Would you help provide examples of "Progress on the Downslope?"
By PotD, I mean that societies only change after a disaster.
For example, North Americans only adopted small, fuel-efficient automobiles when gasoline prices skyrocketed during the 1970s.
The technology (to build small cars) was for sale in Europe and Japan, but NAs did not part with huge, gas-guzzling V8s until they could longer afford to refuel them.
Can you think of any other cases where technology was available, but not manufactured in significant numbers until a disaster forced change?
By PotD, I mean that societies only change after a disaster.
For example, North Americans only adopted small, fuel-efficient automobiles when gasoline prices skyrocketed during the 1970s.
The technology (to build small cars) was for sale in Europe and Japan, but NAs did not part with huge, gas-guzzling V8s until they could longer afford to refuel them.
Can you think of any other cases where technology was available, but not manufactured in significant numbers until a disaster forced change?