TERMINAL GENERATION

Modern industrial civilization has developed within a certain system of convenient myths. the driving force of modern industrial civilization has been individual material gain which is accepted as legitimate even praiseworthy on the grounds that private vices yield public benefit in the classic formulation.

Now it has long been understood very well that a society based on this principle will destroy itself in time. it can only persist with whatever injustice and suffering it entails as long as it is possible to pretend that the destructive forces that humans create are limited, that the world is a infinite resource and that the world is an infinite garbage can.

at this stage of history either one of two things is possible, either the general population will take control of its own destiny and will concern itself with community interests guided by values of solidarity, sympathy and concern for others or alternatively there will be no destiny for anyone to control.

As long as some specialized class is in a position of authority it is going to set policy for the special interest that it serves, but the conditions of survival, let alone justice require rational social planning in the interest of community as a whole, and by now that means the global community.

The question is whether privileged elites should dominate mass communication and should use this power as they tell us they must , namely to impose necessary illusions, to manipulate and deceive the stupid majority, and remove them from the public arena.

the question in brief is whether democracy and freedom are values to be preserved or threats to be avoided. in this possible terminal phase of human existence democracy and freedom are more than values to be treasured , they may well be essential to survival