Modern Magic

Time was, back before the Second Industrial Revolution, back before the germ theory of disease, before the secrets of the atom were revealed, before Man had extended his reach to the Moon and beyond, people believed in magic.
   I'm not talking about sleight of hand or sawing a lady in half, none of that noise, I mean for-real, no-shit magic. Voices from the aether, visitations from beyond, spontaneous generation, spirits in trees and mountains, demons in black cats. The world back then wasn't something to be pondered and taken apart and understood in minute detail, the world was a place full of dark things and entities beyond human comprehension, and you had to remember your tiny place in the grand scheme of things or something was gonna get you. People were afraid.
   But not any more. It seems to me that we're entirely too pleased with ourselves lately, smug without due cause. Sure we can split the atom - some of your light bulbs are probably burning with nuclear juice right now - but that doesn't mean we can really control it. We know just enough to put the energy to use, but we can't clean up the mess it causes. But we think we're hot shit because we can get uranium to release a few particles for us.
   Or take bio-engineering. We can stick fresh genes into a plant or animal, been doing it for years. Most of the corn corporate-farmed cows eat is actually genetically engineered, designed to keep corn worms at bay. But we're so proud of ourselves for eradicating pests we haven't stopped to ask why we're feeding corn to grass-eaters like cows in the first place. Or if there are any consequences to doing that.
   And what about what we're doing to the environment? The defining characteristic of Mankind is our ability to adapt our environment to suit us, no other animal builds and plows and constructs. We're pretty special because we have thumbs and tools and we can make things out of other things. But we do it without regard to the consequences not only to ourselves, but to subsequent generations. Bigger, higher, faster does not always mean better in the long run. But we're glad to leave the solution to our grandkids.
   I think modern Man needs a good healthy dose of old-fashioned fear. We need modern magic, a big, black, nasty unknown to keep us honest and frightened. And in our place. I haven't figured out what the frightening thing is yet, or what modern magic should comrpise - there are so many options - but when I do you all better watch out.