Text 723, 138 rader
Skriven 2006-05-25 17:36:00 av Robert E Starr JR (1169.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: Do we need artificial
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* * * This message was from Arlen Roy Kundert to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.m * *
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         * * * and has been forwarded to you by Lord Time * * *         
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@MSGID: <1148551889.915026.245130@j73g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>
@REPLY: <Xns97CD5BEDEB519methuselahaltgeekorg@216.196.97.131>
Methuselah Jones wrote:
> Carved in mystic runes upon the very living rock, the last words of
> Dennis (Icarus) of rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated make plain:
>
> > "Arlen Roy Kundert" <arkofthekundert@juno.com> wrote in message
> > news:1148410127.850458.97770@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
> >>
> >> Last time I checked, Mars is a dead world. Why not use our time and
> >> resources to better ourselves, then once we as a world wide people
> >> have morally caught up to where we are technologically (because there
> >> is a *HUGH* disconnect) then take the step of "boldly going where no
> >> man has gone before."
> >
> > And how would you gauge the "morally caught up to where we are
> > technologically"?
>
> Not killing each other would be a good start. Then, developing an economy
> where anyone willing to do honest work could live comfortably. Our
> technological development, while truly spectacular, and something I am
> glad of, is an enormous edifice built on a poor foundation. If we develop
> fantastic technology, but blow ourselves up, or decline into an
> authoritarian society where no one is free to enjoy it, it's rather
> pointless.

And that is largely what I'm advocating.

To put more context that here is a copy of a short report I did for my
Instructor at ITT Tech on "The Impact of Technology on Society"


>> "O brave new world that has such people in't!" If William Shakespeare had
lived to see the world of today, I doubt very much 

     It is a great sadness that we as a society have come so far in our
understanding of the universe and our advancements in technology, yet
we have made so little progress as humans. Allow me to start in the
beginning.

     Almost regardless of what personal belief system you belong to
(creation, evolution, mysticism, etc) it is generally accepted that
what we today call "modern society" started off much more primitive
and savage (so we like to tell ourselves).

     As we "advanced" technologically as a people, we have not
taken care to develop a sense of responsibility for the power that has
come with each new paradigm in technology. By way of example take
gunpowder. Gunpowder can be used to help with mining, preparing to
build a dam, many other non-lethal uses. However it is no secret what
gunpowder is most often used for, guns.

     The real problem is that mankind's moral technological
advancements devolved in advance of our moral evolution. To make a
point for comparison, we are like a three year old child with our
father's hand gun. No where is this more true then in the misuse of
the internet.

     The internet has allowed for the most unacceptable abuse of
children that we as a people have ever seen. Once child pornography was
something that extremely hard and dangerous to get a hold of. Now with
the misuse of the internet the most depraved people can get access to
it with a great deal of anonymity. This has provided a new venue for an
already out of control problem.

     My argument is not that technology is in of itself evil, we have
just have gone too far, too fast, whereas our morals are just now
leaving the gate. We need to slow down and learn accountability for
where we are as a people.

     It is because of this (our technological advancement vs. our moral
advancement) that I believe we are really less advanced then our
ancestors. They had ignorance as an excuse, what do we have? Also
remember, the most important question of all have not found any real
answers through technology: Who are we? Why are we here? Where do we
come from? Where are we going?<<

This and many misuses and outright abuses of where we are technological
is why I made my earlier comment.

Make no mistake, I have no wish to mothball the space program. In fact,
if NASA (by *VERY* strange some quirk of fate) offered me a job (even
if it was "coffee boy") I'd pack up, leave Ohio, and move on down to
Texas or Florida.

And in reply to what Wesley Struebing stated:
>>Well, good luck.  It's going to cost FAR more in terms of money, time,
blood, sweat, and tears to accomplish what you're asking to be done.
The money and time used to get to Mars and back is a drop in the
bucket, literally, compared to what you're asking for.

The analogy is imperfect (any analogy is), but had our ancestors
thought (and implemented) your ideas, we'd still be scratching our
behinds in the African plains. In my estimation, one of the things
that makes humans *human* is that drive - to "go out there", to see
what's around the next corner.  Without that drive, we stagnate.

'Sides,the catchup ain't ever gonna happen (in spite of what Star Trek
may imply...)

I apologize for sounding a bit harsh, but when I hear someone state
what you just have, I want to tear my hair. <<

First, the idea of putting a man on Mars is a very romantic notion,
it's almost as romantic  as Christopher Columbus going to America (and
I'm not trying to play the straw man game, I know the "Christopher
Columbus" parallele is my making, not yours). But what is gained from a
man being on Mars right now?

And again make no mistake, if "warp drive" gets here in my life time,
hay take me to the stars. But right now we can safely send as I stated,
unmanned probes out into space, and still learn a whole heck of a lot.

But secondly let address your point about "human drive". Let me ask
you, don't think our "drive" has also come at a bit of a price because
we haven't stopped now and then to say "Gee, I wonder what will happen
one hundred years down the road if we do this...?" Global warming
anyone? But I agree that our "drive" is a large part of what makes us
human, but you know what else makes us human? Our ability to take
accountability for our actions and mistake (unlike animals) and to
*CARE FOR* and do something about the suffering of the impoverished.

How can we with a clear conscience feel that we are advancing as humans
because we are reaching to the stars when men, women, and children die
every day simply because they don't have enough food?

I'm *NOT* blaming this on NASA, or on the wish to put a man on Mars.
What I am really advocating is this; Social advancement has *NOTHING*
to do with technology, but has *EVERYTHING* to do with accountability.
                                                                               
                                               
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