The direction of modernism is the acceleration of the survival of the fittest. Modernism favors one winner, mechanization, and the elimination of the natural and the tragic. Modernism and spirituality are antithetical.
To understand modernism in any detail you need to be clear who the winners are in various conflicts. The following conflicts are of particular importance:
The winners are science, corporations and automatons. The first two conflicts are basically over. The third conflict is not over, but the eventual winner is clear. Already, a computer has defeated the best human chess player. In any case, automatons are more suited to corporations, being both cheaper and easier to program than men.
Progress and Modernism
Progress is closely related to modernism. Progress is defined as movement toward modernism. It is progress anytime we can identify the winners in any endeavor (by definition the fittest), eliminate the unfit, or mechanize the functions of plants and animals.
The Importance of Modernism
Modernism, correctly understood, is the key to solving the World's problems. This essay will provide you with that correct understanding. Once understanding modernism and its implication, you'll see that it is logical to support modernism and illogical not to. As the Borg often say in Star Trek, "Resistance is futile."
The World's Major Problems
There is not universal agreement on what the World's major problems are. However, certain matters come up repeatedly:
As we shall see, modernism developed to its logical conclusion solves these problems. Indeed, for the most part, it makes them irrelevant.
Imagine a world of great corporations run by robots and with robots doing the work. Imagine an earth without mankind and any other animals. Imagine a world without plant life.
In such a world many of today's problems would be eliminated, or at least greatly reduced. Noone would complain of man's exploitation of man, for there would be no men to exploit, no men to be exploited; and no men to whine their complaints.
In the past, war has been waged predominately by men (and some might argue by animals, e.g. ants), but there would be no such wars, since there would no men (or animals) to wage them. Robots might conceivably wage war, but since the robots would be less emotional, such wars would be infrequent.
Famine would not be a problem, since there would be no humans who needed to eat.
There would likely still be considerable pollution (as conceived today) in this world, but since robots are less fragile than men, it would be less of a problem.
There would be no overpopulation of humans, since there would be no humans.
It would be an admirable, more orderly, and more cost effective world.
The chief roadblocks slowing progress toward modernism are:
Progress toward modernism is far along. Victory is assured. But it is not too late to align with the winners. Any other course is idiocy.
My proposal is that each of us align with the winners by doing such things as:
On the other hand it is better not to:
The transition to modernism is best done gradually and with an awareness of certain dependencies. People have historically performed some useful functions. In general, groups of people should not be eliminated until their legitimate functions have been replaced. By legitimate functions I mean those that support modernism. In any case, a gradual approach inspires less resistance and so may not be slower.
Swift's proposal is one of the inspirations for this proposal. Swift's proposal is:
But, though a sound proposal, it appears that no serious attempt was made by the British government to implement it. Why is unclear. I have tried to learn from Swift's proposal. At the same time, I have attended to the vast differences in today's situation. In any case, Swift failed to get his proposal implemented. So I have deviated from Swift in many ways and especially with a view to being in keeping with the times and to having my proposal implemented.
The slogan "Change is good." correctly understood means the same as "Progress is good." That is, it means that movement toward modernism is good. It resonates (whatever that means) with many people. It can also be used as a non-sequitur.
Professional football and baseball are models of how to identify winners unambiguously. Each year a single champion is identified by a playoff system.
Monopolies are an inspiration and model for all of us. Any corporation which achieves monopoly status is a winner by definition. Quibbling over how they achieved their status misses the point. They won by recognizing the actual rules governing the game during the period in which they achieved their victory.
The concept of unconditional surrender is an inspiring one. It makes unambiguously clear who the winner of a war was.
"Resistance is futile." Inevitably, robots will replace man. Those who cooperate during the transition to the modern may be allowed to live out their lives as slaves to their superiors - the robots. All others will be subjected to excruciating pain (as examples) and then terminated and their parts assimilated or cast aside. Noone will be allowed to produce any more humans. Many problems will be solved and the world will be a better place.
© Copyright 2002 George Woolley