Edit: if you ask me, we're heading for another 'Dark Age', and it's worst in the U.S. We have religious nutsos actively attacking science on every front, and people are losing their will to think for themselves. Europe, from what I understand, has similar problems with fundamentalism, and fascist revivals in response to Muslim cultural encroachment. It's definitely looking ugly for the near future.
Well, obviously, I tend to agree. (Have you read Chris Hedges'
American Fascists, btw?) But I've got just squeakingly enough faith in people that I thought if they were presented with accurate information on ubiquitous information technologies, in a reasonably accessible way, then hopefully they'd make wise decisions about what to embrace, and how. And some days I still manage to believe that.