South Park is a cartoon known for its satire and its ability to push current events to the limit. On episode, "Go God Go", it looks into the future and what it may become. I can't post the video since South Park is copyrighted but there is a link below to a clip of the episode (you can watch the whole thing but some parts are vulgar for TMC standards). Basically Cartman freezes himself because he can't wait any longer for the Nintendo Wii to come out. In doing so he is sent into the future where everyone on earth is Atheist and rely solely on science and rationality. With no religion and maximum technology, there is nothing left for people to argue about except what to call their atheist divisions. This almost seems like a plausible thing way way way into the future when technology is our only way of life. Whether there is a higher being or not, there is no way to prove or disprove it, making this episode seem very plausible (not to the extent of otters talking but the fact that everyone on earth will be atheist one far off day).
http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/155423/atheist-war
4 comments:
Technology may be one of the fastest growing fields, and I do realize that technology is not questioned as much as religion, however I do not believe technology will ever surpass religion. Religion will always be questioned due to the fact that everyone wants God to support their "way of life"; technology will not be questioned because it is not so much a way of life, but a means of simplifying life. I believe there is a chance that technology may overcome religion, but if that day ever comes, it will be a world filled with chaos. Without religion, there is very little reason to "do the right thing".
I'm curious as to why you're associating ethics exclusively with the realm of religious activity, Bruce. People have supported ethics has being derived from other areas - genetics being one - and that it may not even be exclusive to humanity but instead an evolutionary trait that allowed us to develop to what we are today.
Also, is it not problematic to also believe technology not to be questioned? Part of our discussion should be that you cannot merely observe the concept of technology as some intermediary that does not warrant attention. The prologue to the class's text states the following: "...technology is widely depicted as an uproblematically beneficial force for human progress." (3)
I take the line to mean that the idea of technology simply being a passive product of humanity that simply alters what humans use, rather than what they have, is a mistake in Western thought that has been too-long perpetuated.
And finally, there do exist religions of technology. The Technocracy Movement in Depression-era America comes to mind.
And to discuss the South Park episode, I thought it was hilarious that the most elaborate technology could not function to interact with some of the most archaic forms. I know I don't have anything readily available to play cassette tapes in my room, and I'm sure others share a similar fate.
I simply must ask here, why is this necessarily a bad thing? Religion's ethical code derives itself from human experience. Therefor, if we assume technology is unable to fundamentally change what it means to be human, we can rest assured that a similar moral code will still be present. I cease to see why it is a concern of technology that it competes with religion over ethics and morality. History has shown throughout the ages that when a better ethical idea emerges it is adopted, thus the indirect evolution for Ba'al, to Zeus, to God. Each time a superior ethical code emerges, it is chosen. I am by no stretch of the imagination suggesting that technology is a superior ethical philosophy than Catholic philosophy. I am simply entertaining the idea that it has the right to compete it's ideas, and the masses may be allowed to choose their moral future.
I would not consider the creation of an atheistic culture to be either an unexpected event or similar to that described in the episode. As South Park is a comedy, it intentionally uses stereotypes, in this case that atheists are angry people who argue with the religious, and would turn on each other without them.
Furthermore, with the progression of scientific advancement though history, the importance and emphasis of religion has declined. From the beginnings of recorded history to the medieval era and even bordering the modern era, it was often considered a crime to deviate from religious tenants. There is no reason that this trend in freedom of belief will falter; if anything it can only grow. The creation of an atheistic society is to be expected as people are allowed to come to their own conclusions. However, the stereotype being displayed is that people are atheists because of their temperament instead of their beliefs. Thus, this society would not at all argue about or even care about such matters as divinity.
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