Technological development is accelerating to such an extent that human
beings could literally become obsolete by the middle of the century, surpassed by our own
inventions and their descendants, warns Australian social critic Richard
Eckersley.
If that doesn't worry you, try this: Population growth will stretch the
planet's resources beyond sustainability. Eckersley sees three potential responses: Humans
might simply give up trying to manage things and relapse toward greater political
disengagement; they may turn to religious and national fundamentalism as a backlash
against technological imperialism; or they may choose a more benign outcome, collaborating
to create a new, universal culture. (See "Doomsday Scenarios: How the World May Go On
Without Us," page 20.)
Rapid technological development may be most noticeable in the workplace,
which has been dramatically transformed, John Challenger notes. The power
of the personal computer, less than two decades old, has changed the economy, the
workplace, and all our lives in ways that were once unimaginable. (See "The
Transformed Workplace: How You Can Survive," page 24.)
The key to surviving the technology revolution may be to manage it: In
this issue, we see how courtrooms and public arts institutions are harnessing the
unlimited powers of technology to enhance justice and culture. (See "Trial Run for
Virtual Court" by criminal" justice professor Gene Stephens,
page 42, and "Coming Changes in Public Art" by museum consultant Terry
Ray Hiller, page 46.)
