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See Carson's Law for the context of this letter. To all the kings and lords of Riiga, My name is Nicolas Carson. I am primarily a scientist and mage living in Venzet in North Ideitess. I write to you to address what I deem to be a very important matter, specifically concerning a law that I propose you enforce and carve into your own societies. Let me explain my reasons to you: I have discovered several technological concepts which, if properly implemented, can be used to create several variants of engines and machinery. Attached to the letter are specific descriptions of such technologies, namely heat engines, steam engines, and electricity. I have pondered for a long time on these technologies and I admit that their power is enticing, but it is for this reason and more that I propose we make such technology illegal in all civilised regions of this world. These technologies could be used to create machines to make our life simpler. It would simplify construction and production, allowing us to churn out items that would otherwise take far longer to make. It would speed up travel over all kinds of terrain. It would enable us to win dangerous battles against any opposition with relative ease. It would make everyday tasks become quick and effortless. This may seem tempting, but this is only one side of the coin. On the other side, it would be unstoppable once such technology became widely known; almost anybody could create any machine for any purpose they desired. It would cause us to become lazy because unnatural efficiency and speed would become the general expectation. People would have more time because the tasks that consist of a full life drop in number, so we would invent new things to do; things that distract people from hard work and genuine qualities of life. It would anger the gods, because we would no longer be doing the tasks we were designed to do. We would be trying to manipulate machines into living for us. We would instead be concentrating on making everything do the work for us. Such a machine will bring far more pain than it will aid us. The cons outweight the pros by far. My question is, at what point would such an idea end? If the idea of creating things to do work for us has no end, then would we not be driving ourselves into nonexistence? Into a dull, pointless, lifeless, lazy, destructive life of nothing. The way our world is is sufficient for all our essential needs. We do not need more. It is illogical greed, insatiable curiosity, over-intellectualism, and overfamiliarity that will kill us, if not somebody or something else. We have all the technologies we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Let us not fall into the traps of overinvention. Let us instead hold an attitude of being grateful for all the wonders the gods have placed around us. We do not need more than we already have. We do not have the capacity to handle such technology. It is beyond us. We need to use our wisdom and foresight and stop this, because it has to stop at some point. It is not that our lives are full of mundane tasks. It is that our minds become mundane. The problem does not lie outside us, but within us. I ask you to be wise and responsible and to do the admirable thing. Sage Nicolas Carson
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