Summit of creation

“The dream of reason did not take power into account.  The dream was that reason, in the form of arts and sciences, would liberate humanity from scarcity and the caprices of nature, ignorance and superstition, tyranny, and not least of all, the diseases of the body and the spirit.  But reason is no abstract force pushing inexorably toward greater freedom at the end of history.  Its forms and uses are determined by the narrower purposes of men and women; their interests and ideals shape even what counts as knowledge.  Though the works of reason have lifted innumerable burdens of hunger and sorrow, they have also cast up a new world of power.  In that world, some people stand above others in knowledge and authority and in control of the vast institutions that have arisen to manage and finance the rationalized forms of human labor.”

— Paul Starr, The Social Transformation of American Medicine

Ridley Scott’s movie Blade Runner focuses on several themes, but perhaps the most prominent is the questioning of how humanity is to position itself in the face of emerging technology.  At the turn of the 20th century, society anticipated great relief from new innovations in medicine by providing greater amenity to humanity.  However, the current reality of the health and pharmaceutical industries tells another story of control and virtually unrestricted capitalism, with nearly total disregard for the health and well-being of the poor, disadvantaged, and old.

Starr’s book* focuses on the social transformation of modern medicine and discusses the shortcomings of science as it relates to technology and medicine.  Technology in the future may, in fact, face similar struggles as medicine does today, and will probably continue to have in the United States 100 years from now if it remains under the current capitalist system.  Likewise, Blade Runner foreshadows a future where technology provides very little amenity on planet earth.  High-tech piping is retrofitted at street level surrounded by post-industrial decay, and waste becomes a primary resource when all others have been depleted.  Cycling and recycling of time and resources (a la Philip K. Dick) become a central theme, but perhaps the crux of the story lies with new technology that has the capability to replace the human race, or to extinguish humanity altogether.

* While Starr’s book was published nearly 25 years ago, his projections regarding the future of American health care and medicine are scarily prescient.  Blade Runner takes place in the year 2019.