For human history, there have been three industrial revolutions. The first occurred when we began using mechanical power rather than sheer human muscle. The second industrial revolution dawned with the rise of mass production. The hallmarks of this industrial shift were the assembly line and electrified power. The third industrial revolution is often referred to as either the computer revolution or the digital revolution. Its contributions were the advent of computers, as well as semiconductors and the Internet.

Paul - 'Barry, will you please sign this contract?'

Lately, I've been trying to understand and, on a basic level, unriddle why humans interpret global challenges and events so differently that reasoning as a sensible solution is no longer tenable. Why can a modern civilization be divided into groups so easily by their "leaders" that they would be ready to destroy each other just to have the last say?

I cannot TEACH you anything. I can only make you think. (I think it was Socrates who takes credit for that one - but he never existed either, but who cares?

For many citizens, the complete stories of religion, superstition, and conspiracy theories seem to be holding sway over the incomplete stories of science. Science stories will always be incomplete and often tediously complex. Our brains are much more predisposed to completed stories than we are to science. Conspiracy theories satisfy the demand for a complete story. We are born genetically biased away from science. Much of science is counter to our intuition. The world does look flat, and, the Sun definitely looks like it moves across the sky. Our intuition, emotions, and immediate senses often lead us to false conclusions. Our monkey survival brain is never far from our immediate reaction to a problem.

Science is neither good nor bad. However, the label good can be used when science is used well by leaders and market forces, and the label bad can be used when science is used poorly by leaders and market forces.

A person is not drawn to science out of a desire for certainty but more so because they can problem-solve regardless of uncertainty. We need more Thatchers and Merkels inside the ranks of world leaders. Thatcher made the right decision on the  Ozone layer because she understood the science behind the problem. Unfortunately, when she opposed coal miners, she opposed them for political rather than scientific reasons. Merkel has moved with the same scientific force on climate change that Thatcher moved on the Ozone layer problem.  It is a great pity that none of today's leaders can match these women for scientific expertise.

 We, unfortunately, have to accept that Thatcher and Merkel are even further removed from the thinking of the average citizen.

It is doubtful that Homo sapiens have the level of brain function needed to cope with the demands of the AI world of the 21st century.  The human brain is basically the same as it was 70,000 years ago. A belief in witchcraft has existed much longer than a belief in science. In the 1990s Carl Sagan warned us that the world was moving away from science and closer to the thinking of earlier centuries.

Who are the "witches" of the 21st century in this post-truth age of unreason? Bill Gates, Elon Musk, George Soros, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Klaus Schwab, etc., are the new witches and there are many millions who want to destroy them.  Are Gates et al evil or just a  natural product of our present economic and market system? There are convincing claims for the latter in this video by Nick Hanauer: The dirty secret of capitalism -- and a new way forward.

https://www.ted.com/talks/nick_hanauer_the_dirty_secret_of_capitalism_and_a_new_

Do you worry about the future? Do you agonize over how we can survive the upcoming changes in technology, business, government and society? Do you have a high tolerance for the jargon of the global elites? If so, read some books from Klaus Schwab.

I want to start this blog by asking you to watch this short video clip.

I accept as accurate that words have unrestricted power to sow the seeds of love and hate, give rise to fear and hope, generate controversy that leads to wars, and engender freedom on the demise of tyranny. Words are the backbones of integrity just as much as dishonesty. They represent you, the kind of person you are, throughout your life.

After World War II, a concrete barrier divided Germany into West and East Germany, signifying the beginning of the cold war. Countries east of the wall were under Communist control, with their selected leaders directly taking commands from the Soviet Union.

The writings on the wall have been plain to see shortly after WHO declared Covid-19 a pandemic in January 2020. People looked but didn't mind. Then, they were warned but refused to accept. The warning's still on the wall, but now I am the one incapable of grasping why history repeats itself.