DM> It was a nice top off as I had seen the movie "Titanic" on the large
 DM> screen earlier in the day .....and it was one of the most powerful media
 DM> experiences I've ever had .......a closest to being there. I believe we
 DM> are not far from epic synthesized realities (not "quite" holodeck
 DM> ......yet! .
   This continued popularity of the Titanic story which has netted so many
book and movie dollars is, I find, quite interesting.  Hardly ever mentioned
any longer is the fact which was foremost in the minds of people regarding 
he
Titanic tragedy when I was a child - that sending an ocean liner on a voyage
without sufficient lifeboats was a consciously foolish act of supreme hubris.
Probably more than any other incident it typifies the extent to which (I 
on't
use the word ideology because some appear to resist its harmful effects) the
popular mind had been brought to trust modernity.  Surely, they said, all of
these peace conferences will "end war as we knew it."  Actually, Argentina 
nd
Chile DID sign a treaty of "perpetual peace" in 1903 and thanks to the
existence of the Andes (where they celebrated the event by setting up a 
tatue
of "Christ") it has held to this day.  Just as the escalation of the
Austro-Serbian War into World War I with ALL of the diplomats struggling
hourly to prevent that from happening was unbelievable at the time so it
appeared to be perfectly normal to send a ship out on the ocean laden with
human cargo without enough lifeboats.  It was pronounced "unsinkable."  Why
not?   For those who have read the details it is patent that there were other
grave shortcomings in the handling of the event itself but the initial hubris
still amazes ME even if no one else cares much about it. 
   Has our naivete decreased?  I don't really know.  What has actually
happened in this century SHOULD make a lasting impression on humanity but I
think it would be to bold and unwarranted to assert that it has.  
hilosophers
don't and SHOULDN'T have the power to guarantee some program to advance
humanity other than favoring education and openness in general and even THAT
is a tall order.
Sincerely, 
                                     Frank
                                                                              
                                                       
--- PPoint 2.05
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