The Plausibility Of Ecological Singularity
Excerpt from Chapter One: 1990's - 2007
The new multi-polar world with the USA having but losing its status as the lone superpower politically, while fighting a cultural war against itself to determine its future identity...
~UNKNOWN
Capitalism is effective as a manufactured system (Schema) due to its narrative that you either work for the system or steal resources to acquire basic needs, goods or services. Hence all competing systems must be absorbed for Capitalism to not only remain effective, but the only system on the planet. Mankind's innate insatiable need for stimuli, sensory data and maintenance of homeostasis capitulates to Post-Modern Capitalism's new trope, as a tyrannical king of all schema. Tapping into mankind's basic needs and exploiting them to self-perpetuate the system and those who endorse it.
Overconsumption and wasteful consumption are the hallmarks of excessive materialism. Hoekstra emphasised, It has led to an environment of overconsumption and waste, with damaging effects on the environment and future generations1. Only to be eclipsed by Capitalism's own solution to its own problems. For instance, electric cars not only strain energy grids, but the overpriced good itself perpetuates the Capitalistic ideal of having people spend more, work harder or devise more schemes to steal other people's money to purchase the car. If electric cars are the solution, why are prices so high? Making electric cars affordable is anti-capitalist. As earning the most money possible is only eclipsed once more, by obtaining a unique good or service only achievable by a certain group of people (elitist). This further divides society into those who are able to afford these cars and those who are not. It also reinforces the idea that a car is essential for success, despite the reality that cars are not necessary for everyone. Driving the feast or famine mentality, based on mankind's insatiable innate quest for new and exciting sensory data and stimuli (novel).
This pointless antidote can be detected by self-driving vehicles, as well as by the people who use it. This cycle of instant gratification, driven by our need for novelty, comes at the expense of our long-term health, and our environment. Our focus needs to shift from instant gratification, misuse of our innate foraging of novel stimuli, and towards more sustainable, long-term solutions. But can there be a more systematic schema driving this technological car-based revolution? Now that flying cars are achievable, the future need for on-the-ground vehicle driving looks to be regulated to AI or artificial intelligent programmed machines. Hence, increasing freedom to air-driven vehicles while reducing autonomy for those on-the-ground.
Once again, mankind's innate insatiable foraging for novel stimuli (sensory data) has become far removed from homeostasis, basic needs and the goods and services needed to acquire those. Driven by Capitalism's inflated quest, mankind is on the brink of unsustainable resource consumption and environmental degradation. This will eventually lead to the collapse of ecosystems and collapse of the global economic structure. The Quran emphasizes, "In the end, we shall reduce all that is on earth to a barren plain (Surah 18: Ayat 8).”
So the question is can this be averted, stopped or disengaged? The short answer is no. The Quran is clear that this is happening and inevitable. However, we can take steps to limit the effects of this collapse, such as reducing our resource consumption, recycling, and conserving energy. And our participation in its collapse.
Our lives can be more enjoyable before the real entropy arrives, rather than competing in a system that will inevitably crumble. Being grateful to the creator of the resources and for the time we have on the planet. This includes enjoying the natural resources that will someday disappear.
This is the essence of presence, consciousness and healthy novel sensory data engagement. We cannot fight how we are made, but we can prevent being held hostage to schemas that hijack our nature for short-term gains. To live a healthy and conscious life, we must recognize and challenge the outdated schemas that hold us back.
Hoekstra AY, Wiedmann TO. Humanity's unsustainable environmental footprint. Science. 2014 Jun 6;344(6188):1114-7. doi: 10.1126/science.1248365. PMID: 24904155.}