Oi, new kids!
And so you think you're able
To survive this mess by being a prince or a princess
You will soon see
There's no escaping tragedy
And even
If you put in heaps of effort
You're just wasting energy
'Cause your life as you know it is ancient history
I have suffered in this jail
I've been trapped inside this cage for ages
This living 'ell!
But if I try I can remember
Back before my life had ended
Before my happy days were over
Before I first heard the peeling of the bell
Like you, I was curious!
So innocent, I asked a thousand questions But unless you want to suffer
Listen up and I will teach you
A thing or two
You listen here, my dear
You'll be punished so severely if you step out of line and if you cry it will be double
You should stay out of trouble and remember to be extremely careful
Why?
(Why!?)
Why? Did you hear what we said!?
Just you wait for Phys-Ed!
What's Phys-Ed?
Physical education
The Trunchbull Speciality
Who are you?
We're prefects, we're here to take you to class
So we're going to start learning?
Oh, you'll start learning, alright
Great, I already know the alphabet!
You don't know the alphabet until we learn you the alphabet
And so you think you're able
To survive this mess by being a prince or a princess, you will soon see
There's no escaping tragedy
And even
If you put in heaps of effort
You're just wasting energy
'Cause your life as you know it is ancient history
I have suffered in this jail
I've been trapped inside this cage for ages
This living 'ell!
But if I try I can remember
Back before my life had ended
Before my happy days were over
Before I first heard the peeling of the bell
Like you, I was curious
So innocent, I asked a thousand questions But unless you want to suffer
Listen up and I will teach you
A thing or two
You listen here, my dear
You'll be punished so severely if you step out of line and if you cry it will be double
You should stay out of trouble and remember to be extremely careful
Why?
(Why!?)
Why? Didn't you hear what we said!?
I have become aware that some of you are not yet in class
Correct this, you have five seconds to comply
A, B, C, D, E, F, G (five)
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P (four!)
Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X (three)
Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y (two)
Lavender, Matilda, inside, quick!
(One) Just you wait for Phys-Ed

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES HAVE BEEN A DISASTER FOR THE HUMAN RACE. THEY HAVE GREATLY INCREASED THE LIFE-EXPECTANCY OF THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN “ADVANCED” COUNTRIES, BUT THEY HAVE DESTABILIZED SOCIETY, HAVE MADE LIFE UNFULFILLING, HAVE SUBJECTED HUMAN BEINGS TO INDIGNITIES, HAVE LED TO WIDESPREAD PSYCHOLOGICAL SUFFERING (IN THE THIRD WORLD TO PHYSICAL SUFFERING AS WELL) AND HAVE INFLICTED SEVERE DAMAGE ON THE NATURAL WORLD. THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY WILL WORSEN THE SITUATION. IT WILL CERTAINLY SUBJECT HUMAN BEING TO GREATER INDIGNITIES AND INFLICT GREATER DAMAGE ON THE NATURAL WORLD, IT WILL PROBABLY LEAD TO GREATER SOCIAL DISRUPTION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUFFERING, AND IT MAY LEAD TO INCREASED PHYSICAL SUFFERING EVEN IN “ADVANCED” COUNTRIES. THE INDUSTRIAL-TECHNOLOGICAL SYSTEM MAY SURVIVE OR IT MAY BREAK DOWN. IF IT SURVIVES, IT MAY EVENTUALLY ACHIEVE A LOW LEVEL OF PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUFFERING, BUT ONLY AFTER PASSING THROUGH A LONG AND VERY PAINFUL PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT AND ONLY AT THE COST OF PERMANENTLY REDUCING HUMAN BEINGS AND MANY OTHER LIVING ORGANISMS TO ENGINEERED PRODUCTS AND MERE COGS IN THE SOCIAL MACHINE. FURTHERMORE, IF THE SYSTEM SURVIVES, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE INEVITABLE: THERE IS NO WAY OF REFORMING OR MODIFYING THE SYSTEM SO AS TO PREVENT IT FROM DEPRIVING PEOPLE OF DIGNITY AND AUTONOMY. IF THE SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN THE CONSEQUENCES WILL STILL BE VERY PAINFUL. BUT THE BIGGER THE SYSTEM GROWS THE MORE DISASTROUS THE RESULTS OF ITS BREAKDOWN WILL BE, SO IF IT IS TO BREAK DOWN IT HAD BEST BREAK DOWN SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. WE THEREFORE ADVOCATE A REVOLUTION AGAINST THE INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM. THIS REVOLUTION MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE USE OF VIOLENCE; IT MAY BE SUDDEN OR IT MAY BE A RELATIVELY GRADUAL PROCESS SPANNING A FEW DECADES. WE CAN’T PREDICT ANY OF THAT. BUT WE DO OUTLINE IN A VERY GENERAL WAY THE MEASURES THAT THOSE WHO HATE THE INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM SHOULD TAKE IN ORDER TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR A REVOLUTION AGAINST THAT FORM OF SOCIETY. THIS IS NOT TO BE A POLITICAL REVOLUTION. ITS OBJECT WILL BE TO OVERTHROW NOT GOVERNMENTS BUT THE ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL BASIS OF THE PRESENT SOCIETY. IN THIS ARTICLE WE GIVE ATTENTION TO ONLY SOME OF THE NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE GROWN OUT OF THE INDUSTRIAL-TECHNOLOGICAL SYSTEM. OTHER SUCH DEVELOPMENTS WE MENTION ONLY BRIEFLY OR IGNORE ALTOGETHER. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE REGARD THESE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS AS UNIMPORTANT. FOR PRACTICAL REASONS WE HAVE TO CONFINE OUR DI