In the last three centuries, life on our planet, especially in Western countries, has changed fundamentally. Technological progress, the emergence of industrial society and the diverse media landscape are phenomena that did not exist in the Renaissance. But the question arises: has this progress advanced humanity? Or does it even endanger the survival of our planet and humanity?

In Hollydeva’s novels, it is the alchymists who are responsible for the development of new technologies. The Nacharya Saphed promotes this progress, as he strives for a high—tech solution to ensure the survival of the plane of existence on which the Earth — here referred to as Yrde — is located. Hollydeva, on the other hand, opposes the alchymists as their recent achievements, particularly genetic technology to combat parasites in grain, are called into question.

This problem is also reflected in our real world, with worrying insect and bee die—offs and declining bird populations. In addition, there is growing mistrust of the health and digestibility of genetically modified grain. Is it possible that certain industries are overshooting the mark? Is genetic technology actually beneficial? Or is all this progress based on a fundamental error?

I confess: I appreciate the achievements of the modern world. A refreshing shower in the morning, drinking coffee, driving a car or surfing the internet — all of these enrich my everyday life. After a hike in the countryside and an overnight stay in a tent, I like to return to hygienic conditions and a wealth of information. Nevertheless, there are still justified doubts. A life in nature could make me happier and more relaxed in the long term. I could communicate with the trees, which would breathe a sigh of relief when all this spook is over.

There are two weighty objections to skepticism about progress. The first is: it’s just the way it is. The human mind is constantly striving for inventions, discoveries and developments. This dynamic is part of our nature — both as individuals and as a society. Distancing ourselves from this process does not lead to the desired harmony that we mystics seek. Meditating in the forest is easy; meditating in the modern world can be done anywhere. It is legitimate to point out the negative consequences of certain inventions and to fight them. But we should be careful not to create a separation from the world that is greater than that of our neighbors in their artificial reality.

The second objection is equally important: it is often said that war is the mother of progress. Alchymists were instigated by emperors and powerful people to develop new technologies in order to create better weapons or raise funds for wars. Is this phase now over? Could we live together on earth without states and in peace? Would it be possible to leave this warlike development behind us? Would we then also leave behind the technological progress that has partly become a curse?

We are currently experiencing a certain setback to the Cold War era; I see its causes in the impending national bankruptcy of the USA. Nevertheless, it could be that the era of military conflicts is over. However, it seems questionable whether it would be wise to allow autonomous armed drones to wage wars — a thought reminiscent of science fiction films such as “Terminator” or “Stargate Atlantis”.

The question of the existence of aliens who could attack our planet in order to wipe us out or enslave us remains open. Have such films possibly been promoted by the arms industry to motivate us to spend taxpayers’ money on weapons? Or could there really be conquering interstellar hordes against whom we must defend ourselves by any means necessary?

Throughout their history, Europeans have often been superior because they were constantly at war on their small continent. As a result, they became fitter and their immune systems became stronger through constant exposure to pathogens. War and disease therefore promote a certain level of fitness.

There are also dangers such as the impact of asteroids — events that have not been rare in the long history of our planet. Space technologists are already working on strategies to deflect threatening meteorites or asteroids.

The physicist James Tipler has calculated when the universe will collapse and how a highly developed humanity could possibly prevent or utilize this collapse — a topic that still requires a great deal of physical knowledge. Terence McKenna, on the other hand, concludes in his work that everything that the collective subconscious of humanity imagines and thinks will become reality; after all, our world is an imagined one.

Are we perhaps at a turning point in history where we should relax and move towards global cooperation? Do we still need progress?

In 1890, some scientist boldly stated: “All physics has been discovered and explored.” This statement was more than refuted a short time later and is no longer even mentioned today. Even if much more has been researched today: Mysteries remain unsolved. Recent measurements by the Hubble telescope have disproved some theories about the origin and expansion of the universe.

The simulation theory may also be true: are we living in a simulation? If many of us were to realize that there is a level above where this simulation is created and controlled, it could lead to our world being shut down and restarted. Such a theme will be explored in later volumes of Hollydeva’s story.

Overall, the term “progress” is primarily understood to mean technological progress. At present, the focus is on repairing the damage caused by progress to date. The further development of weapons technologies harbors great risks for humanity — especially with regard to autonomous weaponized drones with artificial intelligence.

Another aspect is “Trans-humanism”. In a book, Klaus Schwab — a less than sympathetic figure for many — postulates a human being reminiscent of the Borg: a group from the Star Trek universe with whom Captain Janeway fights numerous battles. The Borg embody the dream of those people who believe in collectivism and technological optimization. I, on the other hand, advocate individualism and naturalness; after all, Captain Janeway also triumphs thanks to her individual genius and fighting ability.