Larger Picture

[metamorpheus]

I was thinking about technology and some of the hassles that come with it. If I could swap positions with someone living on an exclusively amish planet, I would do it in a heart beat. This world is really nothing more than a technological foot race between groups of people, and the more advanced/efficient group wins out. Historically this has happened. People who developed swords conquered those throwing stones, and those who developed muskets conquered those firing arrows, those with nukes, conquered over those who didn't. Our country is fueled by obsolete technology, although our communications technology has outpaced our energy technology by 5 centuries.
Our race though is with time, and the hour glass effect. If we keep using unsafe nuclear power, and fossil fuels; no one will be left on this planet. It would be better to ride bicycles and hand hoe a garden, than deal with nuclear melt downs in a technological nightmare. What do you think?

[Ray9]

I was thinking about technology and some of the hassles that come with it. If I could swap positions with someone living on an exclusively amish planet, I would do it in a heart beat. This world is really nothing more than a technological foot race between groups of people, and the more advanced/efficient group wins out. Historically this has happened. People who developed swords conquered those throwing stones, and those who developed muskets conquered those firing arrows, those with nukes, conquered over those who didn't. Our country is fueled by obsolete technology, although our communications technology has outpaced our energy technology by 5 centuries.
Our race though is with time, and the hour glass effect. If we keep using unsafe nuclear power, and fossil fuels; no one will be left on this planet. It would be better to ride bicycles and hand hoe a garden, than deal with nuclear melt downs in a technological nightmare. What do you think?

You said it yourself, our race is with time. The flaw in your argument is that it assumes that if humans reject all dangerous technology then thousands of years will pass while the people build a harmonious relationship with nature. Nature of course will pose no threat to humans. All it would take is the eruption of one super volcano to wipe out 90 percent of the population in less than a generation. The human race should be going full speed ahead with any and all technology regardless of how dangerous it is to provide a defense against nature which is the greatest threat to the survival of humanity.