Carl Sagan: Revelations and prophecy.

[taniwha]

Quote

Astronomer Carl Sagan was a great science communicator, most widely known for the original "Cosmos" television series. He was also a prolific writer and in 1995 wrote the book "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" that touches on a variety of topics, from debunking hoaxes like alien abductions to spirituality, but ultimately serves as a passionate argument for science and the scientific method.

What's noteworthy is that a quote from the book has been picked up recently all over social media, based on its description of a future America that is eerily similar to its current state. 

http://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/a-prophetic-1995-quote-from-carl-sagan-perfectly-describes-america-of-today 

[taniwha]

If you have any thoughts on the current state of the world you are welcome to discuss. 

[Bella-Angelique]

Just now, taniwha said:

http://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/a-prophetic-1995-quote-from-carl-sagan-perfectly-describes-america-of-today 

Carl Sagan's world was for the most part US academia. For him to see "feelings" being considered of more value than facts as a coming trend, it signals to me that he saw it emerging within US academia. This would target academia as a major source of the problem. So looking at changes in US academia at that time I see all of these courses in study being added that are called studies in Identity Politics, women's studies, African American studies, LGBT studies, and on.

It is commonly known that two subjects that stir up people's emotions and lead to actions are religion and politics. For centuries religion was used in western civilization by those wanting to control power but in the past one hundred years that has switched and identity politics are now the main source of evoking desired results among the powerful. Since churches were no longer as useful, logic dictates that the wealthy and powerful would heavily invest in new institutions where manipulation and control could take place. As an academic, greater numbers of propagandists walking the halls of academia year after year would have to have been seen and noticed by Sagan.

[taniwha]

I guess science alone can't change prejudice, greed or tyranny.  Is it historically correct to suggest mankind is the problem not the answer?

The danger has always been, so it seems to me anyway, that knowledge is just as easily manipulated to power and control the masses as it is to apply it for humanitarian purposes.  

Where will the solutions to a happier healthier world come from?  Is it too late?  Should we abandon hope and allow the candle flame to wax out and just hold on for dear life?

If the world continues on it's current path, even a light house powered by scientific knowledge won't shine bright enough to prevent us wrecking once and for all onto the reef of despair. I really hope I'm wrong.

I think this is what Sagan worried about. 

For the sake of our futures and our kids, something miraculous needs be done, but what?