The Prime mover of Human progress – leave human alone

Shahab Sabahi

Energy and Environment for Development – Policy Analysis Research Group

We always come down by surprise and ask ourselves why did this happen? Why did that technology fail? Should it not be utilized? Why did that nuclear plant (Fukushima for instance) break down? They were supposed to generate CLEAN electricity and have done so far? Surely the technology had not been developed for any other purpose. In panic, we label that technology devil and keep saying something else happened than what was intended and campaigning for shutting down them.  However the joy and benefit from the technology is still fresh in memory of us.

All technologies have developed in almost same pattern. Human experience and knowledge has long been the engine of change. The fruit of human ingenuity curiosity and experience over the course of history is our today relatively better standard of life. However developments make some part of our life insecure, as climate change, resource depletion and human security can be considered as our key challenges

I do not intend to talk about the impact of development on or the importance of technologies in human life transformation. Rather I aim to point out the chief driver of human experience. I would to briefly discuss whether this driver depends really on conformity to one central vision, or it comes from trial and error attempts taken place in an open-ended society where creativity operating under predictable rules, generate progress in unpredictable ways

In “the future and its enemies” Virginia Postrel’s book, she draws a line between people, mislabelled “progressive” who desire social stasis, and those paradoxically named conservatives, who open the perpetual change of society by dynamism.

Dynamists focus on complex evolutionary processes as scientific inquiry, market competition, artistic development, and technological invention. This world view, as well as a penetrating analysis of how our beliefs about personal knowledge, nature, virtue, and even the relation between work and play shape the way we run our businesses, make public policy, and search for truth.

In contrast, so-called wrongly progressive, think of a central planner tries to anticipate moves in future. He tries to set up a plan for achieving a better outcome, as he thinks. Imagine his static vision and plan cannot fit in the reality of future. The central planner insists on prescribing outcomes in advance, circumventing the process of competition and experiment in favour of its own preconceptions and prejudices. It just wastes resources without hitting the desire outcome and even achieving any experience.

We should welcome patterns created by millions of uncoordinated and independent decisions within determined rules. It may look like a chaotic situation but we remember that chaos is not really disorder but rather is an order that is unpredictable and necessary for our survival. (I. Prigogine)

When I free myself…

Shahab Sabahi

Energy and Environment for Development – Policy Analysis Research Group

I cannot imagine my life as otherwise than it is. I have found resources of strength in myself which I believe would never have tapped if I would have been carrying on with my previous mindset.

 

There is a refreshing simplicity in grappling with realities rather than fighting in a fog, of being a perceptible fish in a small puddle rather than a rivet in a gigantic machine.

Societies may be rich with promises, sometimes forthcoming, sometimes with cost, always irreversible, and person can fall hard. I, by myself, promise nothing but accepting realities and keeping up hopes for achieving quality.

I may get little, but I always appreciate what I have. It will be mine. If I get nothing there is no place to fall so it helps creating power to catch up.

Inspired by “Ripples from Iceland” Amalia Lindaal’s book 1962 

Rotten Spirit of Individualism

Shahab Sabahi

Energy and Environment for Development - Policy Analysis Research Group

In 1865, a theory with its origin in Europe put in practice in North America. A radical, profound and calculated change took place in America. The change was to affect nearly every aspect of individuality for generations to come. It was a lesson-learned from the past, and ready to shape the future and the destiny of millions. The ideology was embraced since its birth. Both it targeted individual’s natural incentive while it could create collective incentive within the concept of progress by the means of joining the common liberal man together, for strengthening and moving forward toward collective progress. The force with such overwhelming strength would condition the minds of the people to accept and withstand the cry of torture, hunger, death, while tilting the scales of justice in favor of social injustice. This was a true force which would cause to alter the common man’s value system so as to conform to its purpose of a new ideology. It would create a new value and faith, undermined radicalism, fueled by greed, and chosen as an alternative to prevent revolution of the masses. It was a two-edged sword, one for powerful elite, and one for common man; one for the rich and one for the poor.

But now, it is a stranger to its founders and lost touch to its original principle. Bankers have taken over not only the wealth of nations also their minds’ assets.

Please, the spirit of Norseman and the great arctic breath, please, please puff fresh air again