Yeah I am lazy to do much reading. Put ups some points for discussion

I could but I figure it is best that you find out everything yourself from the book to have its intended impact.

But if you do insist, the book main message is to develop ourselves spiritually. Technology as we put it, is only supposed to assist us in our development and not to enslave us as what it is happening on earth.

Material persuit is a step in the wrong direction and has caused us to regress tremendously. What on earth we call as a civilisation/advance/development, is not even close, we've not even achieved the 1st letter.

The book also talks about the things that are most dangerous to us as a society in the order of its importance which is, money, politicians, journalist and finally drugs and religion.

It also continues on to correct a few biblical error mainly about the story of Moses and also Who is Christ and also the purpose he came.

We as a society has taken a very wrong turn and that we have to correct ourselves right now. Also talks about the young generation is in the process of self examination and that it is important that we make the correct choices to ensure our continued existence. That if we are to expect help to be given to us, we will only be disappointed. The tools are already available to us and all we have to do is to look WITHIN us as that is the most beautiful kingdom of all.

This post has been edited by legiwei: May 29 2010, 03:50 PM

True, increasing lifespans may be good, but like what you've posted, it has also speed up a person's judgment to "sentence" someone to death. And as to your question, there may be hope that 10 years from now there will be tech beneficial enough to omit all the harmful effects today, however, cynically speaking, wouldn't that also means instant gratification will also be much more instantaneous? And I don't think instant gratification only dampens the value of patience. It has also dampened the value of appreciation, which is my stance to explain why humans are more self-forgiving to take another life, or worse, many lives at once, since they have all sorts of technology to gratify themselves should they have any feelings of guilt that they know their values of humanity has been degenerated.

Yes, I guess we cannot escape studying the human mind. But if you ask me, technology, cynically speaking, is nothing but a form of desire manifested from our complaints of our certain inability to do or achieve something. Instead of improving social skills, we resort to creating something powerful, an iron fist, because you see, an iron fist makes it all EASIERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, compared to trying to TALK to a person, and like a PERSON. Which is easier, to win over a person by talking to him, or to just punch him in the face and let him fear you so that he can agree to you?

The latter is easier, if you ask me. Since violence has no need for tact.

This post has been edited by Deadlocks: May 30 2010, 01:49 PM

Labels aside, I have no argument with the main premise except I think it would be a mistake to sweep aside all material pursuit without courting the extinction of our species. Agriculture is a material pursuit, one we cannot live without. I'm nitpicking but I think good theories should be able to survive small details. Civilization is relative. We're always less civilized compared to someone else and vice versa.

Would society be any less dangerous if we didn't have these things?

I'm not sure about the beautiful kingdom part (sounds too religious for me) but no argument there about make the correct choices and we ensure our continued existence. That by the way is the message of all religions - make the correct choices and you get salvation. The only problem is that what's correct to A may not be correct to B and then they fight so I rather cut through the labels and mystic beliefs and get straight to the parts backed by provable evidence.

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Added on May 31, 2010, 9:56 amWe don't need technology to punch someone into agreeing with us but if we want to intimidate thousands all at once, its indispensable. Technology is a leverage, to enable us to do more than what our own two hands can do. Leverage also puts a distance between you and the subject and because of this disintermediation effect, acts become impersonal. You can now kill without remorse.

Same with a forum like this. Because forumers don't know each other personally, it is easier for them to troll and insult one another without remorse, something they won't dare do in a McDonald's unless they wanna go home with a black eye. So yeah, while the wall of technology can make us live longer, it can also bring out the worst in us.


This post has been edited by Beastboy: May 31 2010, 09:59 AM

I think you missed the point on material persuit, Beastboy. The unwritten word is "excessive desire" in material persuit. Money is important but dont let it run your life. It does not matter if money is in the form of agriculture products or eletronic gadgets.

In the case of religion the unwritten part was "over zealousness leading to extreemism"

Wah got so many unwritten parts liao. If I wrote a program like that, my program sure hang one.

Yeah, it was invent by some wise guy who called it "reading between the lines"