The Age Of Regress

Initiated by:
• Ceit

Details

Here are the videos and discussion questions for this hangout: Sound familiar? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQvDRlKpek0 A well-known comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZpO9t-33AA Also sound familiar? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Q4zPR4G7M A try at optimism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCm9Ng0bbEQ&t=92s Hooray today! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdzNKQwkp-Y Where can we go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l04wjIyYGp0 Where are we going https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqelUO9LhT0 Moving forward/backward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEXXJjtUIyQ What we thought was gone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ufWhpOyJ98 A little reading on moving backwards https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/04/child-labor-tycoons-19th-century-gilded-age.html 1. Do you think history has a trajectory, or is it merely a series of random ups and downs? 2. What do you define as progress? 3. How does progress happen? How much human intervention is necessary? 4. Are longtermerists being irresponsible when they encourage us to ignore current problems, or at least not worry much about them, or are those who focus on solving problems as fast as possible not seeing the forest for the trees? 5. What are the most important social advances of the last 100 years? The most important technical ones? Are they connected in any way? Have the consequences been worth it in your opinion? 6. What advances are most in danger of being reversed? How can we protect them? 7. What kind of progress do you most want to see in the future? Do you think it is achievable? Please remember to watch at least a few videos before you arrive since we’ll be discussing them when we begin. Once the hangout begins, everyone will introduce each other and then take turns asking the provided questions in order to keep the discussion on topic. Hangouts typically last 90 minutes, and once the hangout is over you will have the opportunity to add people to your buddytree to organize private hangouts and develop friendships. As always, these hangouts provide the opportunity for a thoughtful, respectful and engaging discussion in a safe space where disrespectful behaviour is not tolerated.