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Let's talk about the future

What camp are you in?

  • Are you happy to not be around in the foreseeable future (30 - 50 years and plus)?

  • Are you sorry/sad to not be around in the foreseeable future (30 - 50 years and plus)?

Results are only viewable after voting.

carlosy

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What camp are you in? (more detailed questions than in the poll)

Are you happy to not be around in the foreseeable future (30 - 50 years and plus)?
Because of climate change, A.I., dystopian regimes, corporate greed and future wars, times won't get any better than today.

Or

Are you sorry/sad to not be around in the foreseeable future (30 - 50 years and plus)?
Because of A.I., quantum computers, technology and medicin, life expectancy will be way higher than today. Maybe even death (by ageing and illness) will be eliminated within the next few decades. A whole new era for human life is on the horizon. Things are going to be amazing!
________

Are we living at the crossroads?

It feels like humanity is really on the crossroads, more than ever. People probably have felt like that before. And one could argue that we always tend to think and like that we are living in 'special times'. But, I think this time it's really different. So many things are lurking on the horizon, and each one of it or the combination of them has the potential to push all of humanity either to it's demise or to give rise to a whole new level and beyond.

- A.I.
- Quantum Computer
- Technologies
- Fall of democracies and rise of autocracies
- Oligarchs ruling the world
- Corporate greed
- Religions/Cults/Tribes
- Climate Change

A.I., Quantum Computer and other technological advancements could maybe help mitigate or prevent biggest impacts of climate change and other challenges. If humanity could manage to make positive, non-destructive use of these tools, then maybe we can a have a great future ahead of us. But at the same time, all of these tools could end up in the hands of autocratic regimes, oligarchic structures and dictators, which would then have unprecedented power to rule over humanity and supress and control it like never in our history before. Some may say 'well, empires have always risen and fallen. There will always be a revolution at some point'. But the tools, even today, are different and way more powerful then ever. And this is just the start. Surveillance and control may become so powerful that it will be impossible to challenge it, ever.

So, are you happy not having to deal with all the upcoming misery or would you rather just be born within the next few years/decades and, in the end, have the possibility to live much longer or even virtually unlimited and therefore have so much more potential to learn, see and do things we can't even imagine?

BTW, at first glance the topic might seem suited for the 'Social Issues' section, but in the end, I think the answers and discussions about it will be more of a scientific nature.
 
Option 3. I'm sad that I'm going to have to experience the next fifty years, and there's every chance that I'll be around to experience it.

Both your options assume that the person will not be around, seems an odd way to frame the question.
 
At every point throughout human history, people would look back into the past and confidently state: "I'm sure glad I didn't live back then."

If this trend continues, being alive will never be a good idea.
 
It's world chaos as usual.
It's not all that much better or worse than any other past turbulent time in history.

I for one will continue on to see what comes.
Humanity has survived ice ages and world wars. They will survive a demented megalomaniac leader or two easily.
 
My high school chemistry teacher used to quip that "the good old days" were then called "these trying times". To the OP's questions, at age 71 I wish I could be around to see what wonders the future will bring, but I'll be content with those I've experienced when I pass.
 
Up until fairly recently I was in the second camp, because I continue to enjoy life very much, but nowadays, though I'm certainly in no hurry to shuffle off, I'm not all that sorry to look ahead and say "I won't be around for that!" But with kids and a grandchild, missing the coming tragedy is cold comfort.
 
Although I'm curious about the future, I am quite pleased about not having to watch climate change making life even more difficult for the inhabitants of the poorest countries in the world, or for the rest of us, for that matter.
 
Climate change is the thing that makes me glad I'll not be around. I think my generation and the previous generation are going to be vilified in the future for not dealing with it when we could have done.
 
Darat said:
Climate change is the thing that makes me glad I'll not be around. I think my generation and the previous generation are going to be vilified in the future for not dealing with it when we could have done.
Click to expand...


Go back to the industrial revolution years and imagine the damages done then. Coal fires in every home and unchecked toxic waste dumping on a scale we don't get anywhere near now.
We've come a long way in realizing the consequences of our actions and made so many significant changes.

The waterways and air haven't been collectively this clean in 50 years. We have cleaned up or controlled as best possible disasters of those two generations before ourselves.

Why not be proud of that as we create a future of less consumption despite greater population than ever?
It starts with individuals making small changes, not politicians making sweeping changes.
 
8enotto said:
Why not be proud of that as we create a future of less consumption despite greater population than ever?
It starts with individuals making small changes, not politicians making sweeping changes.
Click to expand...
Because sweeping changes were what was needed, and were known to be needed, and were being called for at the time, but it created more shareholder value to ask individuals to make small changes instead while capitalism doubled down, so now it's too late and even sweeping changes will not be enough.
 
Work with what we have, not what could have been.
I can't stop the R-U was from burning up millions of tons of fuel in the name of victory or convince politicians to get thier heads out of the collective ass.

But I can make a difference around myself. So can you.
 
Olmstead said:
At every point throughout human history, people would look back into the past and confidently state: "I'm sure glad I didn't live back then."

If this trend continues, being alive will never be a good idea.
Click to expand...
On one hand I think it's naive to assume that things will only get better the farther you go into the future. There's no law of nature that says that things only get better.
On the other hand, I think it's foolish to not at least consider the likely upsides of living in the future.

The Population Bomb was written in 1968 and if you were a serious and logical person who read that book, you would think that the world would be in a state of famine and Malthusian catastrophe in the coming decade.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Too much pessimism or cynicism is toxic in itself. Realistic optimism is the best approach.

As for 30 years in the future, there's a possibility I could still be around, but I should take better care of my health if I hope to get there. 50 years is highly unlikely for me. I'm about to turn 55 later this month.
 
That's age 70-90 to me, so I guess and hope I will be around, and I'm glad I will be. Global warming, or more specifically our incredibly sluggish reaction to it, is my main worry. Wars have always been around, AI we will adapt to somehow. Humans are crafty and resilient creatures.
 
I have always been optimistic, to the point of stupidity (and beyond...), but I'm not optimistic about climate change. At most we may be able to reduce the negative effects, but I think the tipping point is behind us, and since Trump is in the White House now, the future is a little darker than it was before.
 
I don't want AI assistance in any form. don't need a flying car and robot servants seem too much like AI. With mobility, not acceptable.

The orgasmatron however...

Humans are crafty and adaptable. We can live in temps from 40C below to 45 C above climates year round. We can make things unimaginable two generations ago. And we can return to the caves and survive if need be.
I don't think it will ever come to that again but it's good to know.

I may not survive, entire regions may not survive worst case scenarios. But humanity will.
 
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