Techno-optimism is an old, Disastrous Idea
with links to fascism
Techno-optimism is nothing new. It is related to futurism, a radical movement in the early twentieth century that embraced violent change and all means to achieve it, including destructive global war. This time is no different.
I wrote a Substack article yesterday about how modern social media amplifies the looming threat of psychosis. I discussed techno-psychosis and the distorted views of reality that promise an acceleration toward a utopian society of abundance.
A follower of my account on X, who is a pioneer tech developer and software programmer, reminded me of the Italian futurist movement at the beginning of the last century. The futurist movement used art to convey its dystopian messages and justify war, destruction, and domination. These days, cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence are used to spread similar messages about the acceleration of a society under the control and dominance of computers and intelligent machines. The problem is that a war of some kind is required for any global dominance. Has this war already started and in what form, or is it about to start?
Back in the early 1900s, a few European countries embraced the ideas of futurism. It is alarming that history is repeating itself: Europe and China have fully embraced central bank digital currencies and a transition to a digital life under the control of artificial intelligence. In the USA, people are more skeptical. The paradox here is that the technology was mostly developed in the USA way back. The users of the technology are more eager to employ it for a violent transition than its developers.
The futurist movement of the early 1900s convinced many people of the benefits of techno-transition and that even global war was justified to achieve it. This is the psychosis part I discussed in the Substack article I wrote yesterday. This psychosis is prevalent these days. The proof can be found on social media, with myriads of messages promising an acceleration towards the "land of plenty." In my humble opinion, this might be a new form of techno-fascism that embraces a violent transition of society toward some new "pure" form. Those who are not as "pure" as the transition requires may be purged. Does this sound familiar?
America and its Constitution are obstacles for neo-futurists to achieve their goals. The attacks on the Constitution are not random; they are an effort to remove the last obstacle toward a dystopian future society. They will not succeed because the Fathers of Democracy, the Constitution, and the Republic of the United States of America have already figured it out and preemptively canceled it.
Technology is extremely useful. It has improved the standard of living. However, it must be used to serve people and improve democracy and freedom, not restrain them or even cancel them.
I recommend reading this excellent article on the futurist movement of the early 1900s.