The obstacle is not technological innovation but economics and in particular, "affordability," which reduces the problem to the human factor. Humanity is just not capable of seizing available opportunity. Another way of looking at it is as an organizational problem. We have the resources for Utopia, but are unable to organize to use them.
Salon
The future is disappearing: How humanity is falling short of its grand technological promise
Christian Cantrell
I don't think we have the resources (with the current technology levels) for Utopia, because Utopia is a subjective state. Furthermore, I think we as a specie are incapable of achieving that state because many reasons, and also that incapability is what makes us progress (in a wide sense, not only technologically).
ReplyDeleteHowever, we do have the resources to achieve a 'reasonable' level of security and economic well-being.
We actually do have the spiritual (non-religious) resources to achieve a utopia subjectively without need for material resources because the available resources lies within everyone and is in everyone's reach potentially. This is living 100% of life.
ReplyDeleteIt is also possible to achieve 200% by providing the material resources for material satisfaction for all.
What Bucky Fuller called humanity's "metaphysical resources" are now sufficiently developed to provide material abundance through applying what he called "design science," or doing more with less, to the planet's material resources.
We can argue over what percentage is feasible to achieve in what timeframe, but most anything is better than the feeble attempt being made now, mostly owing to human causes that can be overcome.
And we can do this without resorting to technocracy if we as humans could come together sufficiently to manage our own affairs as a highly intelligent species with virtually unlimited potential. We just need to stop wasting this potential.