I am down in Exeter staying with my daughter and her husband. They have 2 wonderful little girls - my grandchildren. They are 4 and nearly 2.
Like all parents you think about the world you have brought your children into. From time to time I find myself fixated on what the future holds for my offspring - where is the world going - what can I do to help guide them.
A while back I read a book called the Future - written by Al Gore. In it he predicts the changes coming in the world in the next 50 years will be greater than the changes that have occurred in the last 50 years. That is really saying something - because in the last 50 years we have seen among many things the discovery and development of DNA, genetic engineering, PC's, the web and internet, mobile phones, the Euro, the emergence of the BRIC countries and global warming etc etc.
What will the next 50 years hold. One for sure is the incredible, massive (and possibly negative) impact of AI - artificial intelligence, others are likely to be the widespread use of drones, driverless transport, everyday space travel for the masses and an expected average life span of 120!!
However I digress a little. What I really wanted to say is this :- in life we have to make choices - democratic choices - political choices. We have a vote - we are part of society and can help shape it. What decisions should we make. These decisions are hard. What is the right thing to do?
A simple philosophy - prompted by my little, innocent, vulnerable, trusting and optimistic little grandchildren. What I (we - society) should do is what is right for them - what is best for the next generation (or at worst has the least negative effect.) It is not original thinking - we really should strive to leave the world in a better place than when we came into it. I am suggesting a morale way to deal with these hard decisions is using the future as the benchmark - not only our own (often selfish or short term) needs. So for instance should we as a nation continue to ramp up debt as a legacy for our children and grandchildren to deal with - clearly not - it is for today's society to live within its means. That is without starting on energy issues, planning issues, ecological issues, food issues or population issues. Just a thought from an amateur philosopher - ha! It makes sense to me anyway!
Like all parents you think about the world you have brought your children into. From time to time I find myself fixated on what the future holds for my offspring - where is the world going - what can I do to help guide them.
A while back I read a book called the Future - written by Al Gore. In it he predicts the changes coming in the world in the next 50 years will be greater than the changes that have occurred in the last 50 years. That is really saying something - because in the last 50 years we have seen among many things the discovery and development of DNA, genetic engineering, PC's, the web and internet, mobile phones, the Euro, the emergence of the BRIC countries and global warming etc etc.
What will the next 50 years hold. One for sure is the incredible, massive (and possibly negative) impact of AI - artificial intelligence, others are likely to be the widespread use of drones, driverless transport, everyday space travel for the masses and an expected average life span of 120!!
However I digress a little. What I really wanted to say is this :- in life we have to make choices - democratic choices - political choices. We have a vote - we are part of society and can help shape it. What decisions should we make. These decisions are hard. What is the right thing to do?
A simple philosophy - prompted by my little, innocent, vulnerable, trusting and optimistic little grandchildren. What I (we - society) should do is what is right for them - what is best for the next generation (or at worst has the least negative effect.) It is not original thinking - we really should strive to leave the world in a better place than when we came into it. I am suggesting a morale way to deal with these hard decisions is using the future as the benchmark - not only our own (often selfish or short term) needs. So for instance should we as a nation continue to ramp up debt as a legacy for our children and grandchildren to deal with - clearly not - it is for today's society to live within its means. That is without starting on energy issues, planning issues, ecological issues, food issues or population issues. Just a thought from an amateur philosopher - ha! It makes sense to me anyway!
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