In a non-linear system such as a society or an ecology, the effects of any technological fix are wholly unpredictable.
Introduce a new species to control a pest, and the end result might be the emergence of an even worse pest.
.
Elevate seratonin levels with a reuptake inhibitor, and the end result might be a reduction in the number of receptors for seratonin and other neurotransmitters, resulting in depression even worse than before.
.
Build a new road to ease congestion, and new developments might end up making congestion all the worse.
.
Cut down all the slow-growing trees and replace them with a fast-growing lumber crop, and diseases might sweep through this weakened ecosystem that result eventually in less lumber, not more.
.
Introduce computers to reduce the drudgery of office work, and people end up spending more time at their desks than ever.
.
Add nitrogen fertilizer to increase soil fertility, and the resulting changes in soil ecology end up reducing its fertility.
.
All of these unpredictable and even contradictory results arise from non-linearity.
.
We can pretend the world is linear and enforce our pretense to a certain extent, but only at increasing cost to freedom and life.
.
Because the truth is that outside a very narrow realm, the world is not in fact linear.
.
Our civilization is built on that tiny segment that is linear.
.
Or that can reasonably be viewed that way.
.
Today, that pretence is crumbling.
.
The price has become unbearable.
.
Yet unbearable though it may be, we will continue to bear it as long as we are ignorant of any alternative.
.
We will continue to remedy the failures of control with even more control.
.
Intensifying the plundering of earth, life, beauty, and health until all are utterly consumed.
.
That is why it is so important to be aware of another way.
.
Another non linear way.
.
Elevate seratonin levels with a reuptake inhibitor, and the end result might be a reduction in the number of receptors for seratonin and other neurotransmitters, resulting in depression even worse than before.
.
Build a new road to ease congestion, and new developments might end up making congestion all the worse.
.
Cut down all the slow-growing trees and replace them with a fast-growing lumber crop, and diseases might sweep through this weakened ecosystem that result eventually in less lumber, not more.
.
Introduce computers to reduce the drudgery of office work, and people end up spending more time at their desks than ever.
.
Add nitrogen fertilizer to increase soil fertility, and the resulting changes in soil ecology end up reducing its fertility.
.
All of these unpredictable and even contradictory results arise from non-linearity.
.
We can pretend the world is linear and enforce our pretense to a certain extent, but only at increasing cost to freedom and life.
.
Because the truth is that outside a very narrow realm, the world is not in fact linear.
.
Our civilization is built on that tiny segment that is linear.
.
Or that can reasonably be viewed that way.
.
Today, that pretence is crumbling.
.
The price has become unbearable.
.
Yet unbearable though it may be, we will continue to bear it as long as we are ignorant of any alternative.
.
We will continue to remedy the failures of control with even more control.
.
Intensifying the plundering of earth, life, beauty, and health until all are utterly consumed.
.
That is why it is so important to be aware of another way.
.
Another non linear way.
.
More holistic, accepting of unpredictability.
.
The new paradigm arises.
.
Only the shoots so far however new thinking is slowly forcing it's way into science, medicine and other fields.
.
Sadly not so far into the power and greed domains of politics, economics and finance.
.
If humanity is to survive then non linearity must prevail.
.
Just as the certain belief in a flat earth slowly crumpled in the face of more knowledge.
More holistic, accepting of unpredictability.
.
The new paradigm arises.
.
Only the shoots so far however new thinking is slowly forcing it's way into science, medicine and other fields.
.
Sadly not so far into the power and greed domains of politics, economics and finance.
.
If humanity is to survive then non linearity must prevail.
.
Just as the certain belief in a flat earth slowly crumpled in the face of more knowledge.
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