THE HARD FACTS OF “SURVIVING PROGRESS”

THE HARD FACTS OF “SURVIVING PROGRESS”

An impressive string of world-class experts commenting on the economics, technology, environmental destruction and moral shortcomings of many nations is made visual with more than 86 minutes of striking cinematography portraying a dynamic span from metropolitan architecture to heartbreaking poverty.

American cities, it’s pretty clear, have not kept up with the creative architectural energy of cities in Asia and Brazil.

Much is made of the theory that human brains haven’t evolved a whit over the past 50,000 years, while technology (from digital to pharmaceutical) comes straight from the 21st century. We are, in effect, little more than chimpanzees ourselves playing with science no one truly understands.

One intriguing parallel is how ancient tribes who figured there would always be a fresh herd of animals to kill were no different from today’s bankers who always figure there will be a fresh windfall of cash to be made from some unfortunate country’s misfortunes.

So as the world’s wealth is accumulated in the top tier of civilization’s demographics, the bottom tiers become weak and wobbly. Economies collapse like a house of cards.

Given today’s financial chaos in the United States and Europe, it is easy to believe the dourest experts in “Surviving Progress.” There is plenty of blame to go around, for sure, with finger-pointing in all directions. What’s difficult is deciding on who is guilty and where is  the best solution.

Not to oversimplify, but this greed-based desire for continuous expansion in the name of progress does recall the story of the goose that laid the golden egg.

With the internet accelerating the spread of knowledge around the globe at warp speed, the world’s moneymakers cannot be patient enough to wait for that stupid goose to lay just one gold egg every day.

They want all the gold and they want it now.