To: Electronic Telegraph <et.letters@telegraph.co.uk>
Re: The Prime Minister's concerns about technological developments Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 |
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Dear Sir, The Prime Minister's concern that "the rapid succession of technological
developments could destabilise society", which you cite in Wednesday's
Telegraph (I worry about
my hi-tech children, confesses Blair, 3 May
Progress in the physical sciences has given us an immense and ever increasing
degree of control over the physical world, but progress in our understanding
and control of our own human nature and of society is
The unbridled expansion of individual motorization and air travel are just two prime expressions of these forces. It is inconceivable that either can be sustained on a finite planet with a population already exceeding 6 billion, but human wants (rather than needs) and stupidity, as well as insane "economic necessity", misconceived as natural laws, continue to drive us in this suicidal direction. Mr Blair has good reason to be concerned. Perhaps it is this situation that the peaceful demonstrators (not the
hooligans) against world capitalism can sense, if not yet clearly define
or offer a remedy for.
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