My trade, the programmer and sysadmin and skillful manipulator of information systems, is on its way to become the inner party or priest caste of a new world order over the next few dozen years. The new blood is being systematically dumbed down by introducing them to computing via impoverished interfaces not much more powerful and challenging than a TV remote. Maybe we'll realize in a few years, but a whole generation will still be lost. First World governments of nominally free and democratic countries are slowly waking up to all the possible oppressive uses of technology. They will need the priest caste's assistance and there will be a curious age gap in that caste where impressionable young soldiers should be. I fear that I'm going to end up in the inner party, but not agreeing with the official party line. If I play my cards right I'm going to be in a position of power, yes, but to rule over a heap of ash and lost potential. And I will have nowhere to emigrate, because the domination will be global. published: Sep 17 2014. epistemic status: prediction.

[up]