The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

by Ray Kurzweil

Certain segments of the environmental movement have become fundamentalist Luddites—“fundamentalist” because of their misguided attempt to preserve things as they are (or were); “Luddite” because of the reflexive stance against technological solutions to outstanding problems. Ironically it is GMO plants—many of which are designed to resist insects and other forms of blight and thereby require greatly reduced levels of chemicals, if any—that offer the best hope for reversing environmental assault from chemicals such as pesticides. Actually my characterization of these groups as “fundamentalist Luddites” is redundant, because Ludditism is inherently fundamentalist. It reflects the idea that humanity will be better off without change, without progress. This brings us back to the idea of relinquishment, as the enthusiasm for relinquishing technology on a broad scale is coming from the same intellectual sources and activist groups that make up the Luddite segment of the environmental movement.