Vesperance: The Bittersweet Dusk of an Era
Do you remember that feeling, the first time you left your childhood home for good? Or when you graduated and left college for the broader world? Or when you broke up with the love of your life and left the home you thought you’d grow old together in?
That bittersweet agony of knowing that the sun is setting on an era in your life. Everyone has felt it.
Now we have a word for it. Vesperance. Vesper, meaning evening, and “esperance”, meaning hope or desire.
“It’s the golden hour of an era, and you’re acutely aware that you’re riding the last rays of a setting sun. You look around and see the world in the simplicity of the now, cognizant of the tectonic shifts on the horizon. And in that instant, you’re both a poet and a prophet. You feel a sense of loss for this beautiful, imperfect world that doesn’t even know it’s already a memory. Yet, there’s a thrill, a pulse of electric anticipation for the unfathomable future that’s rushing toward you. Vesperance is the emotional echo in that liminal space, where the nostalgia for what’s behind you is tinged with the exhilarating unknown of what lies ahead.” — Maskofman, Reddit
Now we are all of us standing in the gathering dusk of an era. You all know me if you follow my writing. I’m constantly beating the drum of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. And while I’m excited for the technological and social changes coming, make no mistake — these are tectonic shifts.
The world of tomorrow will be unrecognizable compared today. Consider that 200 years ago, most people were farmers. A way of life that was utterly destroyed by the previous Industrial Revolutions.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is ramping up, and those of us on the forefront know that we are standing on the cusp, the precipice, of great change. We are the vanguard, forging the path ahead. Or are we harbingers?
Many of us are sanguine about the future, bold and brash, but even the bravest among us have a sense of trepidation — this revolution will either go extremely well or extremely badly. Many predict a bimodal outcome. Even the UN is cautioning against a possible descent into the abyss (and that we’re heading in the wrong direction).
But why is this term “vesperance” so apt? What is it about the gathering dark, and the wistful, nostalgia that comes with it that touches on some primordial nerves?
We are not a nocturnal species, so the night represents an archetypal terror for us. There are creatures that prowl the night, predators large and small stalk the shadows, and so we huddle together, around the dying fire for safety.
We know the dawn will come, but only for those who survive the night.
The sun is setting on an era, an eon, and we know it. We gird ourselves for the coming night, watching anxiously as the shadows lengthen and the horizon’s glow dims.
I hope that, one day, we look back on our anxieties and think how silly we were, that everything turned out fine. But I think there will also be a need for mourning, for a grief of what could have been, for what about us is dying with this era.
As we accelerate towards singularity or revolution or whatever is coming, I have no idea what life will be like on the other side. Will we all be borgified transhumans? What about posthumans — something that is no longer recognizable as homo sapiens. Or maybe we’ll all be metahumans — facsimiles without originals.
The dizzying pace of technological change has left many of us grasping for meaning and direction. Where are we headed? What will we become? The exponential growth of computing power, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence conjures both excitement and apprehension.
On one hand, technology has improved our lives immeasurably. Smartphones provide instant access to all of humanity’s knowledge. Medical discoveries extend our lifespans and reduce suffering. Resource efficiency allows more people to live comfortable, prosperous lives. Space exploration expands our cosmic horizon.
Yet we also feel unease about relinquishing control. Once unleashed, these technologies cannot be contained. Its trajectory seems predestined, and we are but passengers with no say over our destination.
Perhaps this anxiety stems from how rapidly technology has shifted the ground beneath our feet. In barely a generation, the internet and mobile devices have utterly transformed society. We’ve adapted, but the pace of change leaves little time for philosophical reflection on its impacts.
Now we stand at the precipice of an era defined by autonomous artificial intelligence, human enhancement, and virtual immersion. These looming revolutions could redefine what it means to be human.
Consider that we are among the last generations who will remember a world before ubiquitous smartphones and social media. For digital natives, online life is reality. We straddle two worlds, nostalgic for the past while hurtling into the unknown future.
The sprawling metaverse being built by tech giants promises to supplant the physical realm altogether. AI and bots will be our companions and teachers. Nanobots will enhance our minds and genome. Brain-computer interfaces will link us to the cloud.
Perhaps we will become like gods, omnipotent in virtual dominions. Or we might find our individuality and volition absorbed into an all-pervasive global hive mind. Reality itself could become programmable.
These possibilities inspire both wonder and dread. The vaulting technological heights within reach are tempered by their existential hazards. Fears of a techno-dystopia pervade science fiction, offering ominous warnings.
And if misgivings about human nature give us pause, the implications of super-intelligent AI seem downright terrifying. Prominent thinkers predict machine intelligence could end civilization if not carefully controlled. Yet can we stay the hand of Pandora’s box, now cracked open?
So we stand here in the half-light between day and night, between eras, between worlds. The sun slowly sets on the defining institutions and beliefs that anchored humanity for millennia. Where we go next, no one can say.
Perhaps this liminal moment, this vesperance, is an initiation of sorts. All great transitions require courage, wisdom, and sacrifice from those making the passage. We must be bold dreamers yet clear-eyed stewards.
Technology is but a tool; the architects of what’s to come are human (at least for now). It falls to all of us to guide this instrument toward ennobling ends, not just accumulating power and wealth. We must uplift universal rights and dignity.
Past generations faced their periods of crisis and uncertainty. Now destiny summons us. This fleeting interregnum between worlds demands mindfulness. As dusk fades into night, we must kindle fires of hope to illuminate the road ahead. Gather your courage, the adventure awaits.
