i mean old ppl always complain with each new technology that it's gonna lead to decadence. our ancestors would certainly find us decadent. compared to medieval peasants we're all lazy shits.
the open question is whether ppl are always gonna use technology which increases comfort to do more other new stuff or whether there is some point at which they would just stop wanting to achieve more because they're already comfortable and happy. so, in an ironic way we would reach decadence when we're all happy.
A certain amount of decadence is good, now and then. I don’t think most people would equate “happy” with “all needs fulfilled, nothing left to do”, though. (And actually doesn’t “decadence” usually imply, “all needs fulfilled, must find new things to do, ok let’s all eat larks’ tongues and invent some new sexual perversions”?)
>there’s a historical theory that societies with slaves stopped innovating.
Reminds me of Asimov’s Spacers falling into decadence.
i mean old ppl always complain with each new technology that it's gonna lead to decadence. our ancestors would certainly find us decadent. compared to medieval peasants we're all lazy shits.
the open question is whether ppl are always gonna use technology which increases comfort to do more other new stuff or whether there is some point at which they would just stop wanting to achieve more because they're already comfortable and happy. so, in an ironic way we would reach decadence when we're all happy.
A certain amount of decadence is good, now and then. I don’t think most people would equate “happy” with “all needs fulfilled, nothing left to do”, though. (And actually doesn’t “decadence” usually imply, “all needs fulfilled, must find new things to do, ok let’s all eat larks’ tongues and invent some new sexual perversions”?)