"Briefly there was sorrow in him, an enormous pity for the bulk of mankind. They did not know themselves, they fought themselves like wild beasts, tied up in knots, locked in nightmare. Man could be so much if he had the chance." (IV, p. 155)
I agree with this diagnosis as far as it goes. Social conditions constraining individuals must also be considered but the Psychotechnic Institute knows that. And it is large numbers of individuals who have built societies. But social interactions take on a life of their own. For example, an employer wanting to pay his staff more cannot if he is to remain competitive. Individual motivations alone do not explain the dynamics of economic competition. Not only individual but also collective interests drive social change.
But we are nearly there. I mean that we are very close to the "so much" that we can be. Human beings are psychophysical organisms, conscious of their environments and of themselves, able to reason and reflect and also to formulate goals like: let us now know ourselves and become what we can be. This is Wellsian sf, offering hope for the future and addressing obstacles to human development.
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I do not agree with such simplistic reasoning from Dalgetty. We are always going to have internal conflicts of all kinds, because we are all imperfect and prone to such things. We can only some what manage them, and never permanently eliminate those conflicts and flaws.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
If fundamental change were impossible, then there would not have been an evolutionary advance from sensory-animal to rational-human consciousness.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Except you are still assuming the truth of your merely materialist POV, which I do not agree with. I'm allowing for the existence of the supernatural, meaning there is more to mankind and the universe than what you think is the case.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I don't agree that materialism is "mere." It does not mean that nothing exists but mechanically interacting particles with only the quantifiable properties of mass and volume. "Matter" in the philosophical sense is being, that which preexisted consciousness and has become conscious. It changes qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Indeed, it has been capable of the qualitative change from unconsciousness to consciousness. Consciousness and self-consciousness are among its properties. The "supernatural" means consciousness existing independently of being - a contradiction. But why should this supernatural prevent further human development?
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Development and change will be possible, but always going to be limited and imperfect due to mankind being Fallen.
And I still disbelieve in materialism.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
But the belief is that we were redeemed 2000 years ago.
Paul.
"an employer wanting to pay his staff more cannot if he is to remain competitive"
I should check up on the claim that Henry Ford paid his assembly line workers more so they could afford to buy a Model-T.
Kaor, Paul and Jim!
Paul: Except the salvation brought by Christ thru His atoning sacrifice on the Cross does not, in Catholic eyes, automatically mean all mankind will be saved. We all, each of us, have to assent and cooperate with divine grace to attain mercy thru Christ.
Jim: That was a classic example of economies of scale by Henry Ford! His innovations in manufacturing cars reduced the costs, per car, so much that he could afford to take a chance and raise wages for his employees, And it paid off, with profits increasing, despite the higher wages paid.
Ad astra! Sean
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