I read Marc Renaud's preface to the "Knowledge Council" document of SSHRC today, and was surprised by a thrill of excitement over something unrelated to my reason for reading it. The following quotation sums up why:

"But, it is not scientific knowledge or technological know-how that will enable use to preserve civilization for our grandchildren and theirs. Most of what we need in these domains we already have. Our problem, as a civilization, is one of values, of economic and political priorities and of social organization."

My reaction was a big, joyful "YES!" Followed by relief and amazement that other people in the world really do get that, as well.

In my youth I was an advocate of science as the solution to mankind's problems, in the naive belief it would be used by wise heads for the best possible reasons. I now think human nature is what we need to understand, warts and all, if we are to avoid preventable disasters. Universities are exactly the sorts of places that are meant to think about such things on behalf of the rest of us. But I had rather assumed, given the weight of evidence that washes over one in the average day, that even academics are becoming too obsessed with success that comes with cash rewards to be much help in addressing the most critical questions of our times. Reading the preface of the SHHRC report, entitled "We Know How to Shape Our Future So What's Stopping Us", was a boost for the hard beset optimist in me that likes to imagine I am not the only one who realizes there isn't much point winning if all you win is a world ruined by short-sighted greed.

I try to make people think about these questions, in my own small way, through my science fiction. (The link http://okalrel.org/contest/themes.htm explains).
posted by Lynda at 11:24   comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments