Chapter 35, Thoughts on the Future (Part 2)
Anyone who has read the original work of "Overlord" will find something a little strange. That is Ainz, the Lich King, who is the protagonist, or Suzuki Satoru, a Japanese office worker in 2138. After arriving in another world, although he worked hard to collect information and wanted to find out whether a companion had come to this world, he From beginning to end, I never thought about how to return to the original world.
Because, in his future world of 2138, the living environment of ordinary people is really pathetic.
——In that world, when the wheel of history rolled to 2138, the world's surface environment had been completely polluted, the sky was always shrouded in black haze, and the sun was rarely visible. Because the fog contains highly toxic substances, ordinary humans need gas masks when going out for a walk. Plants that are supposed to purify the air have also withered in large numbers due to lack of sunlight, thus further increasing the rate of air pollution. The number of birds and insects that feed on plants and fruits has also dropped sharply, and the entire ecosystem has collapsed.
Then, in addition to air pollution, water pollution is also quite serious. All rivers in Japan have become dirty, and pure drinking water has become an expensive necessity. All traditional farming methods that rely on sunlight and rain are no longer sustainable. Usable crops must be grown indoors without soil, and prices have become extremely high. Fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, and aquatic products have become the exclusive preserve of the rich. Ordinary people can only survive by eating unpalatable synthetic foods, or even more miserable, eating contaminated crops in the wild, and then dying of various strange diseases.
In such a world, it is a luxury for the poor to take a look at the beautiful natural scenery and breathe a breath of pure fresh air. No wonder the protagonist is so excited when he sees the pure starry sky in another world and feels the evening breeze on the grassland.
However, compared with the pollution and destruction of the natural environment, the darkness and decadence within human society are even more depressing.
——When Marx was still alive, he predicted that the barriers between countries, ethnic groups, races, religions and languages would be broken down and “the proletarians of the world would unite.” During the world revolution of the following century, this slogan was also adopted. Mentioned repeatedly. But in the future world of Lich King Ainz, the barriers between countries, ethnic groups, races, religions and languages have indeed been broken down, but the result is not that "the proletarians of the world unite" to eliminate exploitation and develop productive forces. Instead, "the world's bourgeoisie unites", closely unites and cooperates, and joins forces to squeeze the world's proletariat.
In that world, large conglomerates broke free from the shackles of the government in an incredible way, that is, through international cooperation, they joined forces to eliminate all governments and patriots around the world. The final result was that the country's regular army was deposed and the fiscal and taxation departments were completely destroyed. It's over. The governments of various countries still exist in theory, but they have no troops and no wealth. In fact, they have become a group of watchdogs, even decorations, maintained by the global plutocratic groups. The transnational consortium alliance has successfully controlled the judicial, legislative, and administrative powers of all countries, and has become the de facto ruler of the entire world.
The various welfare systems originally guaranteed by the modern state system also collapsed. Pensions, medical insurance, labor insurance, compulsory education and minimum wages were all gone. The living standards of the working people fell directly to the nightmare of the early industrial revolution. Era.
Of course, wherever there is oppression, there will be resistance. This law will also hold true in the future world. But in the face of the possible resistance of the people at the bottom, the plutocratic groups that rule the world also have a desperate plan to draw out the bottom line, which is to severely restrict education and keep the poor in a state of ignorance. They can only survive in confusion, unable to think about how to resist, let alone think of resistance. Ways: In the 19th century, riots by a group of illiterate workers or farmers resisting taxes could still cause great losses. But in that era of unmanned war machines, capitalists, who were not bound by any legal or moral concepts, could easily use armed drones to massacre the strikers and protesters, and then recruit a new group of people from the slums. Cheap labor comes in.
In fact, due to the popularization of automated production and artificial intelligence, the capitalists of that era did not need much labor at all, and they wished that the poor would die more. Anyway, robots can replace their positions, and they will work hard without complaining, and will never make conditions or rebel.
Even in the twentieth century, the people of the vast colonies in Asia, Africa and Latin America won the opportunity for independence and freedom only because Europeans killed each other and suffered excessive internal strife during the two world wars. If they were facing a completely unified European and American Atlantic United Empire, without division and internal strife, and without the ebb and flow caused by world wars, then the independence and freedom movements of other nations would have such a hopeless future!
Then, in order to prevent the poor from mastering knowledge and having no books to read, the fewer schools the better. Not only was compulsory education abolished, but even the tuition fees for primary education were set extremely high. As for various private schools and training courses, they are the targets of severe crackdowns and bans. Secretly learning knowledge is a felony that can lead to imprisonment. Scholarships and student loans are even more unthinkable. Since everything is only about money and family status, test scores have become meaningless. When college students receive higher education, it has become something akin to an aristocratic privilege. The level of education popularization in Japan has regressed back to the Edo period, and is further deteriorating to the Heian period. It is already difficult for ordinary people to go to primary school, and more people are simply illiterate.
The Lich King Ainz, who only has an elementary school education, or Suzuki Satoru, an office worker, doesn't look stupid, and his knowledge isn't bad, because he has been practicing in society for so many years, and there is another one in the game guild who is better than him. The player is a university professor and has learned something.
In short, the future Earth in 2138 described in "Overlord" is a sad era in which the natural environment has been severely damaged and social classes have been completely solidified. The rich and powerful live in intoxication, while the common people at the bottom have no way to rise, and it is even difficult to obtain knowledge.
Because knowledge is monopolized in the hands of a very small number of people, further R&D and innovation in science and technology are out of the question. As a result, the development of science and technology has basically stagnated, or even retreated instead of advancing. The entire human civilization seems to be in a state of twilight and is in the twilight of decline. among.
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
Such a "dystopian" cruel future world scene naturally shocks everyone and makes it difficult for everyone to accept. In Professor Guo's eyes, this kind of future world in which "consortia are silencing the government", "the country is nihilized" and "the world's bourgeoisie unites" is even more disappointing than the "radiated wasteland" after a nuclear war. He was terrified!
Because, although the probability of realization is not very high, such a future world ruled by plutocrats is really possible!
In the era of imperialism in the late 19th century and until the Cold War, human society was highly hierarchical and money-oriented, but it was still able to continuously achieve institutional and technological progress by relying on brutal competition among countries. For example, if Britain achieves the Industrial Revolution, the ruling classes of other European powers must follow suit as soon as possible, otherwise Britain will be defeated and destroyed. If Germany implements compulsory education for all, other countries must follow suit, because an illiterate army cannot defeat a new and knowledgeable national army. The Soviet Union sent satellites and astronauts into space, and the United States had to respond to the challenge and participate in the space race, otherwise it would risk losing world hegemony... However, if the world is unified by a certain bourgeois group, then there will still be international Competition? Will there still be pressure to promote social and technological progress?
In fact, when the world's large transnational conglomerates achieve unified cooperation, their next priority will definitely not be to develop social productivity, but to permanently confine their thoughts and solidify their dominance. In this way, there is no need for such things as "country" and "nation" to exist. Naturally, the country's regular army that can threaten the survival of the consortium must be banned and replaced by the consortium's thugs and mercenaries. The government can no longer collect any taxes and instead relies on rewards from the consortium to survive, so that the head of the government can fully understand his miserable status as nothing more than a dog.
Since the law is set by large companies, there is no need for labor insurance benefits and so on. There is no need to use the pretense of equality for everyone. It is directly stipulated that illegal privileges are based on the amount of personal property. There is no need to sign labor contracts. Big companies Whether you pay employees or not depends on your mood. There is no need to use the fig leaf of liberal democracy anymore, because the competition between countries no longer exists, and the government can just continue to work for the plutocrats without thinking about human rights and welfare. In order to prevent social changes, there is no need to advance in science and technology. Even the existing technology must be in the form of secrets, which can only be mastered by a select group of close friends. It is a crime for ordinary people to dare to learn secretly!
Due to technological regression and environmental pollution, energy is insufficient and the land cannot feed more people. The solution of the chaebols is not to develop productivity, but to let some people die. As long as they can't find a job or have food to eat, starvation and disease will soon break out, thus wiping out the excess population. If you really don't want to die, you can also steal, rob, burn or kill, but you can only kill other people and don't offend the rich cities where the gentlemen live. If someone really starts a revolutionary riot, then it doesn't matter. The advancement of science and technology has made it increasingly difficult for the poor to resist. As long as a small number of mercenaries, armed drones and combat robots are dispatched to carry out a bloody massacre, no problem will be solved. Solved.
In short, in that dystopian future, the barriers between countries, nations, races, languages, and religions have indeed been eliminated, but in the form that Marxists least want to see - it turns out that civilization can not only evolve, It can also degrade. The entire human society is left with only the contradiction between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, while the bourgeoisie relies on hereditary monopoly on knowledge and education and is always above the slave-like ignorant masses.
In this way, the proletariat and the bourgeoisie were completely divided into two groups not only in terms of wealth but also in blood. The bourgeoisie is born noble. The son of a rich man will always be a rich man, and the son of a white-collar worker will always be a white-collar worker. The son of a worker may not be a worker, but may become a beggar. Only the descendants of the powerful can receive formal education, and then they arrogantly despise the stupid untouchables and try their best to block knowledge and keep them ignorant forever.
"...In the science fiction works I have read, there are countless tragic and cruel futures, such as nuclear wastelands, zombie apocalypse, alien invasions, and robot riots. But I only regard them as attractions. The eye-catching background passed by in awe, but the future world of 2138 described in "Overlord" made my hair stand on end."
As a veteran Marxist, Political Commissar Guo sighed melancholy while smoking a cigarette, "...because our world is really trending in that direction. For example, the TPP agreement led by the United States is an attempt to International agreements override sovereign states, deprive states of their judicial and legislative powers, and establish a supranational system that overwhelms the government. The anti-intellectualism trend in the United States and the United Kingdom in recent years, as well as the sheep-herding public education, have produced a bunch of middle school students and college students who can't even do multiplication. It seems that they are deliberately trying to keep the people stupid. We are still being deceived into learning these bad experiences from the West, and we are talking all day long about reducing the burden on students. I really don’t know how it will be reduced in the end...
Alas, the face of the ruling class in capitalist countries has not changed since ancient times. If possible, of course, we hope to implement a policy of obscuring the people to keep the people stupid so that they can be slaughtered. The previous popularization of education in modern times was nothing more than a last resort due to the life-and-death competition among the imperialist powers. When the Cold War ended and external pressure eased, they would immediately return to their old ways. Without pressure, there would be no motivation! All anti-intellectualism and happy education are here, as long as private schools still maintain cramming education.
As a result, children from rich families and children from poor families have a huge difference in the starting line of receiving education... Today's public education in the United States only prevents those students from writing a fluent article. , just can't do a slightly complicated arithmetic problem. If this trend of anti-intellectual degeneration continues, by the year 2138, the global capitalist society will be in a situation where ordinary people are generally illiterate, primary school students have become high-level intellectuals, and universities have become the exclusive preserve of the rich and powerful. …”
"...I think...things shouldn't develop to this point, right?" Wang Qiu thought for a while and said, "...I remember you once said in class before that no matter what the system and culture are, what determines an industrialized society The future is ultimately about people, or the industrialized population, whether in Europe, the United States, the Soviet Union, China, Japan, or any industrial society. In society, the size of the industrial population not only directly determines the scale of the industrial economy, but is also closely related to the complexity, or advanced level, of the industrial system. The development trend of modern industry is that the division of labor is becoming more and more detailed, and the products are becoming more and more complex, with basic accessories. More and more. Even the birth of automated assembly lines that replace manual labor will only accelerate this development trend
The modern industry that has entered the 21st century is a very large system that cannot be supported without an industrial population of hundreds of millions. Even a country with a population of tens of millions can only focus on developing one or two industrial sectors. Even if artificial intelligence and robot automated assembly lines can be used to replace labor, it will still require the production of various robots and the writing of various programs. A huge number of skilled workers and programmers.
If the future bourgeois elites are really so crazy and deliberately degenerate the vast majority of the population into illiterate people, how can their industrial system be maintained? Are they willing to say goodbye to luxury cars and yachts and live in medieval feudal castles again? ”
"...Haha, it turns out you still remember the class I took! That's right, in the middle of the twentieth century, a complete industrial system already needed to be composed of tens of millions of basic industrial parts. The United Kingdom and France had insufficient populations. It was already difficult to maintain a complete industrial system, so the United States, the Soviet Union, and Japan, which had a larger population, caught up. Then, China, a country with a larger population, successfully became the world's factory after popularizing education. And those small countries can only use 'Made in China'... However, my discussion has an implicit premise, that is, it is a living and constantly upgrading industrial system that adapts to modern competition. But on the other hand, it is a living and constantly upgrading industrial system. , What if this is a dead industrial system that has been inherited from generation to generation and does not require any evolution? Or something like the 'Mechanic God'?" Political Commissar Guo laughed and then changed the subject.
"...In such a world, a limited number of monopoly chaebols rule all industries and even the government. What they seek is no longer wealth, but an eternal and supreme status. There is no pressure from competition. , technological progress is no longer needed. The emergence of new technologies will shake their hegemonic system, and even environmental pressure can be solved by regularly wiping out a group of people through famine, plague, and massacre.
In this way, future capitalists can use very few engineers and skilled workers to maintain the operation of an industrial system without the need for any innovation or improvement. The same style of machine tool can be used for a hundred or even a thousand years without changing a hair. The same goes for the goods produced, which never change from generation to generation. It is enough for front-line operators to start the production line according to the instructions. They are not required or allowed to learn more knowledge. Even engineers responsible for repairing and maintaining equipment only need to follow the manual. It is enough to only know what it is but not why it is done. There is no need for any improvement, no need to understand how the machine works, and no need to understand the real scientific principles.
As for the core information involving scientific principles, the ruling class can lock them in a safe as a secret book that only their children and grandchildren can read. In this way, they can sit and enjoy the monopoly dividends forever, and limit the knowledge in the minds of workers. At the lowest level - science and technology have stopped updating anyway, and technical data will not be obsolete even if they are buried in the cellar for a hundred years.
In this way, in the case of global unification and no international competition, since there is no need to consider the development and progress of science and technology at all, the slow degradation of science and technology can even be tolerated - as long as it does not degrade too fast and makes the powerful feel unbearable, then The ruling class of capitalist society can completely extinguish the light of civilization in human society bit by bit and establish a solid caste system like India... Of course, if society really falls into such a dark and desperate situation in the future, I am afraid it will Not easy. But for us, this is indeed a potential danger..."
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
After listening to Political Commissar Guo's worries and sighs, Wang Qiu couldn't help but shook his head and smiled bitterly.
As a former infinite space reincarnation person who has struggled on the edge of life and death many times, he is really not used to considering such a big issue involving the future destiny of all mankind, and he has never considered himself a sage or philosopher who needs to consider such issues. .
In Wang Qiu's view, as the saying goes, if you are not in your position, you will not seek government. What does such heavy topics as the future destiny of human civilization and the future prospects of the country and society have to do with me? It is not easy for him to save his life in the thrilling adventures.
Wang Qiu is very clear that in terms of personality, he has never been a selfless and charismatic natural leader, but just a very mediocre layman: selfish, self-centered, unwilling to contribute, always looking for various excuses to be lazy and not participate in the group Activity.
In campus life, although I reluctantly wander around the edges of various cliques and work hard to make friends, in fact I have few close friends with whom I can make friends. On the surface, he seems to be a good student and a good boy who is cautious and can win the love of adults. But when he is secretly rebellious, he always thinks about all kinds of dark and even perverted dirty thoughts in his heart, but he does not have the courage to act on them.
In short, he is such a mediocre person who occasionally takes risks when forced, but overall lacks fighting spirit and dreams. I have always lacked long-term plans, I am unwilling to consider things that are too far away, and I have no firm belief and indomitable will.
——If you don’t count the survival instinct that has survived the cruel tests in infinite space, it can be said to be as solid as stone.
Therefore, Wang Qiu immediately felt uncomfortable regarding the above-mentioned heavy topics mentioned by Political Commissar Guo. Although it's not that I don't understand the meaning, I always feel that under today's tense situation, I don't seem to have the heart to consider such distant things.
Therefore, after chatting for a few words, he quickly changed the topic:
"...Professor Guo, at present, [Fortress City Ye-Rantel's Destruction], a dungeon that easily earns points, is basically over. If you still want to earn a lot of points, you have to gnaw on a hard nut—— Just now, we have discovered traces of the attack target and are about to launch an operation. But the elite online game masters that the central government promised to prepare for us haven’t come yet?”
"...Oh, that group of people has been gathered a long time ago. They are all top online game masters who have been selected from colleges and universities across the country and have participated in competitions and won awards. At present, they have completed seven days and seven nights of intensive cooperative training. Now I am resting next door...I will let them in right now..."
Then, in another world, in the fortress city. In the wilderness north of Lantier, Lich King Ainz, who was observing the movement of undead creatures in the city and at the same time ordered his men to take in and take care of the surviving refugees, received a piece of information that surprised him.
"...What? In the countryside south of E-Rantel, another group of armed men wearing the flag of the Slian Cult was discovered? Damn it! These ghostly guys! Could it be that this undead catastrophe is also related to Are they related? Then, you plan to kill them directly? Isn’t this too reckless?”
"...I don't think this is reckless, Mr. Ainz. After the last battle in Karn Village, we have become enemies of the Silian Theocracy. Of course, these guys do have some of their own qualities. We Even if you are a max-level player, it is still difficult to defeat them with bare hands.”
Wang Qiu, who transformed into a tabby cat mage online, smiled and replied, "...So, can you help us with some magic props?"
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※PS: Due to poor reader response, the progress of this volume is expected to be greatly accelerated, and the next volume is planned to be written In the Marvel world, dealing with powerful men such as Iron Man, Thor, and S.H.I.E.L.D. also allows the protagonist to experience the helplessness of being crushed after enduring the frustration of being unable to do anything in this volume.