The virtual lack of need for so many technical innovations

(Rodrigo Contrera)

I am absolutely passionate about the technique.

This has been going on since very early on, perhaps since when I used Lego pieces (or a similar brand) to build large ships, from scratch, without the slightest guidance from absolutely anyone. Or when I tried to assemble warplanes with sparse parts, from the Ridell brand (I still have two to assemble, in fact, but I lack time).

Afterwards, this led to my reading of the great Quatro Rodas, of the late Editora Abril (which has never been the same since it almost went bankrupt), and then my experiences with the field of composites, polyurethane, engineering plastics and a huge series of markets technicians in which I met hundreds or even thousands of highly qualified professionals, who lead this market (which is not very extensive) in Brazil, Hispanic Latin America, Cuba, the United States, England, Germany, etc.

I never stopped believing in technique as a tool (not the only one) in changing the world for the better. Today I dedicate myself more to artificial intelligence. And every day I see incredible news, which bring invaluable returns to society - and to people in particular.

It turns out that I live in a country that is not rich - although it has a lot of natural and human wealth. I live in a country with immense difficulties, generally with organization, planning and understanding. I live in a country where BASIC material, BASIC information, BASIC care, and also BASIC skills when dealing with people and public and private entities are often lacking. In a country where the necessary changes sometimes take decades to advance, and progress poorly and poorly, so much so that they need to be changed again as soon as they occur. Change changes, and that takes too long to occur.

In other words, if we have a macro view, we see the technique distancing itself, and us, in the same place, stuck with something that we cannot understand very well. The worst thing - in my opinion -, in this whole context, is that time moves forward, and we don't realize that time ENDS.

A study, which I don't have here, but which I heard about from Marcos Lisboa, the economist I already mentioned here, says that in 2047 Brazil will stop growing in terms of population. In other words, the elderly will be the vast majority, needing assistance and care, and the young will not be enough to support the country's burden. 2047 is not far away at all. It only takes 24 years to get there.

I have lived in Brazil since 1976, at the end of that year, when we arrived from Chile. And I closely follow all the news on the country's internal affairs. I see the achievements, the defeats, the conflicts, the debates, the conclusions, the mock conclusions, the lack of temperament, the minor fights, I see practically everything, and we, who look without being able to interfere, almost become discouraged. It's as if we were trying to make stupid people become a little better informed and avoid hitting a wall - which will affect everyone. The vast majority of the population goes through exactly this. For seeing society losing itself without anyone being able to adequately interfere in the game. Or speak a little louder.

It is no wonder that many here insist on wanting fast lanes, of the dictatorial type. People themselves feel incapable of resolving things in peace, and feel that perhaps some little dictator on duty is needed to make things move forward. This, of course, is not only completely inappropriate, but also false.

I've already commented here why Rio de Janeiro, the city, is already over. I showed a map where it is clear that crime has taken over everything. Everything, including the State in those parts. This is not necessarily my diagnosis. This is common knowledge. You don't even need to be an expert to understand that, if crime is understood, Rio de Janeiro, the city, can easily leave the Federation. And with it comes the State, and then perhaps other States - like Bahia, where deaths are currently rampant. Bahia is another State of the Federation, whose capital is Salvador. There are cities in this state where security has, for years, no longer been provided by public authorities, but by gangs.

The federal government has already tried to retake Rio de Janeiro - and failed almost glamorously - in favor of the militias.

But, returning to the broader theme, in this case, technique, it is important here, as it is everywhere. But it should only really become a solution if those who intend to use it in the name of greater interests solve more basic things - some of which I have already mentioned. The problem is doing this without smaller interests getting in the way. What has always happened - as in the case of the World Cup, which happened here, for example - and which promises to continue happening.

(Rodrigo Contrera)

Translated by Google Tradutor