We need to master the witchcraft of science

THOSE old enough or who care enough to remember would know that the days and months leading up to the year 2000 were marked by a frenzied, if not panicked, misapprehension that the turn of the new millennium would herald a worldwide computer systems failure ostensibly because computers were not programmed to go beyond December 31, 1999.

This potential catastrophic systems crash was referred to as the Y2K bug.

This, as it later turned out, was just one big hoax.

Incidentally, during that time, there was also the lunatic doomsday fringe, who hysterically believed that the world would come to an end before December 31, 1999.

Some of them even quoted the 16th century French astrologer, physician and so-called seer, Nostradamus, whom they claimed did not see beyond 2000, suggesting the end of the world was nigh.

While the interpretation of his prophecies were largely subjective (lending themselves to any interpretation one would fancy), his disciples were convinced that he predicted some of the seismic world events, such as the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany, the two consequential world wars — World War I and II — as well as the death of Princess Diana.

This, again, did not come to pass, and we are still here.

All this hysteria gives credence to the saying that “people fear what they do not understand and hate what they cannot conquer”.

What we do know, however, without doubt, is that the year 2000 gave the world a new and special species of the human being known as Generation Z, also known as the Zoomers or Ama2K, who have turned the world upside down by breaking and reinventing established norms, traditions and culture.

This demographic has proved to be hugely disruptive, both in a good and bad way.

Huge leap for mankind

Equally profoundly disruptive to the world in the few years after the turn of the new millennium was the emergence of giant social media companies, such as Facebook and X (the former Twitter), that would change the way we communicate forever.

Social networking site Facebook was launched by Mark Zuckerberg on February 4, 2004, while X was introduced to the world on March 21, 2006.

These tech giants effectively created a virtual global village and communities through which anyone can communicate with everyone through the internet.

It has given unparalleled power to the individual and changed the dynamics in the communications industry.

Anyone armed with a smartphone and data can now broadcast to every corner of the earth through the cybersphere.

Clearly, social media, and many other such-like inventions, have been hugely impactful to the world in the same way the steam engine disrupted the 18th century (First Industrial Revolution), electricity, gas, oil, vehicles and the aeroplane influenced the 20th century (Second Industrial Revolution), and electronics, telecommunications and the computer were revolutionary in the latter part of the 20th century (Third Industrial Revolution).

It is self-evident, therefore, that science, technology and innovation have been the primary productive and disruptive forces in life, leading to quantum leaps in the way we live, work and do things.

This is a lesson that the Chinese, most particularly Deng Xiaoping, who is regarded as the father of the Chinese economic miracle, understood well.

There is a widely shared story of how Deng, during his visit to Japan in October 1978, asked the then-83-year-old Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Matsushita Electric, if it was possible to find less harmful coal briquettes for heating, as many Chinese were falling victim to carbon monoxide while trying to insulate themselves from the bitter cold seasons.

This anecdote is often used to show how Deng was very eager to adopt technologies to improve the way of life of the Chinese people.

A primary productive force

You see, knowledge is power.

The book of Proverbs is full of nuggets on how knowledge is indispensable.

Proverbs 19:2 teaches us that “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses the way”.

Proverbs 15:14 says: “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”

This week, Bishop Lazi would like to share with you the ideological premise that shaped Deng’s espousal of science and technology to transform China from the economic backwater that it was then to the economic giant it is now.

And this was after the damaging teachings of Lin Biao and the Gang of Four during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which was characterised by the persecution of scientists and intellectuals, who were regarded as counter-revolutionaries.

So, one of Deng’s first actions when he took over the Communist Party of China was to convene the National Science Conference from March 18 to 31, 1978, through which he outlined his vision and role that science and technology would play in modernising agriculture, industry, national defence, and science and technology (the Four Modernisations).

From March 18 to 31, 1978, the National Science Conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

“Our people are undertaking the historic mission of modernising our agriculture, industry, national defence and science and technology within the present century in order to transform China into a modern and powerful socialist state,” said Deng in his speech at the conference on March 18.

“Only if we make our country a modern, powerful socialist state can we more effectively consolidate the socialist system and cope with foreign aggression and subversion; only then can we be reasonably certain of gradually creating the material conditions for the advance to our great goal of communism.

“The key to the four modernisations is the modernisation of science and technology. Without modern science and technology, it is impossible to build modern agriculture, modern industry or modern national defence. Without the rapid development of science and technology, there can be no rapid development of the economy . . .

“Throughout history, the means of production have always been linked with a given type of science and technology, and, likewise, labour power has always meant labour power armed with a certain degree of knowledge of science and technology. We often say that man is the most active productive force. ‘Man’ here refers to people who possess a certain amount of scientific knowledge, experience in production and skill in the use of tools to create material wealth.”

Forgive the Bishop for the long quote.

It was a loaded speech that essentially encapsulated China’s vaulting ambitions through leveraging science and technology.

And this has become a defining feature and running thread of the Asian giant’s rapid economic development over the past four decades.

Successive Chinese leaders also preach the same philosophy.

For instance, Xi Jinping is known for encouraging “indigenous innovation” in “core technologies”.

Today, China boasts a remarkable ability to rapidly adopt and integrate new technologies, driven by a combination of a large and adaptable consumer base, government initiatives and a strong manufacturing ecosystem.

Its 1,4 billion population has been known for its willingness to adapt to new technologies with alacrity, and this supports its burgeoning services sectors, such as the logistics business.

On its part, the government has consistently prioritised scientific and technological advancement through policies, funding and investment in research and development.

Undertakings such as the 863 Programme and the Strategy for Rejuvenating the Country through Science and Education have become pivotal.

Science and technology are now a lifestyle in China, with critical services such as transport and healthcare powered by artificial intelligence when some of us are grappling to get a handle on it.

Overall, this has translated into high standards of living for ordinary wananchi.

Witchcraft of science

President ED, who is in the mould of Deng, has been laying the foundation for innovation, science and technology to leapfrog our development.

The innovation hubs at local universities are seeds of a prosperous future.

Future generations will look back to their founding as the pivotal era in Zimbabwe’s transformation.

The adoption of TelOne’s traffic management system is as instructive as it is transformative in as far as it promotes “indigenous innovation” in “core technologies”.

However, the rate of adoption of technologies in both the public and private sectors remains worryingly low.

We need to move with speech.

It is only through the witchcraft of science and technology that we can define the
world rather than be defined by it; disrupt it rather than be disrupted; and, most importantly, add impetus to local economic development.

ED has already shown us the way.

Bishop out!