Will Mankind Survive the 21st Century?

Originally posted by redoubt
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that mankind has been on this planet far longer, and in our present form, than contemporary mainstream science is willing to admit us or themselves. Taken in context of a long existing species, we will likely survive well into the far flung future as well, but what will not likely survive is our current civilization nor much of any means to remember it when we once again repopulate.

I think that this has happened a few times already. Just that I think that the time frame is considerably longer between repopulation than people could imagine. and hince why this is really no hard evidence left.

With all the recent events happening in the world I thought I would give this thread a little bump to see if it sparks any responses I do think that now with the war going on the fuel issue and the recent stock market dibuckle it is probably more relevant


Peace

SLAY

humankind will survive for at least a few hundred years from now. the question is what's the price to the planet and how many lives will be lost to satisfy our need for blood.

we have lots of problems to solve... running out of oil - since most our modern life is based on oil. even removing oil completely from burning as a fuel we'll still depend on it for plastics, medications, fertilizers, building those solar panels and energy efficient batteries, etc, etc, etc. we could solve this by moving our locust population to the moon, mars and the asteroid belt.

asteroid impacts could wipe us out. not much we can do about that. volcanoes like yellowstone, santorini and many others can explode suddenly and kill many, cause cooldown and thus crop failures, ecological refugees, etc, etc, etc.

our only hope is to start living in a closer symbiosis with the planet. i am not a tree-hugger but i know that it's not the planet that needs us, it's us who need the planet. earth has been around for 4.5 bil years and will still be around long after we've disappeared from the universe. but if we want to survive and reproduce as we're doing now we have to start respecting our food, our habitat, our air, our water. i would probably not live in an "earthship" house but i'd sure get one of those energy independent, super efficient houses if i could afford it. it's cheaper.

we need to grow food locally using hydroponics and other techniques to avoid the huge energy waste of transporting food over continents. we won't afford to do that forever unless we get serious about nuclear fusion, solar thermal generators, tidal turbines and so on. we need to stop living 30-100 miles from work and commuting daily. build and use efficient railroad transport if you really need to move around people or products. and think about china where you have new coal plants start up every day. we have to sell them on using the new technologies or else they will cancel out any progress done in the US and europe. the climate is global and pollution is global too.

i'm glad we're starting to go the route of the $100 PC. netbooks that use up very little electricity and cost under $300 will allow us to be in more contact with each other as a community, possibly releasing some tensions on such message boards instead of in the streets with guns. but the risk is we'll date online, live online (see facebook, myspace, etc where people ar farting and announcing it to the world).

we need to grow up basically. we're still animals who are afraid of the dark with primal instincts and reactions. technology has allowed us to do so many things but we're not ready emotionally for it. computers are great tools but we also have bloody games that make it so natural for kids and young adults to kill and see blood and organs spilled in these most recent high-def games that their minds will be molded to stop recognizing differences between killing a person or killing the AI simulation. it's like the feeling you have for a few minutes when you're coming out of the multiplex - you're in that world. but they spend years virtually killing so there's no awakening for them.

we need to find spirituality - not religion. each of us has their own path to "salvation" or whatever you want to call it. some don't want to hear of any supernatural things, others may find comfort in them. religions with their "one size fits all" approach will never liberate the true spiritual capabilities of humans. i think technology should end up freeing people so that they can dedicate themselves to spirituality but so far it has mostly increased stress levels.

and we need to understand we're not that different from each other. from the millions of genes we share only a few thousands are different between individuals even of different races. if we continue to compete against others instead of learn to cooperate with each other then we'll eventually meet the end of our current cycle head on and restart from the stone age.

All I can say it wow

The more I hear on the radio and see on the news the more I think were are headed for disaster unless we make some major changes in how we think, Live, and interact with eachother. Great post

S & F

reply to post by SLAYER69


" C. Have we lost touch with nature, the Earth and the human side of our being? Are we to be slaves to a microchip? "


I am affraid the answer to that question is Yes , unless Natural Disasters Destroy the Worlds Technological Grid and Man is forced to start all over again in Isolated Communities learning to Survive by becoming Selfsufficient . In a way , it is inevidable that Civilization Reboots again , it Has happened many times in the Past . Sorry for such a pessimistic outlook , but History dosen't Lie.........