Kaku and Rifkin: Two Sides of the Same Coin

    Kaku and Rifkin, have got the ball rolling on the conversation about the evolution of consciousness. They are dead on in their allusions to the concept that the Internet, in it's hyper connectivity, is really a reflection of humanity's expanding consciousness. Never before has the earth experienced such a massive shift in such a short period of time, and never before have we been given such a chance to take part in that shift. Kaku lays out both dark and beautiful possibilities, yet seems closer to our present day state of affairs. Rifkin is more hopeful, but also mostly theoretical. The point that they concur on is that the changes we are undergoing are massive, and only through awareness and action will we remain relevant.
    The only limitations these two thinkers impose upon themselves are the limitations of science. They both trump science, and the recent discoveries being made in various fields, as proof of their conclusions. If we as a society are not careful, science will simply become a new theology amongst the many others, where scientists remain just as close-minded as creationists. The current status quo that hinders science from evolving is a pervasive dependence upon materialism.
     Science aims to build theories and concepts that help us understand the world through "hard evidence," i.e. material proof. The issue is that the scientist as an entity is a human being, who perceives evidence through the senses, and makes sense of it with the logic of the mind. This is the domain of consciousness, and yet has science fully explained consciousness?  I think not. The scientist may always seem to have an answer, but when it comes to the ultimate existentialist questions, such as the purpose of consciousness, we are left empty handed.
    The internet is just one of many recent technologies that acts as a solvent upon the boundaries with which we delineate reality; time and space. Cellphones, television, jets, microwaves; all of these continue to move into faster, more accessible paradigms, and our generation is somehow attuned to effortlessly ride the wave. The wave will some day crash though, for technology is a double-edged sword. Either we will become so enthralled with our powers and abilities that we will forget what is important and ultimately destroy ourselves, or we will recognize the need to consciously utilize technology for the enlightenment of all. I believe it comes down to what we do as artists. The stories we choose to tell, and the emotions we choose to experience are the very realities we create for ourselves to live in. Art, technology, and science are all aspects of a universal truth, and can therefore one day be synthesized to prove that everything is simply a reflection of the primordial creative act.