As any reader of this blog knows, an interest in social illusions is central to the ways I interpret the goings on as the end of industrial civilization approaches. Several important analyses of the global ‘poly-crises’ that confront us have been presented in the climate and economic literatures as well as in government reports—e.g., those … More The Future of Poverty, the Earth System, and Us
Photo credit: The Independent The origins of the song, “Kumbaya, my Lord,” and of the title itself, are somewhat obscure. First recorded in 1926, some say it is of African origin, more likely in the African American spirituals in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. And, of course, a white folksong writer copyrighted it in 1939, … More KUMBAYA, MY LORD! Or, Maybe a Cage Fight
Image source: Modern Times, Charlie Chaplin. My fascination with technology of all kinds can be traced back to my earliest memories. I wanted to know all I could about any object that might be applied to doing or making something, and about any action with a tool that can make something happen. In a fundamental … More TOXIC TECHNOLOGY: On the Convenience and Trauma of Industrial Modernity
The extent to which some folks can wallow in illusions so far from reality has always amused, and sometimes terrified me. Of course, when we look back in history we can find plenty of examples where collective illusions led to not mere folly, but massive suffering and death. The Salem Witch Trials and the infamous … More THE ANTI-EXPERT: Illusions of Truth in a World of Facts
I have been interested in social illusions for a long time. However, I never expected to discover the extent to which they drive the terminal trajectory of the industrial/militarist era toward oblivion today. I’m not saying that we are destined to collapse and never recover as a species on this planet, although that is possible, … More ILLUSIONS AND INTERDICTIONS: Imaginary Progress and the Real World
To answer a question like “Is techno-fascism a thing?” requires a broader look at the nature and role of technology in human affairs. And oh yes, what are the values that we humans must live by as the epoch of industrial civilization comes to an end, and we face the chaotic early phase of the … More Is Techno-Fascism a Thing?
Image Credit: Britanica I have always been a bit of a techie. Ever since all those 21 Boy Scout merit badges to become an Eagle Scout, about seven decades ago, I have been fascinated by tools and their uses. Earning each merit badge taught me about one technology or another—whether cooking, knot tying, marksmanship, first … More The AI Illusion: Death in an Algorithm
The iconic film that expressed the surfing culture of Southern California in the late 1960s and on, was called “Endless Summer.” The movie traced the journey of a couple of surfers as they searched the globe for “the perfect wave.” Since then, the sport has matured and had even become a major business with surfing … More Endless Summer: Not what It Once Was
For at least a decade, I have been arguing, here and there, that neither climate chaos nor ecological destruction can be resolved by “renewable energy” or “clean energy” alone. A very small number of technical analysts have come to the same conclusion, but they are all outside of the culture of the conventional Environmental Movement. … More The Great Energy Illusion: Industrial Modernity
I cringe every time I hear some talking head refer to the gang of thieves engaged in an autocratic attempt to overthrow a democracy, however flawed, as “the administration.” Why? Because my first thought is, what exactly are they administering? An administration administrates; it does not plunder. Well, occasionally some do in relatively minor ways. … More When is an Administration a Regime?
Robert MacNeil Christie, Author 