Thinking long term (really long term)
I think there is some pretty deep wisdom in this little piece from one of my favorite authors -- Charlie Stross. I too am concerned that we as a global population are not on a very sustainable path but the powers that be are too comfortable with the status quo and thus we have a hard time diverting the direction we are taking.
Corporate interests have zero care about the gap between haves and have nots in society, what system should we consider best for the total human sum of the world rather than the consumption sum or corporate sum of the world? For corporations the only healthy paradigm is growth. Right now the “great recession of 2009/10” is supposedly crippling us as a nation since we are not growing fast. Zero growth could be a healthy state if everyone is still putting their mind to good use and creating wealth. Uncontrolled growth, degenerate growth, rapid growth, something ultimately starving the local region of resources isn’t good, it is called cancer!
Take what you need from the world, but perhaps we could all take a moment to think -- how can I make the world better today for the long, long term? My take is politics isnt it, but I am still wondering what is. What can we do to force the persistent ruling entities in society care about the long term. Long term being 10^2 or 10^3 or even 10^4 years? Makes me thing of my other favorite author's book – Anathem. Long term, what is good for us humans? Not sure these multinational corporations and the degenerate democracy we have today is it. Clearly Sophia and my family are my top concern, but I am also puzzling the longer term. What do you think?
