We can, however, examine previous periods of technology shift for clues. It is part of the human condition to be both fascinated by, and fearful of, change. New technology is resisted on ethical, political, sociological, and financial grounds. The printing press, the Web, and the Holodeck were all initially resisted by educators who were vested in the previous paradigm. However, old paradigm Luddites are eventually outnumbered by new paradigm pioneers and this resistance phase is relatively short.
Inevitability is a combination of economic, biological, and social factors.
Renaissances are fueled by the lower cost of the new technology, the basic human biological need to evolve, and the public demands for access to more information. Printed books were cheaper than hand-produced manuscripts, the Web was cheaper than printed books, and the Holodeck is cheaper than the Web. Homo sapiens are genetically encoded to seek out anything that promises new knowledge, and each advance in technology appeals to this basic biological need. Each new technology was also accompanied by intense interest from the population at large who viewed the new technology as a gateway to improvements in economic and social status for them and their children. Renaissance III is desirable New technology is not only cheaper, but also more democratic.