Towards a Disintegration

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Towards a disintegration ofTowards a disintegration of

the ideological, political,the ideological, political,economic bases of theeconomic bases of the

modern worldmodern world

Facts and EffectsFacts and Effects



Towards aFactsTowards aFacts

Post Post--industrialism: temporallyindustrialism: temporallyapproximately after WWII, only with theapproximately after WWII, only with the

countries of the First World;countries of the First World;

TheThird Wave: in Europe and Asia, orTheThird Wave: in Europe and Asia, or

Africa even these days, within global Africa even these days, within globalunification,unification,




The age we are living in is marked byThe age we are living in is marked by

contrasts and inconsistenciescontrasts and inconsistencies

interconnectedness of the processes of interconnectedness of the processes of transf ormation through whichtransf ormation through whichsocieties/peoples/populations go societies/peoples/populations go

(evolution? involution?)(evolution? involution?) the demise of industrialismthe demise of industrialism

the advent of a new civilizationthe advent of a new civilization




The negative feats of the present:The negative feats of the present: world terrorism,world terrorism,

threats of a new world war,threats of a new world war, financial instability,financial instability, instant bankruptcy,instant bankruptcy, electronic frauds,electronic frauds,

inflation,inflation, corruption,corruption, flawing values.flawing values.




Isolated changes tending t o globalization:Isolated changes tending t o globalization:

the slow disappearance of the nuclear family,the slow disappearance of the nuclear family,

the growing energy crisis,the growing energy crisis, the proliferation of religious sects,the proliferation of religious sects,

the colonization of the world by cable television,the colonization of the world by cable television,

the intensification of national/ethnic movements,the intensification of national/ethnic movements,

the controversial definition and assertion of the controversial definition and assertion of ones identity (hyphenated identities, multipleones identity (hyphenated identities, multiple--choice identities )choice identities )




Denominations of this stage of civilization:Denominations of this stage of civilization:

the Third Wavethe Third Wave (Alvin Toffler),(Alvin Toffler),

the technotronic agethe technotronic age (Zbigniew(ZbigniewBrzezinski),Brzezinski),

the postindustrial societythe postindustrial society (Daniel Bell),(Daniel Bell),

the end of hist orythe end of hist ory (Francis Fukuyama)).(Francis Fukuyama)).




Characteristics of this new stage:Characteristics of this new stage:

defiance of gains of the Industrialist Agedefiance of gains of the Industrialist Age

attack t o the principles of the Industrialist Ageattack t o the principles of the Industrialist Age --standardization,standardization,

centralization,centralization,

concentration,concentration,synchronization,synchronization,

bureaucracybureaucracy--type organizationtype organization




The Second Wave:The Second Wave:

division of human life int o two halvesdivision of human life int o two halves

production and consumptionproduction and consumption consequence sensed in peoplesconsequence sensed in peoplesbehaviours and attitudesbehaviours and attitudes

development of contractual relationshipsdevelopment of contractual relationshipsthat replaced the previous ones based onthat replaced the previous ones based onfriendship, kinship, loyalty.friendship, kinship, loyalty.




The peak of this civilization was reached after the nineThe peak of this civilization was reached after the ninestages in the Economic World Order (Jacques Attali,stages in the Economic World Order (Jacques Attali, UneUnebreve hist oire de lavenirbreve hist oire de lavenir, 2006):, 2006):

Bruges,Bruges, Venice, Venice,

Anvers, Anvers,

Genova.Genova.

Amsterdam, Amsterdam, London,London,

Bost on, New Y ork, Los Angeles,Bost on, New Y ork, Los Angeles,



Towards aFactsTowards aFactsThe industrialist phase:The industrialist phase: standardizationstandardization projectsprojects

in terms of in terms of

software and equipment in their economy,software and equipment in their economy,

time of operation,time of operation,

remuneration systems,remuneration systems,

schedules,schedules,

devised holidays/vacations,devised holidays/vacations,

assessment tests,assessment tests,

educational curricula in their social areas,educational curricula in their social areas,

unif ormity of workers/employees profilesunif ormity of workers/employees profiles




particular specializationparticular specialization and skillsand skillswhich required only one part of a personwhich required only one part of a person

not the whole,not the whole, granted an accelerated and increasedgranted an accelerated and increased

production of goods,production of goods,

based on the acquired abilities andbased on the acquired abilities andvelocity of the highly qualified work.velocity of the highly qualified work.




The Second Wave societies:The Second Wave societies:

synchronizedsynchronized entities,entities,

moving machinemoving machine--work like;work like;

punctuality and watches becamepunctuality and watches becamemandat orymandat ory

specialists in timespecialists in time--management weremanagement wererequested.requested.




The principle of The principle of concentrationconcentration:: of energy resources,of energy resources,

of raw materials,of raw materials, of population (urban areas),of population (urban areas), of work (huge fact ories),of work (huge fact ories), of homeless people, or mentally challenged, orof homeless people, or mentally challenged, or

delinquents (homes, prisons),delinquents (homes, prisons), of capital (trusts, corporations of cars,of capital (trusts, corporations of cars,

cigarettes, f oods etc.),cigarettes, f oods etc.), of education (state schools).of education (state schools).




The Second WavesThe Second Waves maximization:maximization:

symbol of growthsymbol of growth

progressprogress

development (skydevelopment (sky--scrapers, the largest scrapers, the largest constructions, the biggest companies, theconstructions, the biggest companies, the

most important institutions etc.)most important institutions etc.)




The Second WavesThe Second Waves centralization:centralization:

of power,of power,

of administration,of administration,

of economyof economy

of production,of production,

of financesof finances

the proliferation of bureaucracythe proliferation of bureaucracy



Towards aEffectsTowards aEffects

The Third Wave had t o faceThe Third Wave had t o face

the principles of the industrialist age,the principles of the industrialist age,

the power hierarchy shared by specialized elitesthe power hierarchy shared by specialized elites the unitary governing of sports, religion,the unitary governing of sports, religion,

education,education,

elitist management of decision making about elitist management of decision making about

prognosis and future development of a nationprognosis and future development of a nation involvement in ruling the t op (leaders,involvement in ruling the t op (leaders,

presidents).presidents).




Environmental issues:Environmental issues:

st op regarding nature as an object t o be exploited,st op regarding nature as an object t o be exploited,conquered, exhausted, eventually destroyedconquered, exhausted, eventually destroyed

avoid the incidence of pollution, def orestation, waste of avoid the incidence of pollution, def orestation, waste of resources,resources,

spare humankind of damages (eradicating inferior racesspare humankind of damages (eradicating inferior racesin the name of progress and civilization).in the name of progress and civilization).

supply countries with laws and regulations,supply countries with laws and regulations, encourage worldwide organizations and activistsencourage worldwide organizations and activists




Synchronization, standardization and timeSynchronization, standardization and timelinearity was t o be revaluated (roads,linearity was t o be revaluated (roads,

streets f or urban planning and developing,streets f or urban planning and developing,timetable, schedules f or trains or ships),timetable, schedules f or trains or ships),

Geometry should be negotiated in privateGeometry should be negotiated in private

lives (flats, rooms, furniture are designedlives (flats, rooms, furniture are designedwith right angles not curves).with right angles not curves).






New social participation brought f orth controversialNew social participation brought f orth controversialissues:issues:

sex,sex, gender,gender,

job hierarchy, job hierarchy,

class,class,

personal identity (desperation, group therapy,personal identity (desperation, group therapy,mysticism, eroticism get int o practice andmysticism, eroticism get int o practice andbecome visible).become visible).




The Third Wave: alternatives t o the oldThe Third Wave: alternatives t o the oldenergy resources (coal, petrol, gas):energy resources (coal, petrol, gas):

solar panels/batteries,solar panels/batteries, the rediscovery of the windmills,the rediscovery of the windmills,

the turn t o waste burning,the turn t o waste burning,

geothermal electric sources (the heat of geothermal electric sources (the heat of the earth),the earth),

hydrogen as fuel f or carshydrogen as fuel f or cars




computerization in fact ories and offices,computerization in fact ories and offices,

explosion in the field of electronicexplosion in the field of electronic

computer wise workcomputer wise work gradual conquest of the world bygradual conquest of the world by

computer programming and operation,computer programming and operation,

microchip generalized utilization (at home,microchip generalized utilization (at home,at work, in administration andat work, in administration andgovernance)governance)




computerized homecomputerized home--provided work (theprovided work (theelectronic house) as an alternative t o officeelectronic house) as an alternative t o officework,work,

longlong--distance study (the blackboard) as andistance study (the blackboard) as analternative t o students commuting and stayingalternative t o students commuting and stayingin college/university campuses,in college/university campuses,

dede--concentration of the activitiesconcentration of the activities

decentralization of work,decentralization of work,

more quality timemore quality time




The exploration of the extraterrestrial space:The exploration of the extraterrestrial space:

t o find alternatives exhausted resourcest o find alternatives exhausted resources

t o populate the space with satellites,t o populate the space with satellites,

t o provide a good network of inf ormationt o provide a good network of inf ormationand communication.and communication.




The exploration of the ocean:The exploration of the ocean:

the possibility of finding nourishingthe possibility of finding nourishing

resources (aquaculture),resources (aquaculture), searching f or petroleum,searching f or petroleum,

patenting other raw materials f orpatenting other raw materials f or

pharmaceuticals,pharmaceuticals, extending lands (floatingextending lands (floatingplatf orms/t owns).platf orms/t owns).




Genetic/bioGenetic/bio--engineering programmes:engineering programmes:

using solar energy through batteries,using solar energy through batteries,

using bacteria capable of turning light int o using bacteria capable of turning light int o electrochemical energy,electrochemical energy,

solving world problems as diseases,solving world problems as diseases,

hunger, by modifying plants or animalshunger, by modifying plants or animalsand products in general in the soand products in general in the so--calledcalled green revolution green revolution




Permanently monit oring by images in a continuousPermanently monit oring by images in a continuousflux of inf ormationflux of inf ormation

by the visualby the visual audial media of mass consumption byaudial media of mass consumption bydiversification (e.g. pilots, retired people,diversification (e.g. pilots, retired people,collect ors, rollercollect ors, roller--skaters etc.),skaters etc.),

turning cable TV int o an interactive means of turning cable TV int o an interactive means of inf ormation and entertaining f or theinf ormation and entertaining f or the

dede--massifying its role and effects.massifying its role and effects.




Some of these researches rival fantasy andSome of these researches rival fantasy andserved many writers as inspiration f orserved many writers as inspiration f or

books of anticipationbooks of anticipation

books of espionage,books of espionage,

Warning against the threat f or theWarning against the threat f or the

creat ors or consumers of high technology.creat ors or consumers of high technology.

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Towards a Disintegration