Thanks for the compliment Openmind. I frankly couldn't point ta anything in my writing you might see that has value, however. That would only be for you to determine. There are times I feel like wiping out every single comment I have ever made on this board and fading into non existance. I think however that that is a matter more of self esteem than humility. That is why I so appreciate your kind words.
I definately agree with you. We live now as kings in the past have only dreamed, and we tend to take an awful lot for granted. Even in this world as it presently sits, with all the advantage of technology, there are plenty of examples of the have nots, which may help in our own perspectives towards gratitude. The problems of the modern age however, carry with them a different set of variables. Its still a pile of shit with icing if you ask me.
For every problem that gets solved a new one arises. The car gets invented, and then you have to deal with polution, theiving mechanics, who lie and rob you blind ,car fatalities etc. The computer and telephone tie the world closer together but the intimacy that communities used to have has diminished and produced a world of multi-tasking. If I had to chose however, I would most certainly prefer to live in the the world today as opposed to any time in past history.
We as humans tend to get bored rather quickly. Even those with low IQs. You buy a kid a toy that he's always wanted, and the next day he wants something better cause Johnny just got something. We have removed ourselves far from the roots of mother earth and where we came from and put the entire structure of our systems values and beleifs to the test. This is because pain remains a consistant problem.
For those with a higher capacity to learn and store information there is usually a high price to pay in a social sense. Despite, the greater knowledge of some, they have spent so much time with their nose in a book, that they lack social skills to fill the needed desire of companionship. The key to all of this is balance.
The good news is that I have a great deal of hope for humanity despite the downward spiral of self destruction we tend to put ourselves into. Perhaps we do this, because on a sub conscious level we know everything dies and time is limited. A persons intelligence doesn't really matter to me. You can learn something off the dumbest person in the world. I can gaurentee you that that person you consider dumb, knows something we don't. What matters to me is are you nice or nasty.
The reason I have hope for the human race, is that despite the evil, despite death, and despite the conicopia of problems and despite the fact that I don't beleive God will come out of the sky and fix everything, history has shown that good can come from bad.
During WWII, Hitlers doctors were taking the dead bodies of Jews and dissecting them for anatomical drawings. These drawings were so accurate, that they have been used up until about 10 or 15 years ago to save lives. Radar is another invention that was born of the pains of war and many other inventions that prove very beneficial in times of peace. I don't advocate war, I'm only stating facts.
At the present time I beleive, we are at a stage in evolution where we will rise to the challenge of the modern age with a greater capacity than ever to answer questions solve problems and hopefully create some form of Utopia. Its a race against time.
The advances made in breaking down the entire genetic code will be our fountain of youth. This has all been sped up of course through the computer as will many other necesary advances. Today there are more child prodigies and genious' with new ways of looking at problems than ever before.
The only question is can smart triumph, over stupid and evil.