I don't think so. Contrary to Woody Allens statement that technology is a dead end, I feel that man's scientific searches for applications that can make our lives better and more secure are not a waste of time. This, however, is not the only avenue that we should pursue.
Technology can only ameliorate the problems of global warming, deforestation, over population, etc. We must not wait for our scientific and engineering establishment to come up with the answers. Rather, we must take a pro-active stand and discipline ourselves to solve these difficulties; we must accept a lowering of our standard of living and change our habit of using the easiest and quickest way of satisfying of our appetites.
Unfortunately asking mankind to see that quality of life is not dependent on environmentally destructive policies is, apparently, a hopeless task. But be assurred that this is not true. A strong paramilitary presence in our lives could force us to take the steps neccessary to save us from the ecological disaster which is coming our way.
I can hear the civil libertarians screaming outside my door as I type these words. Ghosts from the future are trumpeting of the danger of this approach: totalitarianism. But, without a reduction in our destruction of the environment totalitarianism is inevitable. As our planet becomes less and less favorable for life, as chaos creeps closer and closer to our civilization, as our huge population puts more and more demand on our planet and social order begins to break down a police state will inevitably result.
So what is the answer. Each of us must curb consumption, pay attention to the impact on the environment of our daily activities and, in a thousand small and personal ways we must all take responsibility for our activities. Stop breeding; stop using power foolishly; stop thinking of the automobile as a toy and push for more mass transit; shut down pollution intense industries and share our wealth with the rest of the world and make room for the other life forms with whom we share the planet.
You must know that unless we do these things chaos will create the need for an ever growing totalitarianism as we try, hopelessly, to stave off chaos. It is we the people who must do this. Government is virtually helpless. Their only answer is more and more controls which will inevitably lead to the abolition of our freedom.
Start now. Start en masse to do this for the planet and the people and the life of the eco system. If we do not then we will "get the kind of government that we deserve".
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