Famed science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke once noted, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." 

An extension of this is that anyone who uses advanced technology with little to no understanding of how it all works will sooner or later think himself godlike — that it is he, and not the very advanced, complicated, and integrated systems, who makes it all possible.  And it is his right by his very existence to have these riches.

Incredible advances in everyday technology are shaping modern societies in ways we have yet to understand.  But individuals who begin to think themselves godlike do not bode well for any society, or for that matter the human species.

As an example, look at the impact of unearned wealth on the children of the wealthy.  It is quite natural for them to believe that it is they who are somehow special and superior, not simply the output of the "lucky sperm club."  It is bound to happen.  It is not moral weakness on their part, but just basic human nature.

But it can lead to moral weakness and failure, and of course these children soon grow up to be adults, bringing their warped personal perspective along.  Many wealthy parents are aware of this very real danger and work to help their children overcome it, with varying degrees of success.

Societies are not at all different.  "Unearned wealth" can be just as damaging and dangerous.  And it is not just monetary wealth, although that is a large part, but scientific, knowledge, and cultural wealth as well.  The "wealth" of tolerance is missing in many societies, as is the "wealth" of generally following the law, to name only a couple.

But there are factual reasons for the creation and maintenance of this wealth, and unless the children raised in modern, affluent societies are taught in school differently, they too will grow up with warped perspectives about the incredible wealth they enjoy. 

When this unearned wealth, generated over hundreds of years and by millions of people, is tied with abundant technological miracles, they will soon come to think themselves godlike and will act accordingly.  We see it today, where people act as though their feelings and desires actually shape reality as opposed to the opposite.

Throw in the fact that they often don't understand the fundamental system designs that allow this to occur and include the growing distance between cause and effect, which makes it difficult for the uninformed to make the connections between them, and one is facing a society which is destined to collapse.

In business it is often noted that "success breeds failure."  Many wealthy parents can attest that this truth exists outside the business world, too. 

The only hope for us is education.  If children aren't taught the reasons for this wealth and the system designs that allow it to occur, it is difficult to see how they will be able to navigate a future filled with technological miracles that will make them seem only more and more godlike.

What we have in the USA is incredibly rare.  It is not the norm, nor did it just happen.  How can people successfully tinker with these designs when they have no idea why and how they actually operate?  They can't.

We stand atop the shoulders of millions.  We have wealth that was unthinkable only a hundred years ago, and more wonders are racing our way.  We must not let our collective success be the driver of our failure.  But only education can save us, and the sooner we start on this, the better. 

Our culture, our world, and perhaps the human species hang in the balance.  We know that it is coming; let us meet it head-on, with open eyes and wondrous heart.  What we have is far too special to carelessly toss it away.  Talk to many a heartbroken wealthy parent, and they will tell you.  The risk and pain are very real.  Don't foolishly ignore it.

John Conlin is an expert in organizational design and change.  He also holds a B.S. in Earth sciences and an MBA and is the founder and president of E.I.C. Enterprises, www.eicenterprises.org, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to changing the world, primarily through K–12 education.