Chapter 28: Technology and Survival Assurance Plan_1

Lin Sen: "The world is neither rational nor irrational, and there are many ways to solve the problems humanity faces today, but we cannot use reason to guide them.

I suggest Dr. Yun Fei consider changing his research direction to social emotionology.

It's a theory derived from mass psychology, viewing human society as an individual entity, where each person is like its cells, and various groups are like organs.

To understand its emotions, which sometimes are fierce like wildfire, engulfing everything in an instant, and at other times placid as a stagnant pond with no signs of life. It has an intrinsic driving force, and only by understanding this drive can we truly grasp social emotionology.

As you speculated, if we do not interfere, human society will face disasters in the future, and many, many people will die of cold and hunger. We could call this the Great Nadir.

But the Great Nadir will always pass. Humans cannot restrain their own madness on their own, but they also cannot destroy themselves with their own strength. Civilization possesses self-healing powers.

There will always be people who find their own way out, humanity might then experience a rebirth, and perhaps someone will cry out 'Offer civilization to the ages, rather than offering ages to civilization,' and humanity might, in such a shift of thought, welcome various technological breakthroughs.

The worst outcome is just that. Time is infinite, humans are finite, and it is the charm of civilization to chase the infinite with the finite.

In the future, I need to focus resources on addressing the Trisolaran crisis while also breaking through in technology, achieving significant development in human technology.

History has proved time and again what is needed for technological breakthroughs:

First is the pull and push of the entire society's production industry; every sector will see vigorous development, with the downside of massive waste.

Second is great discoveries, each of which in history propelled the whole society forward.

Third is ideological revolution; a stagnant pond will only see new life through an ideological overhaul.

My plan is the 'Technology and Survival Assurance Plan,' which can be summarized as follows:

First, while the entire society is developing the space industry, other industries must not stop. There will definitely be a lot of unemployed people in the future, and we need to seek livelihoods for them in advance.

We need to establish detailed commercial regulations, and those meaningless industries such as high-end catering, luxury goods, and jewelry will be restricted. Various cultural and entertainment industries still need to be supported, such as the film and cultural industries - these are part of the plan and must be done.

Second, we will take the lead in communicating with various countries about resource distribution. Right now, the great powers are plundering resources from smaller countries relentlessly.

Technology has now achieved maximum sharing among nations. It will not be possible for great powers to monopolize through science and technology in the future, so the only monopoly left is that of resources.

In the space age of the future, he who has resources will have more say, and we need to stand up for smaller countries. The future Human Fleet also needs their participation.

Investigations have shown that most of the current human frenzy for resource extraction occurs in some small countries, where those who oppose are labeled traitors by the great powers, and the middle class in society is led by public opinion to become the main force supporting the crazy extraction.

Third, we must ensure the production of food. We need to research the industrial synthesis of starch and protein. If controlled nuclear fusion makes a breakthrough, food issues will be a cut-and-dry matter.

For now, our goal is still to produce more and store more. True maturity of controlled nuclear fusion has to wait for third-generation technology, and we have a long way to go.

Fourth, contact countries around the world, especially those in high-latitude regions, to recommend building a large number of large underground permanent shelters, which could even accommodate most of the country's population within the next 20 years.

Although the Wallfacers cannot interfere with the domestic affairs of each country, this suggestion may be rejected by the PDC, but I still hope that all countries will take this advice seriously.

This is the draft outline of the plan, which needs professionals to fill in the details.

We are not expecting these measures to avert the arrival of the Great Nadir, but we hope to preserve reason for a longer period and prevent the Great Nadir from destroying the entire human society."

As for what is needed for technological breakthroughs, there's also a fourth point: war. Lin Sen will not mention that, nor can he. Many of you here know it too, and there's no need to talk about it.

200 years later, humans live in the Underground City, and very few on the surface, when the global climate has reached an extreme state.

The Earth's environment has suffered massive destruction, and even the technology 200 years later cannot restore the surface climate, ultimately leaving survival only possible in the Underground City.

Rather than saying the environmental destruction was caused by the crazy exploitation of resources, it would be more accurate to say it resulted from the resource contention among various interest groups.

The painful consequences were all caused by the humans of today, and this isn't to blame anyone; every era has its flaws and strengths.

Lin Sen hoped even more to preserve the characteristics of the Common Era People. If only they could get through the Trisolaran Crisis, with their potential they would surely soar into the heavens and truly take the first step into the sea of stars.

Representative from the National Policy Research Office, "Thank you, Mr. Lin Sen. The great depression that you've mentioned was indeed forewarned by the National Academy of Sciences but we did not regard it as an important policy consideration.

"We will seriously consider your proposal and collaborate with experts in this field to develop specific measures. We are going to prepare fully for the coming of the great depression, but it would be best if it never comes.

"However, concerning the fourth point, about the construction of large-scale underground Permanent Shelters, Huaxia will proceed, and national resources will also be inclined towards this, but accommodating the entire population is impossible.

"We will also lobby other countries to build shelters which would serve as their own protection, but we are not confident in persuading many countries.

"After all, the construction of costly large-scale underground Permanent Shelters has no necessary connection with addressing the great depression beforehand, and if the relationship between them is not made clear, it will also be hard to convince their congresses.

"Wallfacers cannot interfere in the domestic affairs of nations, but if this is added to the Wallfacer project, it would exceed the resources defined by the PDC."

Lin Sen, "Let's just proceed with it! We don't wish for the great depression to come, but these years, the development of society has clearly told us that it is inevitable.

"Just as we cannot now stop the global wave of resource reallocation, beneath the great wave, everything will turn to dust!

"There is a saying in war studies: discovery means destruction, meaning that as soon as an important enemy position is discovered, it will be destroyed.

"There is something similar in sociology: foresight means the possibility of change. Since we have foresighted the great depression, it is possible for us to change it.

"The greater trends are irresistible, but the lesser ones are within our power. I believe that through the concerted effort of elites from many nations, we will certainly retain our utmost vitality in the midst of the great depression.

"To summarize, our work in the future has two directions:

"First, to vigorously develop the technological projects designated by the Wallfacers, to lay a solid foundation for the Wallfacer project;

"Second, to guard against internal turmoil in human society caused by economic transformation, to fully prepare for the coming of the great depression era, retaining rationality for the last possible minute.

"Let us encourage each other..."

The mobilization meeting concluded with the final call for mutual encouragement. As people left the venue, they all let out a deep breath. Lin Sen's escape plan could not only allow humanity to fight to the death against the Trisolarans but also leave a seed of humanity.

For the entirety of humanity, we cannot escape; for the entirety of humanity, we will sacrifice everything, all for the continuity of human civilization.

The fate of humanity will not end with the humans of today, which has lessened a great burden in their hearts.

Why would the people of the Common Era spare no effort to prepare for a war 400 years later? It is only because of the sense of responsibility they held!

The arrogance and foolishness of the new humans after the great depression stemmed from their lack of this sense of responsibility. The egoistic altruism that did not answer to humanity boosted the production of the whole society, and even led to technological development, but the fruits of their labor would be ephemeral at best.

The war is always fought by people, not weapons; even the best weapons in the hands of primitive peoples cannot be effectively used, and they can only be slaughtered.

Future humans might not be humans in the true sense anymore. Their thinking is limited, they are unambitious, lack crisis awareness, and are extremely selfish and arrogant.

After Logic became the Swordholder, Sophon lifted the technological blockade, yet humankind still had no significant technological breakthroughs.

No one researched The Waterdrop, no one studied Sophon. The technology of humanity at that time was about the same as when the Trisolarans first embarked on their expedition; if the Trisolarans could make great advances, then why couldn't humanity?

Even after the exposure of the Trisolaran Star System, they didn't consider leaving the Solar System, not even sending out an exploratory fleet.

They lost the courage to directly face the dark universe. Humanity's only significant breakthrough was still the lightspeed spacecraft built by the Common Era person Wade.

They were no longer fit for this universe, and in the end, they would only be abandoned by it.

In Lin Sen's mind, changing the future of humanity was more important than defeating the Trisolarans!