EDWARD BIROV
Cosmonautics day was a reminder of what the crisis of humanity and technological progress, 58 years later after the first flight into space. In Russia, on 12 April, was limited to the words of past deeds and promises to revive the space program by 2022. In the US, Elon Musk has finally launched the super-heavy carrier rocket Falcon Heavy (trucks, without astronauts), NASA admitted that in the development of the moon can’t do it without the international coalition — and this is 50 years after the alleged landing of American astronauts. Symbolic mockery was heard and the news about the collapse of the Israeli moon Rover, launched as emphasized, by private money. The descendants of the discoverers of space mired in counting monetary units.
Futurologist Stanislaw LEM in the mid-1960s, ridiculed even the suggestion that in the year 2000, people will live as if it is saying that the explosive growth of technology will change the human life so that it is virtually impossible to predict. Now we, the generation of the 2000s, it’s funny and sad to read the words Lema, representative of the generation that conquered the atom and launched a man into space.
From the point of view of the technology life of man in the 1960s and the 2000s has not fundamentally changed, there was only improvement of old inventions were faster and more comfortable cars appeared high-speed train, became more various appliances. The assumption of LEM that wheeled transport will become a rarity, being replaced by fundamentally different modes of transport that crashed on the harsh reality of a “bright future” in which the car wheels creates terrible traffic jams and fill courtyards.
The only spurt of the 2000s has occurred in information technology — creating a personal computer, electronic and mobile communication, the connection of all communications in the smartphone. But this revolution has led only to the fact that mankind from the dizzying heights where their eyes, lowered his head and plunged into smartphones, melkotravchatomu virtual world without a real creation.
Semiconductors based heterostructures open a brilliant Soviet scientist and a great idealist, Zhores Alferov in the same 1960-ies, was the creation not of a new the wonderful world of the creators, but merely devices for rapid exchange of media products, design a virtual simulacrum, where there is no place for dreams, faith and space.
The reason, of course, is not the technology itself — it is only the instrument of change of society, while the specific direction of change is defined by those who use it, and depend on the values and beliefs prevailing in the society.
The collapse of the Soviet alternatives has led to the fact that the interests of large private capital subordinated all spheres of life, including culture, science, technology, the meaning of life. The triumph of postmodern hedonism, senseless enrichment and consumption has brought technological progress to improve eating resources. A symbolic example of this — the annual update of the gadgets of the same brand, in which marketing has completely replaced the real technological development. It’s as if Sergei Korolev presented in the showroom of the new missile, only different in design, color and a couple extra features.
Space and the atom won’t technocrats and marketers, idealists and dreamers — but not idle dreamers, but the responsible leaders of large production systems, which were not motivated by personal gain and not even competition, and dreams of a great knowledge of the world. Domination in modern society personal enrichment has led to the submission of the artists who create the product, traders that are only able to promote it on the market. Hence the emphasis on commercial benefits in the development of the cosmos and fundamental science, which automatically puts an end to any big undertaking, initially narrows the scientific horizon and perspective of knowledge.
The looming wave of new technologies — artificial intelligence, 3d printing, hypersonic, and others — while maintaining the dominance of the consumer world will be reduced to stamping of consumer goods, the enrichment of big business, the entertainment of the masses and improve the supervision and control capabilities. The latter in fact is already happening and sooner or later will lead to the establishment of electronic fascism, when the feelings and thoughts of people will be entirely reduced to consumerism, and totally subordinated to the corporations
At the same time, the return to the technological romanticism of the pioneers of space and the atom is impossible. The collapse of the USSR was not accidental, it is not so much the rejection of socialism as a collapse of faith in the possibility of a scientific development of the ideal of a just peace, an earthly Eden, with the help of technology. The bare idea of technological progress have been exhausted, the idol of infallible science is dead, the power of the mind (rational), is able to build a seamless world on the basis of ideal theory, debunked. Trying to bring this pointless and unnecessary.
Konstantin Yuon. The new planet. 1921
But to use the main lesson of the great experiment is necessary. Even the most incredible technological breakthrough is worthless without spiritual Foundation and moral self-improvement. Even the most beautiful social theory and fair economic system is powerless without the inner working of millions of people, active asceticism of every person, or at least an active minority. The question is, is it possible?
The first answer — of course not. To just all of a sudden found the strength to change, to abandon the relaxing of decay, sweet of extinction, embarked on the path of struggle and labour is illusory. That is why it is important the emergence of those who will give an example, who will light up the swamp.
To overthrow the ruling hedonism need a pioneers of the spirit, the living torches, which his burning, his example will show all tangible alternative. Those who easily throw personal benefit and proclaim the service of the ideals of true success and happiness, who will challenge the total commercialization and marketing. Beautiful words and formulas that no one is able to inspire and real actions, daily sacrifice, service and selflessness that challenges consumerism.
Need a qualitatively different relationship between people. When inventions and discoveries are replicated to all comers, and vital products, which is able to save others, is distributed free of charge. For example, artificial limbs and organs created with 3d printing. When flooded city shopping malls are converted into children’s homes and art galleries and the soaring Church designed and built entirely by parishioners. When a few scientists and engineers send the call to address urgent problems, and the best minds are fighting selflessly on a solution.
When talented songs, and paintings of his contemporaries, are not allowed in the air of cynical producers, appear on prominent billboards and in social networks due to unknown well-wishers. When a group of architects and daredevils creates from scratch the garden city, using the latest technology not to the detriment of man, as in modern cities, and for good. When practising scientists and doctor-priests set out to create a new system of understanding the world, combining the rational and the irrational…
Heinrich Friedrich Fuger. Prometheus bringing fire to people. 1817
To awaken humanity, to withdraw from the state of hypnosis, we need not talkers and whiners, grumbling about the impasse of mankind, and warriors and builders, wrestlers and warriors of light, those who assumed the cross, and your neighbor, who will challenge the vulgarity and cynicism, by example, begin to create a new world free from the corrupting cynicism. A world in which technology will be a tool of spiritual and moral improvement, an additional source of creation and creativity.
In conditions when the state stepped back from this task and does not perform system changes from the top, it is personal example, to exploit the devotees. If you want to the new Russian intelligentsia, the monks of the XXI century. Previous intellectuals ruined is not something she was cut off from the people (devotees are forced to break away, leading the way), and the fact that she broke away, dragging the country into a death where she was burned, instead of showing the path to ascension.
Meanwhile, we are sorely lacking those who would call white white and black black who will ignite the hearts of hope, and in the minds of the real meaning, who will raise the banner of degradation and formulate the need of moral salvation.
If this does not happen, finally will prevail people consume, the ham of the XXI century. And even if we manage to develop new technologies, to build a brilliant economy and to settle the moon, at one point, as aptly put Kholmogorov, “come degenerate and blink” ‑ and all will be destroyed. But most likely, degenerative ham will come sooner and will not allow to build even something any outstanding. Since the creation of the present is impossible where there is consumption.
Edward Birov
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