then Africa. China and Islamic countries aren't having this issue, as their (opposite) approach seems to be working in the short term.

NoGravitas 4y ago

You are literally quoting the Unabomber here.

imwillofficial 4y ago
Sometimes the most insightful ideas comes from the most unexpected places.
55555 4y ago
I don't buy the argument; I think the world has gotten a lot better. But Ted Kaczynski was/is extremely smart, even if he was a domestic terrorist. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
- Jerrrry 4y ago
  I think the argument is, that since the world improved so much, a lot of the social paradigms, customs, traditions that relied on and improved upon the human condition are left unsubstantiated, and the loss leads to social decay, that inevitably leads to societal decay.
bombcar 4y ago
I think that's the whole point/joke. It's a bit of a meme these days.

helen___keller 4y ago

Abject contrarianism is not the same as “spouting facts” GP went on some kind of unprovoked and unjustified screed about Marxism You’ve gone on some kind of unprovoked and unjustified screed about industrialism If you want to write about these topics, put some more effort into justifying your arguments, and don’t do it on a thread about unwed births

upupandup 4y ago

Uncomfortable truths ruin immersion for those who feel like we've achieved a better society: - incel culture - gender competition and conflicts - classicism - equity over meritocracy - normalization of pornography,, drugs, violence in liberal cities. Yet the benefit to women is not equal. At the top, attractive women (can be achieved with ease again thanks to technology like breast augumentation, cosmetic surgery that dropped in prices) control market attention and convert their sexual capital into fiat and orgasms. Similarly, benefit to men is not equal. At the top, wealthy and/or attractive men receive the attention of the most attractive class of women. So we've achieved equality where some are far more "equal" than the rest but the benefit goes to a small proportion at the cost of others who do not get access to it and you can't really speak out because it's seen as "rocking the boat" when we are just citing facts. It's a powder keg for a major social upheaval. Throughout history, concentration of young, single, unwed men in cities have produced volatility, especially when information now travels fast and far: ex) syria, arab spring and facebook.

kelseyfrog 4y ago
As much as some people like to claim that video games cause violence, I can't but help think of the billions of man-hours diverted into playing video games that would otherwise be expressed socially, politically, or violently. Video games represent a vast and unrecognized sink for masculine libidinal energy.
pjc50 4y ago
Historically, violence is at low levels: https://longnow.org/seminars/02012/oct/08/decline-violence/ https://longnow.org/seminars/02012/oct/08/decline-violence/ > - classicism What's wrong with studying ancient Rome?
Jerrrry 4y ago
I think Japan is a case study, as they are a little bit further down the "Fall of Rome" timeline, while also facing the population plateau. They have combated it with a strong national identity, and cultural retention, but time will tell in the next decade how it ends up. 20 years down the line, the Western world, then Africa. China and Islamic countries aren't having this issue, as their (opposite) approach seems to be working in the short term.