The Future And Its Enemas

The Future And Its Enemas
Best Blog Of The Day has to go to this Stryker Rant.

Everyone seems to have some feeling or some nebulous half-realized notion that something’s happening and that this “something” will have an enormous impact on the future. We can’t conceptualize it, define it or point at it and say, “Aha! That’s it!” But we know it’s there, like some formless dark shape in the twilight wood, slowly stalking us and ready to pounce at any moment.

He’s right, of course. There are all sorts of things to be hopeful, yet vaguely uneasy, about.

Cloned organs and gene therapy could double our lifespans. What might that do to families when there’s no need to have children before you’re retired? What becomes of retirement plans when Century birthdays are as common as turning 50 is today?

Heinlein’s Starship Toopers made real will not only drastically increase the expense of our armed forces, they will also force a drastic new organization and downsizing. The RIFs of the early 90s will look tiny.

In politics, the current war and the centrifugal forces of high tech and market mobility will drastically alter the world map. Are we ready for the return of marches and city states? Imagine a world where Britsh Columbia leaves Canada — then Vancouver leaves BC.

And that’s just three little advances in an age when progress keeps accelerating — compound interest for societal upheaval.

Anyway, go read all of Sarge’s post. Damn good stuff.