ABSTRACT
Max Weber, the sociologist who coined the concept of disenchantment, lived a life of deep disenchantment himself – if not madness. The fact he could not get an erection was just one part of the problem. Weber was obsessed with calculating cause and effect when it came to his impotence. Seeing the world as a chorus of cause and effect is also how he defines disenchantment. This view of the world has not always existed. Once upon a time, the organism was the prototype for all living beings. Today, it is the machine. The assertion here is that our contemporary awareness of risk stems from seeing the world in terms of cause and effect. As our view of the future expands and technology presents increasing options, calculating cause and effect turns into a strategy for striving towards a life of total control and safety, devoid of mishaps. Yet, the perpetual realization that this ideal is unattainable is a profound cause of anxiety.
