I Hate the 21st Century. (The Conspiracy of the Brainless)

reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux


Hey Jean, (And the rest of you ATS'ers)
What are the causes of this downward spiral of our culture and innovation?
How do we get the airplane nose pointed back to the upward sky?

Originally posted by ATS4dummies
reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux

 

Hey Jean, (And the rest of you ATS'ers)
What are the causes of this downward spiral of our culture and innovation?
How do we get the airplane nose pointed back to the upward sky?

Hey ATS4dummies, you haven't made one scintilla of effort to show anyone that our culture or innovation is on a downward spiral. The whole history of civilization is marked by an upward surge and the internet has connected the world in ways that Alexander the Great couldn't even hope to imagine, and yet you smugly sit behind you computer screen on your keyboard and declare humanity a lost cause. How is this so? What fundamental evidence do you have to support this? Prove it is on a downward spiral then we can discuss turning it around, otherwise use the academic sites made available to you on the internet and try learning something.

Originally posted by ATS4dummies
That's another problem with the current "Attention Deficit" society, a failure to grasp intellectual constructs and debate meaningful points:

Do you realize, ENDISNIGH, you have completely ignored:

1. The internet is sucking the life out of originality
   
2. The internet and society has changed.
   
3. Nobody makes Web sites anymore.
   
4. Now everything is about making a buck.
   
5. A vast majority of internet content has absolutely no purpose other than to generate "Hits".
   
6. This attitude (of Bucks and Hits) is radically degrading our society.
   
7. Creating anything for the sheer LOVE of it is no longer worthwile unless it makes a buck.
   
8. The human race is being destroyed by the lack of originality and thoughtfulness at an alarming pace.
   

[edit on 12-12-2009 by ATS4dummies]

Nobody makes websites anymore? Are you on crack?
The internet society is still very young and is forever changing (right now Its at the kiddie stage)
Hate to tell you that in alot of peoples eyes its all about the $$$, thats nothing new
Music is still made (all money aside) in acts of love -- look less hard and you will see it all around you

reply to post by ATS4dummies


I really can't understand your point of view. Everything is not all doom and gloom. The internet is one of the most brilliant things to ever happen to the human race. Yes, like all things it will be exploited, but there is still so much innovation and quality out there.

You should really read The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception by Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer. I think you might enjoy it.

So, you would prefer us to revisit the dark ages?

The Internet is the greatest thing in recorded history if you are a kid in Indonesia, Romania, Egypt, a hundred other less advanced countries and cultures.

Nostalgia for an earlier generation of the Net is often a nostalgia for a time and place in one's life. I enjoyed being in my early 20, making so many new friends, life being easier, the sense of adventure and discovery.

Ancient Greek writings from 2500 years ago lament the losses from the previous generation when communication, knowledge, exchange, were so superior.

We often feel we've come out of a Golden Age into an Iron Age.

The Internet once linked thousands, then millions, then tens of millions. Now in some way half the planet is connected. There inevitable downsides in getting lost in the crowd, dilution of message, over-competition, the profit and self-promotion components.

I've seen the growth of paperbacks in the late 40s onward lamented as destroying the publishing industry. A once refined select class were reading and buying $2 hardcovers or using public libraries. Suddenly cheap 25c paperbacks came in, and the masses were buying them in phenomenal numbers. The product was deemed inerior. Sensationalistic trash, pornography, semi-literate hack material etc.

Somehow the publishing industry and audiences sorted it all out.

The positive aspects of the Net outweigh the negative factors a thousandfold.

Many will grip about how things have changed. There always will be that element. The loss of innocence is hard for people to accept.

'They spend all day and night "Texting" to their online "friendz."'


Hey some people work night shift and need ONLINE friends!

Originally posted by ATS4dummies
reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux

 

Hey Jean, (And the rest of you ATS'ers)
What are the causes of this downward spiral of our culture and innovation?
How do we get the airplane nose pointed back to the upward sky?

Nine Inch Nails is one cause!

I am not sure if I agree with your
entire premise. I do agree that
people no longer actually communicate
with each other in a personal way (face
to face). This, I believe is why we as
a society has become less patient with
each other and become ruder.

I personally cannot remember the last
time I e-mailed someone. As far as the
lack of creativity and your belief that we
are sheeple because we are not in a twist
because you think we should be I can
only speculate.

Me, I have more important things to worry
about like paying off $200,000 in medical
bills. You should not worry about such
mundane things. It isn't worth your
health.

Meh, OK. You conviced me... I was wrong.
Thanks folks.
Best regards,
ATS4Dummies

Originally posted by LiveForever8
reply to post by ATS4dummies

 

You should really read The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception by Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer. I think you might enjoy it.

Hey thanks LiveForever, I'll check it out.
Best regards,
ATS4Dummies

People are simply not that interesting to meet in real life. Everybody judge everybody else on how they look on the outside and not who they really are. On the internet, its your personality and intelligence that matters. Seems a lot more fair doesnt it?

Very few people are interesting and truly different, thats just the way it is. Because society wants everybody to be the same, and most people do anything to fit into a group.



[edit on 13-12-2009 by Copernicus]

Everything you said is true, so make your own reality. I moved to a real life Mayberry, ignorance of modern life is bliss and I am in Nirvana. Lil' country stores where folks still talk, the weather determines the days goals, cold winter days are spent cooking stews and reading... even visits to the library, church socials. local talent shows. It's all there, even group visits to the museums and art gallerys. Hell, we even have the internet and go to sites and read peoples rants about the dissatisfaction of modern life.

Originally posted by ATS4dummies
The internet is also destroying letter writing, home phone calls, social outings, and libraries filled on the weekends by people who know that prior generations of authors are infinitely more wise than myspace.

The opportunity to write has never been more available. Where once books graced libraries of universities and the estates of the elite, the 20th century saw them in the homes of ordinairy people throughout the developed world. Books became a source of comcern to governments who saw dangerous ideas being expressed and took measures to eliminate the authors and their works were condemned to bonfires. It's not a new idea, in that Hitler tried to do the same thing as those who torched the Library in Alexandria so many centuries before.

Books, and their increasing availability to the masses, became an issue of the greatest concern. Consider the translation of the bible into English and its wide distribution as just one example.

The internet has the potential to stay the hand holding the torch and any future book burnings.

Things that connected people with humane and sincere communication are being replaced by quick and short comments with an ad for some bastardized popcorn and fluff movie that spent 200 million on special effects and about $1000 on scriptwriters.

Only in those countries where entertainment is king. There is a wider world out there, places not yet corrupted by the inanity of consumerism. They too are reaching for the keyboards and soon, when language is no longer the great barrier it is now, their voices will be heard throughout the cyberworld. We see glimmers of it all the time... text messages from Burma, Tibet, Iran during times of great turmoil. Voices once silenced are ringing loud and clear.

Remove the blinders which focus your attention on the silliness which floods the internet and look to the sides where humanity, in times of greatest need, are finding ways to make themselves heard. Even the most strenuous attempts by governments to restrict the flow of information are failing to completely eliminate the voices of dissent. The greatest hurdle seems to be accurate translation and, for that, we should be thankful for the movement of peoples emigrating across the globe.

Once the web is able to easily translate the many diverse languages, we will reverse the symbolic destruction of the Towel of Babel and humanity will once again find themselves as one, undivided through the magic of the internet.

One can only hope.

The human race is being destroyed by the lack of originality and thoughtfulness at an alarming pace. How do we reverse this devolving spiral of an artificially colored and flavored cotton candy society devoid of any sustenance?

Reverse it by being creative. The power is in your hand. Be the change you want to be and pull the rest along with you.

[edit on 13/12/09 by masqua]

reply to post by AlreadyGone


I appreciate the advice. Forgive me for not making the intent of the thread clear. It was to analyze the root cause of the decline in innovation and culture in society, and possibly, hopefully collectively as a group of interested individuals, formulate an antidote to reverse the direction. I'm not interested in escapism, I'm interested in the practical and positive application of social engineering for the advancement of humanity especially in the areas of innovation and invention. It seems to me, we have lost sight of that and need to correct it before it grows progressively worse.

Thank you for your contribution.

There are may problems, and the the most of them are "inner" issues. We are loosing the possibility to feel our next. The universal love is almost gone. As you said, its all a business. Also egoism seems to grow rapidly.

The only ting we can do is to act as a example or paragon. Try to be fair and let the love out in your environment. Also at work, also at shopping. Do things better than what you see. And be pround about that.

I try to do that for many years now, and sometimes I wonder how soft and original people are. They are just full of fears and hate. But at least everyone wants respect and and "open ear" - tolerance and human universal love.

There is a Point where your sourrounding people can see that you are happier with your life that the others, selfish, feared money-horny guys. Then they can change themself, take it more easy and give you the respect because you gave it to them - and it was no deal - it was a gift.

We have so much potential as humans, but its less time to change our self to what we realy are. And I wonder and don't know why people have fear from human universal love and to give it to the environment.

So please all readers of this, try to give something without expectations, and we all can live in a paradies tomorrow. And please try to treat your environment (nature), people and animals like you want to be treated.

We must first change our inner wold before we can change the outer.

And sorry for my english, - Greetings from Switzerland.

reply to post by cushycrux


That was a wonderful intent, cushycrux. Thank you.
You're right, your behaviour can be more influencial and positive to others, more than just words. Continuing to do that over time, your positive behavior can even change others to be more positive. That is a great way to make the world more positive.

I think the hardest thing, but also the most effective thing, is to never let a negative person trick you into getting angry and becoming negative. This is a very difficult but important skill. I have seen negative people become positive (even if it is only for a short while) when you give them respect, and let them know you understand what they are saying and what they are feeling, but stand your ground and hold on to what you know is right. It can change them.

Sometimes I still fail at this, but I am getting better as I get older.

Great post! Thanks.

I'd like to thank you all for teaching me to be clear, and to outline my thoughts and explain them carefully.

So returning to this thread, I have had an important insight into how cultural decline takes place. Just like Macro economic (at the society level) and Micro economics (at the business level), perhaps cultural and innovative decline also occur both at the society level and also at the individual level.

Whenever I try to understand a problem, I need to break it down into the pieces that work like the gears of a great machine.

When you understand and see the individual gears, you can begin to understand how to improve the machine.

So if we were to look at the problem of cultural and innovation decline, lets look at the gears:

This is a work in progress which I hope we can all contribute to. I hope this is the beginning of being able to see: "The GEARS of decline"
Please make contributions to the concept.
Thanks.
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reply to post by ATS4dummies


I Think with this post you killed the "thread of good intension", what a shame.