Probably old news for Louis CK's hardcore fan base, but I just stumbled across this little gem. Keep in mind all this was said in October of 2008, just as the economy was beginning to show signs of collapse:
An amazingly prescient observation, truly. I don't want to sound like a broken record here, but it does seem that the rate at which our technology is advancing is directly proportional to our rising sense of false entitlement. It's this very entitlement issue that leads us to discontent, because we are always being disappointed when the various promises of technology seem to fail us. Low expectations are the key to happiness. And yet, we're all in it deep; everybody in the developed world is guilty. There's nothing all that interesting about making accusatory gestures towards anyone in particular. I think what's significant about this whole spiel is that it's not really about the technology. It's about us. People have always had the capacity for over-indulgence. It's only now, in this past generation, that we have had the curious ability to live well beyond our means. And now it's coming back to bite us in the ass. Oh well.
"Beyond the age of information is the age of choices."
-Charles Eames
Technology has played an integral role in leading us down this cold, dark, self-indulging hole, but I think it will play an even more significant role in digging us out. Technology didn't make us lazy and complacent; we've always been self interested creatures. That's not the issue at stake here. More and more, technology is becoming the great equalizer. What the internet provides is invaluable to humanity. I once heard that the holders of information are also the holders of the true power in this world. So what happens when access to information is ubiquitous? Not only ubiquitous--what happens when information is free? It's already getting cheaper, and much more accessible. Sure, there are obstacles, minor road blocks, but I have hope. Soon enough everybody will have, to some extent, the ability to possess all the information in the world. There now, don't these minor economic problems seem trivial?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment