Raising Human Beings in a Post-Human World

To raise humans in a post-human world challenges the resources of the wisest among us. The post-human world regards everything, including humans, as an experiment. The goal of the experiment usually finds its justification (pretense) in abstract language that stretches the reach of meaning beyond the breaking point. You’ll hear phrases like “living without limits,” “the children are our future,” or “global citizen.”

The second is too obvious to merit a response,which is why it produces the mild anger of cynicism. The first and last are not able to mean anything.

Rhetoricians hide their real intensions behind these phrases, which turns them into mere pretenses. They must be laughed out of the discussion.

The real goal of the experiment is much more precise. It is to gain power or, put another way, it is to avoid responsibility.

The trouble is that we become human by, as the slangsters say, “getting a life.” And a life is not got by being irresponsible, but by embracing our responsibilities. And that means making choices, accepting limits, and growing up.

To be human in this post-human world demands of us that we choose at least five priorities that are alien to our age:

1. We must choose form over experiment as the means to knowledge. In other words, we must conform to the Divine Pattern as revealed in law and nature, not experiment in order to live in a “world without limits.” God established bedtime, the liturgical year, the rising and the setting of sun, moon, stars, and planets, and the seasons. They are our guides to a wise and fulfilling life.
2. We must choose making over doing or processing
3. We must choose membership over data
4. We must choose virtue over production
5. We must choose to know relationally over knowing practically – i.e. we must choose love over power.

Because I have no hope that the present world can even comprehend much less act on these choices, I place my hope elsewhere.

Related articles

• Post Human Era: Music For The Singularity (singularityblog.singularitysymposium.com)
• Into Eternity – review (guardian.co.uk)