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We flatter ourselves to think that we are above this kind of general catastrophe— because our technologic prowess during the was so marvelous that all future problems are guaranteed to be solved by similar applications of ingenuity. This was certainly the consensus among the scientists, computer geniuses, and biotech millionaires . They were uniformly uninterested in the issues of the global oil peak and natural gas depletion and utterly convinced that the industrial societies would be rescued by hydrogen, wind power, and solar electricity, all to be figured out by their cohort techno-geniuses in time. If there is anything we have been stupendously bad at in the preceding century of wonders, it is recognizing the diminishing returns of our prowess. Some of our greatest achievements, such as industrialized farming and the interstate highway system, have produced dreadful diminishing returns . This persistent failure or weakness negates the value of our ability to see what's coming. Rather than technologic progress, we are more likely to see a lot of technologic —the loss of information, ability, and confidence. (en) |
