jdoehring's Blog

Now that Gates has retired what is left in technology? Jobs is still in the game however he must be getting close to retiring as well. My question is simple, are we better off the last 20 years or are we worse? Is it better to have any info you want at your fingertips all the time or is it better to learn patience?

If we have no patience, then how can achieve anything long term? The goal of society is not one of materialism but of human improvement. At least that is what led to our founding fathers, discoveries in science, and advancements in technology.  Without the drive to better ourselves, we become content and that is the down fall of humanity. Always strive to be better, never settle.

If history has taught us anything, it is that every time rules are broken the individuals who broke them get taken down. Never is this more evident than what we have seen in the past twenty years with the simple rule of greed. At first, it was corporate greed, which was wiped out right at the turn of the century with the accounting scandals. When this occurred, the economy didn't feel that much because the philosophy was simple, the big guys got their time due. But then in the 90's as well, mortgage brokers and companies bent rules to fill their pockets. Now it's in the private sector, now we are in a recession.

As far as oil goes, the question isn't weather or not we are running out, the question is why is our entire economy based on a finite resource? Technology is available and has been for sometime to completely stop using oil, but yet the powers to be on both sides of the aisle are not allowing the technology to come to light. We could use solar power to run our electricity and. nuclear power for everything else, but no, the powers to be are being controlled again by greed. So it comes down again to money. 

Maybe money is the problem? Maybe due to the fact that survival and success are being linked to money, instead of being linked to our natural instincts, that might be where the problem lies. How would one get rid of money, however? How would one be able to move everyone off the primary motivator for human achievement? That is a good question, one which will take a very long time for anyone to figure out. The only way I could see us getting off of money would be if there was a way to somehow make all of humanity work toward a common goal. 

Look at how united the United States was after 9/11. President Bush had a 85% approval rating, and people in this country all united for one reason, and one reason only that being anger. My question is, why is it that we can only unite with anger after a event occurs? Why can’t we unite for a different cause? Why does disaster have to happen in order for everyone to throw their arms up and force change? If anything, pure anger in this country proved one thing, that being how strong of a emotion it is. What if we all came united even stronger with compassion instead of anger? It could be amazing what we can do.  

Bottom line is that we as a society have to get away from the current motivators we have, and move toward a common goal. One which would fulfill everyone’s life, and improve us as a society.  What could that be, remains to be seen, but hopefully we can find something. Hopefully we will learn from our errors without having to have anything happen. Do we really want to be known as a society which would go through all of the planets natural resources before learning our lesson? The bottom line is, it starts with each individual, getting united and saying no more.