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Every generation has felt like the world was changing too fast, but for the first time in history, I think this may well be true this time. Futurologists like Ray Kurzweil have for decades been looking at the increase in the rate at which technological developments have been happening, and seeing that it is exponential - the technological "level" if you like, doubles at a constant rate.When the level is low, human society can cope. The way we got our news changed and communicated with people otside our local group from Town Criers to mass produced newspapers, to telegraph systems, to telephones, to radio, to TV. That was a big technological shift, but happened over 150 years or so. Humans were able to cope. We've gone from TV and telephones to massive social media networks, pushing every news line imaginable in less than 2 decades. We've gone from mobile phones that you could barely text on, to ones that act as massive data trawlers, hoovering up every bit on info on you, from whem yo go for a walk, to what your preference in grot is, and passing that back to people you have never heard of to target you in ways that get you to do what they want without you even realising.Kurzweil was saying back in the 90s that by the mid 21st century, human''s would no longer be able to cope with, or control this speed of technological change. There's a future coming over the next half century that few of us can even imagine, as the power and pervasiveness of computer control over the world continues to accelerate. we are increasingly going to be unrequired for work and for decision making. The massive issue then is: Who benefits? And how are the proceeds spread out? We could be on the verge of a utopia where AI and robots work for us and we can concentrate on all the avenues of human life that are opened up if you don't have to be a wage slave. Or we could be headed into a nightmare where a handful of people become wealthy and powerful beyond dreams and the rest of us just exist. Or don't.
The secret is to go back to the things that used to happen around you in your childhood.That's why you'll often see BB and Wolfie riding about in their horse and carts.
Speaking of future shocks...I found that 5 seconds worth of footage of nuclear fusion, the Oxford team produced f**king profound.One of the team explained if they can do it for 5 seconds then it's only a matter of time before they can completely control it. It's the most optimistic thing I've seen in a longtime. If that can be made to work then it will solve all the big problems...The question is how long will it take to get it to work?
As optimistic as nuclear fusion is, the flip side is the US, Chinese and Russians will develop a nuclear fusion weapon capable of not just destroying cities, but whole continents. With limitless power comes huge responsibility.And they will spend billions on using such power to push the boundaries of space travel. And I shudder to think where that will end up.
It's no good worrying about two things:1) Something that has not happened.2) Something that you cannot change or influence.I find that following this makes you much happier.
I have a book on Stoicism by Jason Hemlock. I also bought a book on Epicureanism which i believe is another philosophy on life. The thing about Stocism which i don't like is that it almost teaches you to do nothing about things that are making you sad, angry or whatever and just bat them off instead in order to keep the status quo mentally.
Quote from: Axholme Lion on February 11, 2022, 12:35:44 pmIt's no good worrying about two things:1) Something that has not happened.2) Something that you cannot change or influence.I find that following this makes you much happier.I have read this before AL and it is a staple of counselling. However, there are things that do happen (as NR has said) and that you can't change or control that do have an effect. For example, just say that every time i go to the Rovers, i seem to get sat around total numpties that not only cause me anxiety but also ruin my enjoyment of the game. I could go and sit somewhere else of course but what if there was no opportunity to do that? Just say you were a Man U fan and every game home away is rammed to the rafters. What if i had to make a decision to either go the game and endure 90 minutes of torture being sat around cretins or choose to not go at all. The former might have an affect because i will become anxious before going to a game and during the game i would build up anger. Not good for mental and physical health. The latter (opting not to go) might have an affect on my mental health because i would then have stopped doing something that gave me enjoyment. I wouldn't be able to change this situation. I could make attempts to by complaining to the club, but i doubt anything would be done. Therefore the behaviour of others (which i can't change and i can't get the club to do anything about) gives me a decision to make about an important aspect of my life. This creates resentment and anger which has a cumulative affect. Not just anger and frustration at the idiots causing the problems, but anger and frustration at the club for seemingly not helping and then anger and frustration at life as being unfair. Tally up all the scenarios in daily life that you can't do anything about but that do have a big impact directly on your life and you can then get into a rut of hating everybody and everything. Of course, the Stoic would just say either go to the footy or don't. No big deal. But this isn't the case is it? As it is a big deal. Stoicism teaches you to accept that many things in life are shit and you have to put up with them to build resilience, instead of teaching you that many things in life are shit because people make them shit for others and thus this needs to be changed. Fighting against the system and others behaviour constantly can make you bitter, jaded, cynical and actually change your character from being a decent happy go lucky lad to a deeply unpleasant individual. The frustration being that it is the pursuit of trying to improve life for others that makes others turn on you because such a prolonged crusade eventually grinds you down and makes you an angry person. Which nobody wants to be near, understandably. Another thing that happens to me regularly is that often in supermarket car parks, i take two car parking spaces. Not because i'm selfish but without fail, some t**t in a 4x4 or transit will park next to me and i am unable to actually get into the drivers side seat as the idiot has not left me any space to do so. Therefore i have to get in my car in the passenger side and get across. It literally happens to me every time i go somewhere and leave my car. Some tool with a large vehicle will not even consider how they have parked. Even if the car park is not that busy and i make sure i park at the back furthest from the entrance, guaranteed some bonehead will park a massive vehicle next to me and make it difficult for me to get into my car. So therefore, i have to commit a selfish act in order to avoid another person's selfish act but my intention wasn't one of wanting to be selfish. It was to avoid another person's selfishness.