Must Go Faster. Must Have More.

Draft script:

Many years ago, I concluded that the motto for Industrial Civilization is Must Go Faster. The sub-motto, if there is such a thing, is Must Have More. After all, most people within this set of living arrangements are primarily interested in two things: going faster, and acquiring material possessions. There is little interest in the principles of Modern Stoicism as expressed by its founder, Seneca. One of Seneca’s relevant expressions: “Being poor is not having too little, it is wanting more.”

When I look for images to match our motto—Must Go Faster—invariably I find pictures of Jeff Goldblum in a vehicle. He’s playing a role in the 1993 film, Jurassic Park. Occasionally I find a clever image of a mirror with an approaching dinosaur. The words on the mirror point out that objects in mirror are closer than they appear. This made a lot more sense to me after I finally saw Jurassic Park nearly three decades after it was released in 1993.

Imagine a world in which people were satisfied with what they had, instead of always striving for more. It’s easy for me to imagine that such a world would be more peaceful than this one. After all, most people afflicted with modernism believe they have the right to whatever comes next. Whatever comes next includes the latest model of house, vehicle, computer, and telephone. Purposely living without a house, without an automobile, without a computer, or without a smart phone puts one at odds with nearly everyone else. It’s just so darned inconvenient trying to reach that person without 24/7 access to text messages!

I suppose I’m showing my advanced age when I point out that I grew up in a house with a telephone that I had to stand very near to make a call. The fancy 10-foot cord connecting the receiver to the body of the phone allowed the freedom to wander freely for a full ten feet! That’s nearly three meters for those of you familiar with the metric system.

Now, of course, one is considered an outcast for not having access to modern devices. It’s not considered unusual to spend time staring at a tiny screen while dining with friends and family. I prefer time in the natural world to time in front of a screen. This is a rare and lonely habit.

When I was a kid, the radio and television were not turned on while we ate dinner. Dinner was for eating, obviously, and also for catching up with family members. We would discuss the highlights—and lowlights—of our days, along with news of interest. We would arrange transportation for tomorrow’s events. Who was picking up my siblings and me after basketball practice? Was everybody ready for the social event at the local high school?

Times change. Technology advances our ability to stay connected. In the case of social media, technology advances our ability to stay connected while also promoting anti-social behaviors. The latter can include cyberbullying, promotion of disinformation, distraction, laziness, sleeplessness, the inability to communicate via more conventional means, and a lack of online security.

As I know all too well, social media can be used to damage a person’s reputation. No evidence is needed. The age-old phrase “It didn’t happen if it’s not on social media” has a contrarian side: “If it appeared on social media, it must have happened.”

There is no policing social media, particularly when many people use an alias. Integrity is the only relevant firewall for social media. In my experience, integrity is a rare characteristic. Voltaire said “common sense is not so common.” He also said: “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Social media is a fast path to the continued lack of common sense and also to committing atrocities.

Many founders and high-ranking executives of social-media platforms have indicated their disdain for social media. They ban their own children from using the platforms they helped create, and that provide them monetary rewards.

That aside, I’m not here to ask you to stop using social media. Even if I did, there is no incentive for you to do so. Social media clearly has advantages, particularly with respect to maintaining connections and, in some cases, promoting useful information. As with every tool, social media can be used for good. A hammer can be put to good use. It can also be used to commit murder. The only attribute favoring the former instead of the latter is our integrity.

As I have mentioned many times in this space, integrity matters, at least to some of us. My integrity forms the foundation of my life. It is the basis for my friendships, along with the rare interview. It is the basis for the even rarer invitation to speak in public.

Back to this set of living arrangements, and our roles within it. Our collective desire to go faster drives us ever closer to extinction. After all, the faster we go, the sooner we arrive at our destination. What is our destination? The same as every species, of course.

A well-known quote from Professor and science educator Carl Sagan comes to mind: “Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.”

Let’s take our time, shall we?