Thursday, January 10, 2008
How might technology help shape our future path?
There are many ways that technology can help shape our path, both for the better and worse. While technology has enabled people to 'manufacture' all types of genetically modified or chemically altered food, it has also enabled us to accurately determine the negative side-effects of these foods. The need for sustainable high-yield crops is vital with the over-crowding of resources, so it's understandable for people to want to genetically modify food in order to maximize the limited resources, but we find every time that it doesn't work to shortcut the natural cycle of things. In a way, the modern technology is catching up with the ancient wisdom of the Daoists and other people who lived in harmony with their environment. It's not always clear what can be done at this stage to live in relative balance with our environment(that is, without starving, or damaging our resources) but there are some promising farming techniques that are being developed with the modern technology(permaculture comes to mind...). With the scientific understanding of plants, and the ability to chart results and predict future results it's possible to explain to the general public the need to be conscious about our eating habits...among other things.
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2 comments:
Hi Brian~
Our perspectives are somewhat similar on this issue. Although genetic modification is scary and dangerous, it can not be thoroughly addressed without taking into consideration the need for food and other resources. There are way too many hungry people in this world. Permaculture is a fascinating topic that I would love to know more about. Sustainable agriculture and techniques that work with, instead of trying to best, nature are a promising approach.
Dawn
I feel that the manipulation of the basic integrity of the natural system, i.e. genetic modification, is a misguided attempt to generate answers for questions or solutions for problems. I think that Nature is capable of providing for all of our needs... as Ghandi is quoted for saying, "Nature can provide for everyone's need but never enoughf ro everyone's greed."
I feel that technologies that manipulate Nature, fail to understand the power and beauty of Her amazing simplicity, richness, and willingness to cooperate. We perceive problems where their are opportunities to grow in depper understanding and relationship with Nature and her wisdom/technology.
There are many wizards who are coming out of the shadows, so to speak and revealing amazing simple and naturally-oriented technologies that are in harmony with Nature and provide ample and restore the environments we have destroyed.
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