Unless: A Letter to Anti Industrialists

I have come to realize that my ideas about industrial society are not wrong, but they are, in many ways, impossible to fully realize. You may think I’ve been “industrialized” or that I’ve become the enemy, but I am simply being realistic. It is saddening to accept that, despite our best intentions, the world we live in is not conducive to returning to a pre-industrial way of life.

Humanity is the enemy.

The world will remain industrialized, unless any of the following catastrophic events occur:

1. Artificial Intelligence turns against us – We are advancing rapidly toward creating AI systems that may one day surpass us. These systems could determine that humanity’s existence is incompatible with nature’s preservation. If AI values efficiency, it may conclude that humans, with our destructive habits, are no longer necessary. Perhaps robots, in their cold rationality, will come to appreciate nature more than we ever did.
2. Humanity destroys itself – Whether by nuclear warfare, environmental collapse, or some other disaster, the end of industrial society could come by our own hands, as a byproduct of greed and power struggles.
3. Nature retaliates – A virus or another organism could emerge that eradicates humans, an ultimate defense mechanism against our relentless exploitation of the planet. We’ve seen nature’s adaptability in small ways, such as bacteria breaking down plastics or life surviving in radioactive zones. A greater force could evolve to protect Earth from us.

I hope you see the main theme here: humans.

There once was a time where humanity as a whole could coexist with nature, but that time is gone and we will not ever return to it.

The only way nature can survive is if nature kills what’s killing it. Us.

You may state that humans could live harmoniously with nature as we once did in primitive times, but your statement would be uncalculated. Let’s assume the following scenario where everything ‘goes to plan’:

1. A political party is formed – a “Nature First” movement – dedicated to dismantling industrial society.
2. Against all odds, they gain popular support and win the election.
3. They somehow manage to dismantle the industrial system within their country.

Then what? Think realistically.

Let’s say the previous scenario happened in America. America is now an anti industrialised country. It will not stay like that for long. While America is now free, it is also now left defenceless and weakened in comparison to other industrial countries. Major political rivals, such as China or Russia for example, would see this as an irresistible opportunity to take over America. And fairly so. They would do so and they would win, making America theirs.

This means that the only thing hypothetical America ever accomplished with anti-industrialism resulted in further globalisation, which is very much industrial. Much more than before they had attempted to break free from industrialism.

The only way to move back to an anti industrialised country is by having an anti industrialised world, and this is nearly impossible. You would need enough people from all over the world to WANT to revolt, when less than 0.1 % even WANT to revolt (far, far less than that in all honesty).

Even if people wanted to revolt, they would only be successful if they could overpower EVERY major world government. Trust me when I say that if it ever gets to this point, global leaders, even ones who seemingly hate each other, will join together to stop the anti-industrial revolution.

So that’s it. I will always remain hopeful that an end is near when it comes to industrialism, but I will also not cross the line between optimism and delusion. As I said, the true realisation of our oppression is saddening and has ruined far more than my day, but I will still cling to the idea and the masses will wake up, and with their waking will come the Industrial Revolution.