|
|
|
|
Eastern Europe, followed by China and then India have thrown themselves into the frantic search for profit with all the enthusiasm of the converted. But by the end of the 20th century a billion human beings have been driven off their land by competition from industrialized agriculture. Their children wander the streets, no longer able to return to the countryside to cultivate the land as the know-how of their ancestors has not been passed on. Nor can they integrate themselves into the modern technological society, as no schooling is provided for them. They are "urban savages", women and men brought up outside any culture, returning in a way to a natural state, forced to treat the town as a jungle and inventing new means of survival. By now, over half of humanity is urbanized. Insecurity permeates the heart of the megalopolis, whether Los Angeles or Mexico City, Bombay or Algiers. No longer is the world divided into rich and poor countries, now rich and poor coexist all over the planet within 100 metres of each other.
The dramatic and destructive events of the 2020s decade create fear amongst the ruling class. The market for bombproof devices, locks and video surveillance flourishes as never before. After a few years of repression and protection it becomes obvious that the tide of violence cannot be held back much longer. Its cause must be tackled and a new strategy adopted. The commitment to a liberal economy has turned out to be no more than a cover for mafias. Power has remained in the same hands but transfigured, now based upon a "drug-society". Various addictions and enslavements pervade daily activity and, added to pre-existing drugs, drag individuals into self-destructive behaviour against a background of despair.
Humanity's defences are too frail to resist this attack on its very will. The reaction to this threat is equal to the danger it poses. Laissez-faire liberalism is accused of being no more than a lack of concern. The tremendous resources of technology, in particular virtual reality universes, are placed at the service of "virtue". Former values are rejected and ambiguity has no further role to play in a crisis. The delicate political equilibrium and the tolerance of the past are considered decadent and more dangerous than brute force, which at least displayed its true nature.
Structuring both the mind and behaviour, the education society emerges as a reaction to the previous epoch, seen as too lax. It sets new norms, as schooling did in the nineteenth century under Gladstone, or Jules Ferry in France, or in Japan under the rule of Emperor Meiji, but with much more powerful means. Minds are shaped using mental training software. Conditioning tests are made compulsory and a prerequisite even for daily activities such as withdrawing money from a bank account.
Social control becomes highly regulated based upon an appropriate technology. Magnetic badges detectable by radar become widespread and the opening of doors of offices, shops and even public buildings is automated, dependent upon wearing the right badge.
Following on from this painful change in awareness of the ruling class, society organizes itself around a common global project : the domestication of humanity by itself. There seems little chance of mastering modern techniques with uncivilized humans biologically still at the level of primates. But as techniques for modifying the human genome to create individuals adapted to this new environment are not yet known, it is necessary to domesticate people. The malleability of human behaviour lends itself to this exercise and is a consequence of humanity's "neoteny", the delay in maturing which preserves the adaptability of the infant into adult life. Salesmen have in the past exploited this to develop customer loyalty and it must now be put to the service of a vigorous process of adaptation -education.
Major technical projects are set in motion. Initially marine cities are created to depopulate the overdeveloped coastal areas and to receive the uprooted masses, followed by large scale town development programmes. Insalubrious districts are knocked down. "Cities of education" are constructed in isolated areas with the aim of integrating the "human animal" into its scientific and technical environment.
Rural areas abandoned as a result of the migration to the cities are taken over by planning organizations who create a planetary programme of reforestation and restoration of a natural environment.
Driven by a spirit of conquest, agreement is reached on a vast project for life in outer space as the most extensive demonstration of the capabilities of humanity, now able to survive even the death of the sun. Artistic and sporting feats are also transplanted. On a slowly revolving, hollow planet, where gravity is ten times weaker than on earth, figure skating, ski jumping and hang-gliding become fabulous entertainments : media cathedrals dedicated to the glory of the human body.
But the world leaders also have an ulterior motive. If needed, the faraway and isolated towns, marine cities and even the artificial hollow planets would be very useful for ridding themselves of undesirables on earth. The colonization of the New World was swelled by dissident and criminals rejected by an older Europe. There may be many heroes among pioneers but there are also many desperadoes escaping from a hostile world.