All of us would like to believe that our ideas are complete and consistent as well as accurate and original. Yet it is obvious that no book contains all the essential experiences of Humanity, nor does any book or set of books necessarily represent all human experience accurately. We regularly borrow ideas from each other, past and present, so almost all that we do is a recompilation of ideas expressed earlier in history. Destiny is no exception. Ideas, "facts" and interpretations inevitably have limitations and often have errors. For example, Destiny develops an argument for use of a vastly expanded United Nations, yet it does not address how we could guarantee a system of checks and balances to avoid abuse of power in that environment. Logically, if we have abuse of power in the USA, we could also have it globally in a UN government.

Similarly, if we have shown our propensity to seek dominant military power throughout our history via the fruits of technology, just what mechanism will ensure that evolutionary genetic engineering will not be used in that way? In short, Destiny too has limitations. It would be unwise to rush willy-nilly into something we call Destiny without first developing truly excellent checks and balances to avoid repeating the ugly aspects of our history. It is for those considerations that I have pressed so strongly for distributed power and contained wealth in our near future. It is also the reason why I strongly solicit the wisdom and experience of others who grasp the importance of Destiny to supplement my limited knowledge. It may work.

Lets consider realism regarding the use of drug assisted lie detector tests. All of us will readily understand that use of drug assisted lie detector tests for criminal investigations is a huge potential problem area if we fail to execute massive reform of our laws and create limits on our legislatures regarding what they can make laws about. No one wants to lose fundamental freedoms and protections from oppression, and wholesale use of drugs and lie detectors is readily seen as a disaster if that practice is not accompanied by appropriate checks and balances to assure our rights.

If you recall the literary figure, Don Quixote, you will understand that many people will believe efforts like mine in writing Destiny to be equally foolish. The rationale for taking that position against major changes in beliefs and power structures is that such considerations do not seem to be realistic. Thus, we must consider both current realities and the requisite steps needed to change them. Current realities are simply that. They are current in time and immediately subject to total change, sometimes with apparently small events stimulating those changes. Think of the assassination that, we are told, precipitated World War I. That which has been invariant will appear to be unchangeable. Wise people understand that it is a matter of circumstance or unexpected events that can alter virtually any "reality."

I suggest to you that it is poor thinking to remain stuck in any current reality and it is also poor thinking to embrace the latest societal cure-alls without a great deal of critical examination. Evolutionary genetic engineering is not a "silver bullet" solution to all our problems. It is simply the next step in harnessing technology to assist our development and improve our quality of life. We are fools if we fail to use it and we are fools if we use it to hurt each other. Our greatest fear should be our ignorance, and we should do everything that we can to grow out of our limitations, not perpetuate them.