Whether with nature or technology, humans succumb to a sacral awe of the powers which govern their destiny and rob them of their freedom and capacity for critical reflection. This awe turns them into slaves sacrificing and serving their new idols. A society of techniques undermines human freedom by requiring that we always choose the most rationally efficient techniques for every endeavor. No business or society can afford to choose a less efficient solution for fear of being rendered obsolete by their competitors. Even as once political ritual, in ancient Rome and elsewhere, mediated the divine favors granted by nature’s deities, so today, says Ellul, politics serves the technical myth of utopia by providing the collection of rituals that create the illusion of control over the favors granted by technique. And yet we discover that contemporary political rituals involve holding hearings from technical experts who can advise politicians on the most efficient techniques which can be used to solve our problems. Technical necessity continues to reign while utopian fantasy, Ellul argues, “is a consolation in the face of slavery, and an escape from something one is unable to prevent. . . . Whenever men have taken utopian descriptions seriously, the result has been disastrous” (“Search for an Image,” in Images of the Future, ed., Robert Bundy (Buffalo N.Y: Prometheus Books, 1976) pp. 24-25.”
Yes indeed thanks. Utopia has everywhere turned the utopias into hells which collapsed from the weight of their own egotistical foundations of sand. Humans are not utopians - they are just human.
We live in a fully integrated neighborhood. My youngsters went to school with and befriended black American children. Our neighbors were diverse including black Americans. There were simply no indigenous peoples because all of us live on the northeast coast. Diverse people came to our house for dinner and we went to their houses. These were black Americans and Italians. Irish and whoever lived in the neighborhood. It's not that we were so great it's simply the way things were. So much for your claims about apartheid in America.
Beautiful KWN - thank you for exposing the truth. I am away to Simons Town, SA on December 2 and will follow you there: https://austrianpeter.substack.com/p/notice-to-readers-sunni-and-shia?r=hkcp6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
The Global South is safer I believe - may my angels walk with me.
God speed. Thank you so much for your support and comments.
Many thanks KWN - I shall report from SA in 2024
Blessings
AP
Whether with nature or technology, humans succumb to a sacral awe of the powers which govern their destiny and rob them of their freedom and capacity for critical reflection. This awe turns them into slaves sacrificing and serving their new idols. A society of techniques undermines human freedom by requiring that we always choose the most rationally efficient techniques for every endeavor. No business or society can afford to choose a less efficient solution for fear of being rendered obsolete by their competitors. Even as once political ritual, in ancient Rome and elsewhere, mediated the divine favors granted by nature’s deities, so today, says Ellul, politics serves the technical myth of utopia by providing the collection of rituals that create the illusion of control over the favors granted by technique. And yet we discover that contemporary political rituals involve holding hearings from technical experts who can advise politicians on the most efficient techniques which can be used to solve our problems. Technical necessity continues to reign while utopian fantasy, Ellul argues, “is a consolation in the face of slavery, and an escape from something one is unable to prevent. . . . Whenever men have taken utopian descriptions seriously, the result has been disastrous” (“Search for an Image,” in Images of the Future, ed., Robert Bundy (Buffalo N.Y: Prometheus Books, 1976) pp. 24-25.”
Yes indeed thanks. Utopia has everywhere turned the utopias into hells which collapsed from the weight of their own egotistical foundations of sand. Humans are not utopians - they are just human.
We live in a fully integrated neighborhood. My youngsters went to school with and befriended black American children. Our neighbors were diverse including black Americans. There were simply no indigenous peoples because all of us live on the northeast coast. Diverse people came to our house for dinner and we went to their houses. These were black Americans and Italians. Irish and whoever lived in the neighborhood. It's not that we were so great it's simply the way things were. So much for your claims about apartheid in America.
My post has nothing at all to do with what you are describing. Our ignorance about our history is vast.
"But the danger in being able to do that is that we divorce ourselves from ourselves."
"A spiritual war means exactly that."
"We cannot know all of God’s plans for us - but we can pay attention when God is speaking with clear warning."
Thank you for that.
Thank you for your support and great comment.
Everyone does not know what I speak about in this post. What you comment on here has nothing to do with what is being discussed.