Changing the View of the Future

[dewline]

Answering Andrew Barton's "Reaching Back for Century 21":

You took a look back at the way we used to view the possibilities of the future and compared it to how those same possibilities are being reshaped before our eyes. And how the problems of the present fuel the longing for a more optimistic framing of those future possibilities.

And then you got right to the thing that nags at me most about this past decade in particular, if you'll permit me to quote:

"The whole "welcome to the future" optimism that accompanied the turning of the millennium was dealt a rather thorough body blow by the collapse of the dot-com economy, the war on terror, and the ongoing global financial crisis. In 2012, no matter where you look it seems like things are getting worse, and the road ahead is pitch black."

And I remember: there were and are people offended by the prospect that the future could be brighter for everyone. Including people they despise with a fanatic's will to despise.

Some of them triggered the 9-11 Atrocities. Others took advantage of them to make things worse for other people. Same with the Financial Crisis in Progress. By accident, by design...not sure that it matters either way. The advantage was still taken.

The idea that there's someone out there with enough clout and a genuine, unholy hope of bringing about a new Great Depression because they believe they'll either get something they want out of the consequences...or at least prevent other people from getting what they want as a result?

Frightening as all Hell.

Also?

It offends me to my core.

I want the campaign to prevent those better futures stopped cold. I know that I'm already damned in the eyes of those specific circles of human society for that specific desire. That also frightens and angers me. Because there's consequences of those people making that decision about people like you and me. Quoth the Fourth Doctor in "The Face of Evil":

"The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit their views. Which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering."

Comments

[actsofminortreason.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

There are wolves in the garden; predators in our midst. People who are fundamentally broken, but are nevertheless doing their best to win.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Too true.