The Danger of a Technocratic Society
As I was reading the Vision Book, the alternate history, how the Enshigi ruled with science as they advanced it, while attempting to repress the emotional side of humanity, it showed a definitive dangerous downside of a society that may want to eliminate irrationality through the enforcement of science, empiricism, logic, materialism and the simultaneous eradication of emotion, expecting it would leave no room for errors in judgement or weakness. Ironically, that was the mistake itself.
I'm an atheist and also an anti-theist. Heavily critical of organized religion(s), depending on what extreme behavior their adherents and zealots may display. But, I'm not against spirituality, which is different. And even non-religious people can be very well be spiritual.
So my initial reaction to the Enshigi's power-grab was positive, for about a whole paragraph, where it went south. They were going too far to elevate a science-oriented society. While not exactly an officially researched prediction of sociopolitics, the alternate history of the game's universe, can already serve as a compelling cautionary tale about the pitfalls of even well-intentioned exercises of governing power. Putting ourselves in the shoes of a citizen from that fictional era, post war, how could anyone possibly see any folly in trying to build a society driven only by cold, hard science and reason? The promise and subsequent onset of such a golden age only further lowers people's guard, who are living under that seemingly benign rule, both them and those who govern unable to see its course. Or perhaps in the case of the government, they care not for what humanity has to sacrifice and those below them will not remain blind to their intent forever. And so it was the case, here.
Though this tendency towards a dystopia, rather than a promised utopia, is not unique, as many science-fiction novels also envision the same thing, it still makes for a solid foundation upon which the rest of that world's history and lore may stand on. It reminds me of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. It ought to be a utopia, but upon a closer look, it is the opposite and the large majority of the people living in it are unaware. Well, there's Soma involved, too. But, it is a form of manipulation and social engineering, through the consumption of chemicals that are critical to the stability of that society...and to its stifling stagnation.
As I was reading the Vision Book, the alternate history, how the Enshigi ruled with science as they advanced it, while attempting to repress the emotional side of humanity, it showed a definitive dangerous downside of a society that may want to eliminate irrationality through the enforcement of science, empiricism, logic, materialism and the simultaneous eradication of emotion, expecting it would leave no room for errors in judgement or weakness. Ironically, that was the mistake itself.
I'm an atheist and also an anti-theist. Heavily critical of organized religion(s), depending on what extreme behavior their adherents and zealots may display. But, I'm not against spirituality, which is different. And even non-religious people can be very well be spiritual.
So my initial reaction to the Enshigi's power-grab was positive, for about a whole paragraph, where it went south. They were going too far to elevate a science-oriented society. While not exactly an officially researched prediction of sociopolitics, the alternate history of the game's universe, can already serve as a compelling cautionary tale about the pitfalls of even well-intentioned exercises of governing power. Putting ourselves in the shoes of a citizen from that fictional era, post war, how could anyone possibly see any folly in trying to build a society driven only by cold, hard science and reason? The promise and subsequent onset of such a golden age only further lowers people's guard, who are living under that seemingly benign rule, both them and those who govern unable to see its course. Or perhaps in the case of the government, they care not for what humanity has to sacrifice and those below them will not remain blind to their intent forever. And so it was the case, here.
Though this tendency towards a dystopia, rather than a promised utopia, is not unique, as many science-fiction novels also envision the same thing, it still makes for a solid foundation upon which the rest of that world's history and lore may stand on. It reminds me of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. It ought to be a utopia, but upon a closer look, it is the opposite and the large majority of the people living in it are unaware. Well, there's Soma involved, too. But, it is a form of manipulation and social engineering, through the consumption of chemicals that are critical to the stability of that society...and to its stifling stagnation.
