The Digital Revolution Will Destroy Humanity
Paul Craig Roberts
For some years I have been pointing out that the digital revolution, like nuclear weapons and laboratory manufacture of deadly pathogens that governments or terrorists can release, is a disastrous development for humanity.
It is true that the digital revolution has benefits such as instant messaging, video conferences, real time access to news of events in foreign lands, real time access to entertainment and to live performances decades ago. The digital revolution has provided greater mpg and performance from internal combustion engines. And the list goes on.
But the benefits have a cost. Perhaps the highest cost is the total control the digital revolution gives governments or whatever the ruling entity is over people. The threat goes beyond the Chinese social control system in which your rights or privileges are determined by your behavior. The digital revolution allows government to prevent the emergence of truth by substituting for truth official narratives. We witnessed the beginning of this with the orchestrated “Covid pandemic.” By controlling the data base of artificial intelligence, governments can produce the “truths” that serve their agendas.
The interconnectiveness of information is more advanced than people realize. For example, the US State Department just announced that the passport of any parent behind in child payments of $2,500 has a cancelled passport. How does the Passport Office of the State Department know who in 50 states is behind in child support payments?
President Trump is trying to create with an executive order a US passport with digital facial recognition without which a citizen cannot have a bank account, vote, or have a driving license, or, for that matter, do anything.
Digital currency is the greatest threat, perhaps, to human autonomy. Digital currency, unlike fiat paper currency or gold and silver coins, cannot be locked in a safe or buried on your grounds. It exists electronically only, and you can be denied access to it if you displease the ruling authority. This neutralizes all opposition from the people. A multi-billionaire suddenly finds that he cannot pay his electric bill.
The young, who have no awareness or assets, may regard these threats as meaningless compared to the pleasure of scrolling the Internet. But sooner or later they will encounter another high cost of the digital revolution: the total absence of security of private information.
During the analogue days no such threat existed. To steal someone’s information you had to invade the space where the information was and copy it, or you had to climb a telephone pole that served that building or residence and attach, with court authority, a wire to the telephone of the residence or business.
The Internet was developed as an open system. Thus, it is devoid of security. Currently encrypted passwords and secondary authentication serve to protect information. Nevertheless breeches are widespread and involve the largest companies and government data banks. The breech of AT&T’s security has left most American’s Social Security numbers available on the Internet.
According to a recent report, 100 million Mac users are at risk because hackers have succeeded in hijacking Apple’s “verified apps” to bypass Apple’s security. Hackers have succeeded in stealing “developer keys,” which provide a “digital passport” the allows hackers to disguise malware as Apple-approved apps. So you download the “approved” app, and the hackers have your computer.
Apple, of course, will develop a response, but those affected before the corporation can act are in for a lot of money and frustrating wasted time.
Such threats are innumerable. Perhaps the greatest is the advent of Quantum Computing. Quantum computers can break encrypted passwords. Quantum computers use quantum mechanics to process information at higher speed that can be used to quickly overcome encryption.
Once the Quantum Computers are available, the digital world belongs to hackers. So why give hackers this weapon? Where is the government doing government’s job? Where is the integrity of the corporations developing rule by hackers? No one seems to care.
Hackers anticipating the quantum computers are currently downloading all encrypted information now, storing it awaiting the arrival of quantum computers, at which time the hackers intend to take over your assets and your life. Isn’t it so great that you can scroll the Internet?
This website — https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/quantum-computing-is-coming-for-your-passwords-heres-what-to-do-before-that-happens-6016081?utm_source=rtnewsnoe&src_src=rtnewsnoe&utm_campaign=rtbreaking-2026-05-07-7&src_cmp=rtbreaking-2026-05-07-7&utm_medium=email&utm_content=access0&est=yXO9fcfT8FAdXWCQSd1J+fLABd19cJeblVtNerdYMFN8Dvny4lvdW5CC/w== — suggests things you can do now, but doesn’t say hackers can’t overcome it.
Even the protective agencies are breached. Home security giant ADT revealed it was hit by a major data breach carried out by the notorious ShinyHunters extortion group earlier this month. Thanks to the data breach notification service we now know that 5.5 million individuals are affected.
I don’t know about you, but I would love to see the digital revolution deep-sixed. In the analogue days there were no problems that would use up your morning or afternoon and force you to spend 36 minutes, as I spent yesterday afternoon, to reach a human capable of thought and resolution of the problem..
The digital age is a plague upon humanity. I would not object if everyone responsible was shot and buried in a grave.
The moronic fools who brought us the digital revolution are wallowing in profits, but they too will be devoured by their creation.