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I am very happy to see Dresden Codak get a mention on io9. It's been one of my favorite webcomics since I first found it. Now if it could just be updated a little more regularly...
Lame. The cautionary tale in science fiction is there for a reason--quite often people DO go too far; because they didn't consider the potential consequences of their actions.
You may not think so if you believe in the bizarre mixture of Christianity and science, prevalent in Western culture, that says that mankind's role is to dominate nature, especially since nature is seen as a commodity to be manipulated rather than an end in itself.
But such a worldview not only justifies the ways we dominate each other as well as nature, it is also unsustainable in the long-term.
@Anekanta: Things that are also unsustainable in the long-term:
Breathing
Sapience
The existence of life
The expansion of the universe, and thus all physical laws
Everything man is capable of understanding
People who long for a simpler way of life generally fail to adequately grasp the staggering amount of things we would lose by going back to that life. They remember the farms, without remembering the wars.
@deworde: No one said we had to give up understanding. We just have to think before we act, and not treat the world around us as if it's all here for our own amusement.
However, technology has certainly not eliminated war--it's only made it more bloody and apocalyptic.
The main historical uses of technology, as you yourself pointed out, are drawing more resources from the land (through agriculture), and/or taking resources from your neighbours by force--i.e. war.
The most technologically primitive (stone-age) societies on the Earth are also the most peaceful. So maybe there's an inverse relationship, or no relationship at all, between technological advancement and social development / maturity.
Edited by Anekanta - killed by a cacodemon at 10/05/09 3:55 PM
Anekanta - killed by a cacodemon was starred
Anekanta - killed by a cacodemon was unstarred
@Anekanta: Tisk Anekanta! You forget that unless you're pro-Atomic War, you must want to live in a cave. Those are the only options. There can be no inbetween.
Edited by braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. at 10/05/09 11:16 AM
braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. was starred
braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. was unstarred
Actually, now I'm trying to remember if it was io9 that originally turned me on to his work. Which came first, the sci-fi blog or the posthuman polymorphic comic series?
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10/05/09
You may not think so if you believe in the bizarre mixture of Christianity and science, prevalent in Western culture, that says that mankind's role is to dominate nature, especially since nature is seen as a commodity to be manipulated rather than an end in itself.
But such a worldview not only justifies the ways we dominate each other as well as nature, it is also unsustainable in the long-term.
10/05/09
Breathing
Sapience
The existence of life
The expansion of the universe, and thus all physical laws
Everything man is capable of understanding
People who long for a simpler way of life generally fail to adequately grasp the staggering amount of things we would lose by going back to that life. They remember the farms, without remembering the wars.
10/05/09
10/05/09
However, technology has certainly not eliminated war--it's only made it more bloody and apocalyptic.
The main historical uses of technology, as you yourself pointed out, are drawing more resources from the land (through agriculture), and/or taking resources from your neighbours by force--i.e. war.
The most technologically primitive (stone-age) societies on the Earth are also the most peaceful. So maybe there's an inverse relationship, or no relationship at all, between technological advancement and social development / maturity.
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10/05/09
Maybe am pesimist...
10/05/09
It's obvious to the rest of us that he's actually just lampooning the fact that most science-fiction "cautionary tales" have the same two conclusions.
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10/05/09
[dresdencodak.com]
"You just got Huxxed"
(The Huxleys are one of my favourite families containing numerous illustrious individuals)
10/05/09
Actually, now I'm trying to remember if it was io9 that originally turned me on to his work. Which came first, the sci-fi blog or the posthuman polymorphic comic series?
The world may never know.
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The author is right on.
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Huh. It doesn't seem to have his male gazey author self-insert. I wonder if there's a connection...
10/05/09
@NotGodot:
10/05/09
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