For a species as complex as ours, evolution should take about a million years. But in just the past 200 years we’ve hacked the process so that even the slowest and stupidest among us can move faster than a cheetah, fly higher than an eagle, and perform miracles of science that would have dazzled Einstein. But instead of elevating humanity to unparalleled enlightenment, technology has given us a sense of unparalleled entitlement. We act as though each new gain in comfort, convenience, and security not only makes our lives better—but also makes us better. It is a dangerous delusion. Based on a combination of research and personal experience—including resuscitating a vintage rotary phone, flying around the world on the Concorde, and fishing in a stream of industrial waste called Stink Run—author Rob Sneddon builds a case that “progress” is a runaway train and the engineer is too busy texting to notice.
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