Nyarlathotep
Philosopher
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- Mar 26, 2003
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I don't think I would. As much as I would like to see the future, I don't think I would be any better prepared to live in the world of 3004 than someone from 1004 would be prepared to live in todays world. Customs change, technology changes, and if I were to go to sleep and wake up 1000 years from now I would be woefully uneducated in both.
Now if I could live for that 1000 years and see what 3004 whould be like, but have the time to adapt and educate myself with the passage of time, that would be a whole different story....
Now if I could live for that 1000 years and see what 3004 whould be like, but have the time to adapt and educate myself with the passage of time, that would be a whole different story....
Nyarlathotep said:
That would present a large problem. But the idea that I could actually hear people say "Wow, a thousand years ago people actually thought that the universe was created by a big explosion, when it should have been obvious that we really live on the back of an enormous turtle" would be pretty exciting.
Then again, that's assuming that people in the future speak English. And that there a still any humans left. And all accumulated knowledge has not been replaced by some weird violent cult. In fact, I'd want some assurance that that future actually has a future. I wouldn't want to gamble the rest of my life on such an unknown.
Lord Emsworth
Je ne suis pas une de vos élèves
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On one hand yes I would like to see what the future is like. Absolutely.
But on the other hand I wouldn't like it to be treated or seen as some kind of Ancient attraction ...
But on the other hand I wouldn't like it to be treated or seen as some kind of Ancient attraction ...
evildave
Unregistered
E
I've spent my whole life going to the future.
So asuming the technology exists... no thanks.
Now assume the company goes bankrupt, or a piece of equipment fails, and they have all these popsicles....
At best, you are awaken a little early.
At worst, you rot.
Especially assuming some form of disaster or other collapse of technological infrastructure.
There's plenty of risk attached.
Then maybe the people 1000 year from now (or 10,000... you never know) have a different use for the popsicles. Cut your brain out and use it to run a robot. Spare body parts. Whatever.
No thanks.
If I want to go to the future, it would be in a cryo-equipped space craft. It would only take a few centuries to reach another star. That would be a more interesting place to start. At least then there is SOMETHING for me to do. All the risks with a REASON for it.
So asuming the technology exists... no thanks.
Now assume the company goes bankrupt, or a piece of equipment fails, and they have all these popsicles....
At best, you are awaken a little early.
At worst, you rot.
Especially assuming some form of disaster or other collapse of technological infrastructure.
There's plenty of risk attached.
Then maybe the people 1000 year from now (or 10,000... you never know) have a different use for the popsicles. Cut your brain out and use it to run a robot. Spare body parts. Whatever.
No thanks.
If I want to go to the future, it would be in a cryo-equipped space craft. It would only take a few centuries to reach another star. That would be a more interesting place to start. At least then there is SOMETHING for me to do. All the risks with a REASON for it.
seayakin
Graduate Poster
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- Nov 30, 2003
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- 1,437
Nyarlathotep said:
This is a big reason I wouldn't go. The other factor, even if one arrived in some Star Trek like utopia, it is not like your life would absolutely extended. Now if the question were, I can live 80 happy years now or 100 happy years with 1000 year hiatus at 40, then I would choose the latter. As others have pointed out, there are too many uncertainties to risk it.
Nyarlathotep
Philosopher
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Something funny I just noticed. Most of the posts say no but most of the people who voted on the poll, voted yes.
hmmmmm.....
hmmmmm.....
El Greco
Summer worshipper
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Nyarlathotep said:
Well, I'll chime in and justify my "yes".
First of all I assume that nothing technical will go wrong, like my temperature going up unexpectedly
I am willing to take the risk of a destroyed humanity or a world full of androids and robots. My curiosity can overcome my fear.
Even with all the risks, I still believe that humanity will still exist after 1000 years. Which leaves the question of whether I will be happy with my decision and how will they treat me. I can only guess based on how has humanity evolved during the last millennia: I have every reason to believe that people will be less aggressive and less frightened than they are today. Besides, there will probably be many more like me.
My regret would be the people I'd have to leave behind, but the vision of the technological miracles I'd be experiencing would be more than enough to make me defy any risk or sentiment.
No way; the devastating Y3K bug will probably have wiped out civilization. On the other hand, I might get a chance to meet a beautiful cyclops and work as an intergalactic delivery boy. Who could pass that up?
Are there any linguists on this board familiar with the evolution of language? I'd like to know our best guess as to whether the English of 2000 and the English of 3000 would be mutually intelligible. Certainly human languages have changed rapidly and dramatically over the last 1000 years; but I believe that change would slow (or has slowed) with the globalization of our society. Thoughts?
Are there any linguists on this board familiar with the evolution of language? I'd like to know our best guess as to whether the English of 2000 and the English of 3000 would be mutually intelligible. Certainly human languages have changed rapidly and dramatically over the last 1000 years; but I believe that change would slow (or has slowed) with the globalization of our society. Thoughts?
evildave
Unregistered
E
But you could wake up to a world of zombies waiting for the timer to go "ding" so they can shamble over and eat your brain as soon as the door opens!
But seriously, who will own the equipment by the time you "wake up"? That's the real concern. At best, your trip to the future is a "dud", and they thaw you out in 50 years when everyone you know is dead or very old, and a whole lot has changed, anyway.
How has the world changed between 1954 and 2004?
You'll probably be revived only to discover that everything you owned was stripped away when the company changed hands and the hostile buyer looted the accounts. You'll be penniless in a world that has moved on in ways that make your work experience valueless.
So, you really can be a delivery boy or flip burgers or stock shelves in a retail store or something.
Who am I kidding? They'll have robots doing all of that menial stuff.
At least the clothes on your back will already look like they came from the salvation army, so you can get started in your new life as a homeless, jobless nobody.
But seriously, who will own the equipment by the time you "wake up"? That's the real concern. At best, your trip to the future is a "dud", and they thaw you out in 50 years when everyone you know is dead or very old, and a whole lot has changed, anyway.
How has the world changed between 1954 and 2004?
You'll probably be revived only to discover that everything you owned was stripped away when the company changed hands and the hostile buyer looted the accounts. You'll be penniless in a world that has moved on in ways that make your work experience valueless.
So, you really can be a delivery boy or flip burgers or stock shelves in a retail store or something.
Who am I kidding? They'll have robots doing all of that menial stuff.
At least the clothes on your back will already look like they came from the salvation army, so you can get started in your new life as a homeless, jobless nobody.
Yes.
Yes.
My primary self-given mission is to accrue as much knowledge, wisdom, and understanding possible about myself and the world around me. I would assume that when I woke up, there would be much more knowledge than now, and at least different wisdoms and understanings than now, not necessarily better or more. Not only that, I would be doing a great service to the future, as I see myself as a fairly knowledgable and observant person, and would be a great first-hand witness to the era, thus regaining some of their lost knowledge, etc. Not exactly a humble opinion... ;-).
Yes.
My primary self-given mission is to accrue as much knowledge, wisdom, and understanding possible about myself and the world around me. I would assume that when I woke up, there would be much more knowledge than now, and at least different wisdoms and understanings than now, not necessarily better or more. Not only that, I would be doing a great service to the future, as I see myself as a fairly knowledgable and observant person, and would be a great first-hand witness to the era, thus regaining some of their lost knowledge, etc. Not exactly a humble opinion... ;-).
BlackBetta
Student
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- Nov 27, 2001
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- 41
Yes, but only if all my friends and family were gone. Maybe when I'm 90. But I think by 3004 we'll pretty much have self-evolved ourselves into a different species, with genetic or mechanical engineering. To them I'd just be a primitive curiosity, probably end up in the zoo next to the chimps.
Or if they even use language per say. Maybe an implanted transmitter that relays thoughts directly. They may not understand the noises we make any more than we currently understand the sounds apes make.
Ah, sci-fi speculation is so much fun...
Or if they even use language per say. Maybe an implanted transmitter that relays thoughts directly. They may not understand the noises we make any more than we currently understand the sounds apes make.
Ah, sci-fi speculation is so much fun...
gnome
Penultimate Amazing
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- Aug 5, 2001
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Lord Emsworth said:
There was a great South Park episode where they found a guy who had been frozen in ice since 1993, and they put him inside a natural history museum, in his "natural habitat"... posters and pop culture items from that time, and "Ace of Base" playing in the background.
Cecil
Muse
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- 990
I'd go, for much the same reason as El Greco. My curiosity would overcome my reservations.
Though, I would much prefer a machine that wakes me up for, say, one day a month. That would take me well past the year 3000, yet give me enough time to adjust to the technological, lingustic, and cultural changes.
Though, I would much prefer a machine that wakes me up for, say, one day a month. That would take me well past the year 3000, yet give me enough time to adjust to the technological, lingustic, and cultural changes.
rdaneel
Illuminator
That's the way I'd want to do it too. You'd also have a chance to put money aside, earn interest and convert to whatever system evolves over time. It's not that I'm greedy, just pragmatic. At whatever point in time you decide to stop, your going to have to make some kind of life for yourself. I wouldn't want to have to start with nothing. This of course assumes that some form of monetary system still exists and that civilization doesn't collapse.Cecil said: