Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!cornell!batcomputer!pyramid!hplabs!hplabsz!taylor
From: glg@sfsup.UUCP (Gerry Gleason)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: Why can't WE change society?
Message-ID: <1213@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM>
Date: 14 Dec 87 19:02:31 GMT
Sender: taylor@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM
Organization: AT&T Information Systems
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Approved: taylor@hplabs

With regard to Eric Drexler and _Engines_of_Creation_, I don't agree with 
everything he writes either, but I do recommend reading his book.  It 
probably seems that his claims are more extreme in shorter articles, 
etc.  In the book he does outline some possibilities that are pretty 
outlandish, but he backs them up with clear arguments, and often softens 
some of them by pointing out the uncertainties involved.  Even if you 
do not agree, it is worth reading.

As far as `computer phobia', yes, some will continue to fear them, but 
they grow old and eventually die.  The next generation whose parents 
grew up with computers will not even remember that they were once so 
feared by so many.  Quickly, well maybe not that quickly, but what is a 
few generations relative to history or a possibly open future?

Finally, I may be overinflating the importance of Hypertext (etc), but this 
is only transitory.  We need to design future systems today.  You point out 
yourself that change is accelerating.  We cannot wait until the systems 
arrive before begining to consider their impact, and taking steps to 
direct technology in a direction that serves us rather than allowing it 
to pull us down a path we have no control over.

Gerry Gleason