Carl Sagan's Prediction back in 1995

[DaShuckster]

I was blown away recently when I discovered what American astronomer, Dr. Carl Sagen of COSMOS fame (he was the 1970's version of Neil deGrasse Tyson) wrote back in 1995 (nine months before he died) about the future:

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.

The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance."

Seems to me, the good doctor nailed it.

 

[chemmie]

Shut your mouth. Did you see that new Housewives of New Jersey!!!??

 

[OLearyLastCall]

"enormously influential media"

Better to refer as the propaganda wing.

I think he was talking about the decades long attack on intellectualism. Wonder which group of folks have been doing that?

 

[DaShuckster]

I think he was talking about the decades long attack on intellectualism.

Attack on intellectualism??!? NO WAY! We've got more credulous YouTube presentations on pseudoscience than ever before!!!

 

[Knight In TN]

If you don't think the msm media is feeding propaganda daily then I can't help you.

The idea that billionaire owners of media giants wouldn’t ever try to use that media to protect or encourage their other investments is hilariously stupid.

 

[Crazyhole]

I was blown away recently when I discovered what American astronomer, Dr. Carl Sagen of COSMOS fame (he was the 1970's version of Neil deGrasse Tyson) wrote back in 1995 (nine months before he died) about the future:

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.

The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance."

Seems to me, the good doctor nailed it.

Pretty interesting watching it happen in real time.

 

[DaShuckster]

The idea that billionaire owners of media giants wouldn’t ever try to use that media to protect or encourage their other investments is hilariously stupid.

Sagan nailed that one too: "when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few"

 

[hemightbejeremy]

What year did idiocracy come out?

 

[NinjaKnight]

Remember guys, colleges and universities (you know the one place single handedly responsible for every single technological advancement in the last century) are nothing but liberal cesspools. Trust Tucker Carlson and fox news.

 

[Knight In TN]

Remember guys, colleges and universities (you know the one place single handedly responsible for every single technological advancement in the last century) are nothing but liberal cesspools. Trust Tucker Carlson and fox news.

Seriously?

Colleges and universities have “single handedly” advanced technology over the last century?

You are far dumber than I thought.

 

[Boosted87]

I was blown away recently when I discovered what American astronomer, Dr. Carl Sagen of COSMOS fame (he was the 1970's version of Neil deGrasse Tyson) wrote back in 1995 (nine months before he died) about the future:

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.

The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance."

Seems to me, the good doctor nailed it.

The quote is less impressive if you continue it just a little further...

As I write, the number one video cassette rental in America is the movie Dumb and Dumber. Beavis and Butthead remains popular (and influential) with young TV Viewers. The plain lesson is that study and learning - not just of science, but of anything - are avoidable, even undesirable.​

​

To me, that tilts it a bit toward a grumpy-old-man-that-doesn't-relate-to-kids-nowadays kind of vibe. I like Carl Sagan I just think that quote loses a bit of it's umph when it goes on to make fun of pop culture. It exchanges a little bit of it's wisdom for a little bit of old-man-yelling-at-clouds.

 

[DaShuckster]

The quote is less impressive if you continue it just a little further...

As I write, the number one video cassette rental in America is the movie Dumb and Dumber. Beavis and Butthead remains popular (and influential) with young TV Viewers. The plain lesson is that study and learning - not just of science, but of anything - are avoidable, even undesirable.​

​

To me, that tilts it a bit toward a grumpy-old-man-that-doesn't-relate-to-kids-nowadays kind of vibe. I like Carl Sagan I just think that quote loses a bit of it's umph when it goes on to make fun of pop culture. It exchanges a little bit of it's wisdom for a little bit of old-man-yelling-at-clouds.

I hadn't read the follow-up. I became aware of the Sagan's quote from a segment on Brian Williams' show this week.

While I agree that the examples he gives, pulls the passage back into the 1990s, it doesn't detract from the accuracy of his message. (FYI, The top video rental today is the dark Santa comedy, Fatman.)

 

[Crazyhole]

I hadn't read the follow-up. I became aware of the Sagan's quote from a segment on Brian Williams' show this week.

While I agree that the examples he gives, pulls the passage back into the 1990s, it doesn't detract from the accuracy of his message. (FYI, The top video rental today is the dark Santa comedy, Fatman.)

Brian Williams? This irony is thicker than butter.

 

[Knight In TN]

Brian Williams? This irony is thicker than butter.

Brian Williams wouldn’t even get suspended these days. That’s how far media has fallen in less than a decade.

 

[_glaciers]

I think he was talking about the decades long attack on intellectualism. Wonder which group of folks have been doing that?

the party that's banning books and censoring millions of people is very pro-intellectual, i'm sure your fellow baristas would agree.

 

[_glaciers]

The quote is less impressive if you continue it just a little further...

As I write, the number one video cassette rental in America is the movie Dumb and Dumber. Beavis and Butthead remains popular (and influential) with young TV Viewers. The plain lesson is that study and learning - not just of science, but of anything - are avoidable, even undesirable.​

​

To me, that tilts it a bit toward a grumpy-old-man-that-doesn't-relate-to-kids-nowadays kind of vibe. I like Carl Sagan I just think that quote loses a bit of it's umph when it goes on to make fun of pop culture. It exchanges a little bit of it's wisdom for a little bit of old-man-yelling-at-clouds.

while i kinda agree, replace "Dumb and Dumber" or "Beavis and Butthead" with "TikTok and Twitter" and its still poignant.