Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!ames!lll-lcc!pyramid!nsc!andrew From: andrew@nsc.nsc.com (andrew) Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Re: Bored public Summary: welcome to the New Age Message-ID: <10280@nsc.nsc.com> Date: 4 Apr 89 05:55:33 GMT References: Organization: National Semiconductor, Santa Clara Lines: 29 In article , SCOTT@GACVAX1.BITNET (Scott Hess) writes: > The main thrust of the masses today is away from knowledge of technology, > and towards use of it. [...] > I see it all the time (tendency away from technology). Anything > having to do with physics, computers, or math is viewed with distaste > by many, many people. The fear of math is going to kill us. [..] This started in the sixties, where emphasis on introspection and subjectivity was paramount. I think the tendency is not directly Luddite, but more a desire to balance. As numerous examples illustrate, the leverage of the modern technology toolkit allows a few people to cause (wreak) enormous effect on the surroundings - latest example being one man in Alaska. This "out-of-controlness" is emphasised by the accelerating growth of new technology and understanding thereof, and the increasing hopelessness of closing the chasm between 1st and 3rd world nations under this scenario. All this doesn't deeply worry me (mainly because I'm a 1st-worlder maybe!) since, as this half-century is unprecedented technologically, it's to be expected that vast upheavals and irrational, unsettled responses will exist. The state of change is unlikely to change, but rather augment; so we'd better get used to confusion - including Crystal Strokers. Sometimes these people do annoy me though - I then fantasise about the 'B'-Ark to Golgafrincham. Advertising executives, p.r. people..... ===== Andrew Palfreyman USENET: ...{this biomass}!nsc!logic!andrew National Semiconductor M/S D3969, 2900 Semiconductor Dr., PO Box 58090, Santa Clara, CA 95052-8090 ; 408-721-4788 there's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip