Masochistic Perceptions, Trials and Truths

These are my cyberfied cerebral synapses ricocheting off reality as I perceive it: thoughts, opinions, passions, rants, art and poetry...

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Progress


One can not deny that human beings have made significant progress over the ages. We live in a world where we can fly, transplant organs and cure disease, access information in a matter of seconds and have such marvels and wonders as indoor plumbing, refrigerators, duct tape and so on. It is certainly an age of conveniences, technological advancements and wonder.

Perhaps the most incredible part about many of life's daily "givens" is how unimaginable they were not a very long time ago. In my 43 years I've witnessed the video phones dreamed up on The Jetsons become a reality through Skype. Don Adam's character on Get Smart has seen the concept of the portable shoe phone  become today's Androids and iPhones with apps to bend the brain in wonder! Can you imagine a world without such things? It would be difficult. Yet, I remember living in a time when these things were the works of Science Fiction.

Is it not incredible how such recent developments have become habituated and have formed the nucleus of present day society, particularly in the areas of communication? How is it that such ways of life, with such a brief time in contemplation and diversion from the "norm", have become accepted, while ideas of human rights and freedoms, which are ideas that have existed for thousands of years, have still not be adopted by the world at large? We accept technology as it can make life easier and many things convenient. Would not peace and equality not afford us a greater convenience - a life without fear, hate, etc.? We have put the Internet and cell phones into every corner of the world, but continue to oppress and discriminate. We invest more in war than education and healthcare. The oppression of women, child labour, executions of homosexuals in countries like Iran, exploitation and "killing in the name of" under the veil of religions of love re-play their tragic tale over and over again. Our communities are changing in ways that are leaving many feeling empty - where qualitative interaction is being replaced by less substantial sound bites and tweets. Where is our progress in the area that matters the most - our communities, civilisation and our selves?

Our world is changing and my existence is one so brief that I am in no place to state whether things are getting better or worse. I am simply posing the question and making an observation; seeking my own sense of this progress.

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