It's very hard to say. I think what we're seeing now is indicative of the growing pains that human society has gone through time and time again throughout history. Even the Dark Ages had their place, and without them we wouldn't have had the Enlightenment and the growth of modern rational thought that ensued.
A person from the 1700s may be apalled by the way the world's societies are run now, and we may be apalled by the social structures of 300 years from now, but to make the judgement of whether something is "better" or "worse" is far more complex than we can deal with in any reasonable amount of time.
So, I'm inclined to take the neutral position. I tend to view the Earth as a whole as an evolving system. Humans are a part of that system, and will have to adapt to the changes we bring to it, and that are forced upon us. Some form of cultural natural selection likely exists on top of that, and the cultural norms that promote healthy society over time will continue to develop, now on a global scale. I think we're up to the task, and whatever shape society ends up taking in the future, it will be what's right for our survival, whether it's better or worse for the individual.
Here's an interesting thought experiment, though ... how do you think technology, and the pervasive trade of ideas through the world will impact all of this?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-02-18 07:02 pm (UTC)A person from the 1700s may be apalled by the way the world's societies are run now, and we may be apalled by the social structures of 300 years from now, but to make the judgement of whether something is "better" or "worse" is far more complex than we can deal with in any reasonable amount of time.
So, I'm inclined to take the neutral position. I tend to view the Earth as a whole as an evolving system. Humans are a part of that system, and will have to adapt to the changes we bring to it, and that are forced upon us. Some form of cultural natural selection likely exists on top of that, and the cultural norms that promote healthy society over time will continue to develop, now on a global scale. I think we're up to the task, and whatever shape society ends up taking in the future, it will be what's right for our survival, whether it's better or worse for the individual.
Here's an interesting thought experiment, though ... how do you think technology, and the pervasive trade of ideas through the world will impact all of this?