People want to build a "heaven" with technology, but even assuming that such a mission could be successful 12 the only foreseeable scenario I could see unfold is utter boredom everywhere. Because technology requires you to detach yourself from reality in order to focus on isolated parts—problems, concepts, models—this same move also leads you to become really, really bored when you don't have things to solve and ideas to think about. 13
But because a technological "heaven" would solve all problems that a human could possibly have, then what would they turn their time and attention towards? To selfless communion with other human beings? But this type of relating to the world and others is antithetical to the narrow-attention, utility-maximizing mode of being that the technological system requires of people.
No, all I can imagine a techno-heaven looking like is a really, really boring world of screens and people with no personality and aliveness, and technological solutions to cover up that nightmare, by drugging up people so that they do not become severely depressed or straight up insane.
7 In many ways it might be worse because the initial idea had enough validity and stability to be the status quo for a while, enough so that it generates corruption and dissatisfaction and thus revolts and the need for change, while the opposite of the status quo dives into uncharted territory, making it possibly far less sustainable than what it replaced.
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2024-11-30