What to do about the inevitable mega-disaster?

Originally posted by OnceReturned
reply to post by loner007

 

As for the more meaningful part of your post; the notion that "a monetary system" is getting in the way of anything is unfounded. Our only hope when confronted with a global mega-disaster is to find solutions through technology and collective action. Technology facilitates collective action, and collective action on a global or even "large" scale is impossible without it. All substantial technological developments have been made in a system that uses money, by people who use money. In fact, capitalist systems promote technological advancement. We sent men to the moon, after all. I think that the idea that we are incapable of substantive action as long as we are "slaves to a monetary system" can be shown to be false by looking around you.
[edit on 3/2/10 by OnceReturned]

Actually, I have to disagree with the above. When you are taking about opportunity to keep the race alive you must consider that money has kept society in a state of virtual serfdom for at least the past fifty years.

As an employer, I can assure you the people who control the money have it better than the people who work for the money. The employer will never pay an employee more than the absolute cost of replacing that employee. The employee themselves must either work harder, longer or better in order to maintain the status quo. This greatly reduces the opportunity to prepare or plan or participate in an "end of the world plan." They are either too tired, too burnt out or too distracted.

As long as the current monetary system exists, several factors will continue to work against the employee. Government triple dipping on the taxation, cost of living continuing to rise and the employees own life goals will get in the way. For the most part, the employer doesn't care about the employee. In most cases the employer is only concerned about making more money. The mental well being and future of the employee are often forgotten in the pursuit of the next dollar.

Beyond the plight of the little guy, the monetary system has kept that same "world saving" technology repressed. There is more money in selling you 10 tv's than in one good one. Or do you really think that the internal combustion engine is the end all of transportation technologies.

Even the very same planet that we could save with technological advancements has been shelved for the sake of today's dollar. We continue to burn coal in huge amounts, or use nuclear energy without a viable disposal method, we dump toxic waste into our oceans in huge quantities but do not harness tidal forces for energy, so it doesn't "harm the ecology".

With respect to your statement about needing money to go to the moon, do you really think that the government, or buddy system organizations like NASA care about what something costs? They spent 80 million just to throw a rocket husk at the moon.

As long as people are slaves to the monetary system, or energy collective as the case may be, organizing an end of the world recovery plan is moot. The average person simply doesn't have the time nor opportunity to participate. The rich however, are way ahead of you with their plans, they just haven't told you about it.

..Ex

Subnote, as an employer I personally look out for the mental, physical and emotional well being of my employees. I pay them better, and provide excellent working conditions, because I was once them. For myself it was years of 18 hour days with little to no pay to become the employer. /subnote
..ex

I just finished watching 2012. That is an awesome movie. I was on the edge of my seat. Great special effects also. I then came here to see this thread at the top of recent posts. An extinction level event could really happen. The key to survival is numbers. The larger the number of people in a group, the odds of that group surviving goes up exponentially. Tool making is another survival instinct we seem to have. We should create the tools necessary for survival. We should not ignore our spiritual side as well. The only problem is knowing when,where, and how this extinction level event will unfold.

We can not continue relying on the government for everything so this would be the time to exercise your right to assemble into groups who are like minded in wanting to find a solution to a future problem.

[edit on 2-3-2010 by ViperFoxBat]

Originally posted by Pharyax

Although.... this planet does need a reboot. We're spreading like a virus... burning through the entire earths resources... Oh well. Whatever happens, happens...

Hey guy, you need to do some traveling. See the world from an airplane. You sound like someone who has not been out of a major city. Most of the world is vast stretches of empty land, or water. Something like 80% of the gold in California, is still in the ground. Gold! I think people are motivated to get gold. And it is an absolute lie that we are at 'Peak Oil'. We are NOT using up everything, and we are not NEAR maximum capacity. The elite simply know they can not control a large population. So they are trying to cull us. As in murder.

OH, it is not the end. Not for another thousand years. This is just the beginning of Lucifers' anger, because he knows his time is short. Later on, then we will see Gods' anger. But the first crud going down is from Hell. We ALREADY HAVE gotten thru this, we just experience it in time. Like a movie. It is all there on the reel, but the charachters only see one frame at a time. The end is already 'filmed', and set. But the charachters go about their lives as if it is all open possibility. 'I am a spiritual person, having a physical experience'. Time as we know it will one day end. Like we are living in the Matrix or something. The Bible presents a 'script' of this 'film', and you can read about this current chapter, and tomorrows. The breakdown of integrity in the legal system, of the decadence in 'churches', the moral disintegration. Yesterday, I was kind of shocked at the immorality being written into current televison scripts. Not like they are showing full frontal nudity, but kids telling their widowed parent that they can have a date over for the night? What are we teaching kids now? And we are giving out condoms in schools? Or the Pill? Kids are even out in the family car having sex while the parents are in listening to a sermon. Sad.

Originally posted by Silver Shadow
Are you afraid of death ?

Why is that ?

Nope, not at all. I am comfortable with my end. I know that it will come. I also know that since it is inevitable and after it happens I'll have all the time in the world to see what it's like - if it's like anything at all - there is no need to rush it. Life is short in the scheme of things, and I am of a mind that I should do whatever I can to prolong it as long as I can maintain a tolerable(by my own personal standards) quality of life.

I don't advocate taking action in response to a mega-disaster because I am afraid of dying. I think humanity is worth saving, and it's clear to me that many of you disagree. That's fine, but it doesn't change my mind. I think that since I am a part of the human race, I am justified in taking action for its sake(however terribly pompous that might sound: me taking action for the sake of humanity). I want to do what I can to try and create a future in which humans exist and are doing cool things. Like what we are doing now, only more futuristic-like. Haha. That doesn't really seem to capture my true sentiment at all.

Trying to explain why I think it's a good idea to try and prevent human extinction is turning out to be an enlightening exercise for me. I wrote this thread taking it to be self evident. Yet, all of you almost to a man has said that the end of humanity would be good for the planet, or that you wouldn't try to stop it because you are comfortable with the fate of your immortal soul. I don't agree that we some how owe it to the planet to not try to stop our own extinction. And, I too feel pretty comfortable with my own death.

But it still seems important to me to try and manage this mega disaster thing as best we can. I guess my thinking is that as long as we are here, and have come this far, we might as well make a go of it. We might as well try to save what we have built here instead of throwing it away, and as long as we have a choice we should choose self preservation(as a species). I think we do have a choice. It is to anticipate and act accordingly or to do nothing. You know my position.

reply to post by OnceReturned


Yes, the bad guys are trying to take us all down, but that will not be the end of humanity.

God will determine the final outcome of all this. The script has already been written, and will be played out. The story of Noah should be an inspiration.

The birds in the trees, and the fish in the ocean are not building bunkers or stocking up on food and weaponry.
Why should we ?

Originally posted by Simple-Joy
If there ever is a mega-disaster, such as an asteroid plummeting into Earth, then there isn't much we as a species can do but wait. Then after a large portion of the worlds population is wiped out; "survival of the fittest" will come into play.

i beg to differ, if there is a asteroid headed towards earth we hire the worlds best deep core driller and his witty crew to assist real astronauts in drilling 800 feet deep into the asteroid so a nuclear device can be detonated before it reaches zero barrier.

p.s im sorry i just couldnt help myself.

I believe most educated present day adults in their moments of weakness would just stand and await the final doom, for such mega disasters CANNOT be stopped by mortals that we are. It is beyond our control and knowledge to avert it.

Many more will feel a release instead, for with death comes freedom - freedom from pain, suffering, worries, care, regrets, love, etc, as many adults would have known such afflictions in the journey of life.

I know I would, in my own moment of weakness.

I will probably do what the poster _R4t_ would do. Grab a 6 pack, perch on a roof and witness the spectacular end as it comes hurtling towards me.

The end will be brief, and within seconds, my shell will be vaporized, but once again, my soul/consciousness which is cosmic energy, will flow back into the universe, to await the Creator’s will as a shield for life forms, or inhabit life forms for His purpose.

However, unfortunately, no man is an island. Each and every one of us human life form comes from our earthly parents, caring relatives and friends whom had nurtured us since young.

While they may suffer from the trials of life, there is no need for them to die, and should be spared of pain where possible, for we know what is pain. More so young and innocent children that came into our world…

Therefore it would be selfish of me and you if we succumb to fatalism. While it is true that if a mega disaster should strike, everyone will die anyway. But more often than not, it does not take even a mega event to see a loved one pass away.

Look at the Haiti and Chile disasters – many had lost their loved ones. The event could not have been averted, but the deaths could have been prevented by responsible thought out plans in advance, drills and early warning systems.

Alone, you and I are powerless. But combined into a collective mind force to tackle real and provable events, we will all live to find happiness and make full use of the gift of life bestowed upon us……



[edit on 3-3-2010 by SeekerofTruth101]

I've had a good run, personally, and I'm ready to go at any time. People often say this without meaning it, but I actually believe in my case I have made peace with the possibility. I will leave the question of survival to those younger than me, who perhaps have more to lose and less to look back upon.

I have thought about these issues and I think one's attitute will come down on one of either two sides, which are irreconsilable. You either believe one or the other, and which one you believe will color your attitude to life and survival in general.

A) Worldview 1: Life is an absolute good in comparison to death and worth fighting for no matter how much misery it entails along the way.

B) Worldview 2: There are worse things in life than death, and there are cases in which death is preferable to life.

As I said, people seem to hold either one or the other of these views (with some possible overlap among some at the extremes of pain and longevity).

I am unsure how I would respond, run around like a headless chicken seeking a safe place or sit back and watch the show..

I guess I have equal chance of surviving an event either chilled and relaxed or stressed out..

Either way as a mere mortal I have no power to stop or prevent what happens, nor make sufficent plans to protect myself and my loved ones..

Survival will be those who are in the right place, right time, right circumstances.. First you survive by luck and then by who is the meanest, nastiest.. even then your be lucky not to die of a simple infection, what a horrid way to live out the remainder of your days

To be honest, if a nuke WW3 broke out.. I'd rather a nuke went off over my head than survive to see humanity thrown back into the pit of barbarity..

reply to post by OnceReturned

The United States goverment has been perpearing for this for years.Even if six billion people get wiped out over night ,the human race will continue on planet earth.The goverment has thousands of people safe in underground bases who are protected from most Mega-disasters.

reply to post by GORGANTHIUM


Isn't humanity (in it's current form) meant to spring from just 32,000 individuals??

I am sure tho, this time around they have to have enough serfs to keep the elite serviced, that was what I liked about the 2012 movie... wondering who were going to be their servants or if the elite would have to get their hands dirty.. that bit made me smile