Your Long View of the 21st Century.
brianlux
Posts: 42,047
With the world in so much turmoil, I’d thought I'd suggest a little break form the current forays on these forums to consider a few questions that address a bigger picture:
1. What is your long view for general state-of-the-world affairs for the 21st century?
2. Does your long view concern you enough to want to plan for how you and your children will live as this century unfolds?
Here are my honest and in some ways optimistic predictions (please note, these are predictions, not necessarily desired outcomes):
1: By the end of this century, much of what will have transpired over that 100 year time span will be viewed in relation to how we responded to energy, and environment. The current geopolitical and philosophical conflicts in various places in the will be mostly forgotten as post-oil world economics and war leave many of these areas in a broken and unproductive shambles.
Energy will became a major issue as oil depletion and the great expense of oil extraction continues to rise.
Populations of both humans and many other species in many areas of the world will crash due to disease, over-population, environmental degradation, planetary warming and lack of resources including fresh water.
Great migrations will occur especially away from shorelines being submerged by rising sea levels as well as areas of quickly expanding desertification. For short periods of time these migrations will lead to conflicts, skirmishes and localized wars until equilibrium of population and resources is reached.
Many exchanges on social media will shift from mundane conversation and/or endless arguments to the sharing useful information and offering of encouragement.
Technology will either peak or create an endgame out-of-our-control scenario due to IA. Dwindling resources will begin to hamper proliferation of technology.
Areas where sustainability and cooperation within localized populations is achieved will survive and in some cases, even flourish. People living in these successful communities will have come to the understanding that cooperation, interdependence and acceptance are the only viable means to continue as a species. They will tend to shy away from fundamentalist beliefs and rituals will begin to revolve around natural occurrences like solstices, moon phases, and harvests. Marriages, births, and deaths will also provide greater moments of importance and reflection.
Cities that are located and surrounded by sustainable agriculture will be maintained and will become centers for culture and gatherings. Cities not surrounded by sustainable lands will deteriorate rapidly until nature begins once again to infiltrate them.
In many areas, the concept of neo-tribalism will flourish.
2: I’m not big into long-term disaster preparedness. We’re good for about a month, maybe even two or three before breaking out the Swiss Army knife. My concern is mostly for younger generations who will have to deal more intensely with coming changes. I’m very encouraged by personally knowing some bright and independent thinking young people who already understand that these changes are inevitable and need addressing. I’m saddened, however, when I hear young people talk only with gloom and despair about the future.
I’m totally OK with anyone shredding my ideas here but what would really be more interesting would be to see what others here think. Maybe pass along some idea that some of us can use one day.
1. What is your long view for general state-of-the-world affairs for the 21st century?
2. Does your long view concern you enough to want to plan for how you and your children will live as this century unfolds?
Here are my honest and in some ways optimistic predictions (please note, these are predictions, not necessarily desired outcomes):
1: By the end of this century, much of what will have transpired over that 100 year time span will be viewed in relation to how we responded to energy, and environment. The current geopolitical and philosophical conflicts in various places in the will be mostly forgotten as post-oil world economics and war leave many of these areas in a broken and unproductive shambles.
Energy will became a major issue as oil depletion and the great expense of oil extraction continues to rise.
Populations of both humans and many other species in many areas of the world will crash due to disease, over-population, environmental degradation, planetary warming and lack of resources including fresh water.
Great migrations will occur especially away from shorelines being submerged by rising sea levels as well as areas of quickly expanding desertification. For short periods of time these migrations will lead to conflicts, skirmishes and localized wars until equilibrium of population and resources is reached.
Many exchanges on social media will shift from mundane conversation and/or endless arguments to the sharing useful information and offering of encouragement.
Technology will either peak or create an endgame out-of-our-control scenario due to IA. Dwindling resources will begin to hamper proliferation of technology.
Areas where sustainability and cooperation within localized populations is achieved will survive and in some cases, even flourish. People living in these successful communities will have come to the understanding that cooperation, interdependence and acceptance are the only viable means to continue as a species. They will tend to shy away from fundamentalist beliefs and rituals will begin to revolve around natural occurrences like solstices, moon phases, and harvests. Marriages, births, and deaths will also provide greater moments of importance and reflection.
Cities that are located and surrounded by sustainable agriculture will be maintained and will become centers for culture and gatherings. Cities not surrounded by sustainable lands will deteriorate rapidly until nature begins once again to infiltrate them.
In many areas, the concept of neo-tribalism will flourish.
2: I’m not big into long-term disaster preparedness. We’re good for about a month, maybe even two or three before breaking out the Swiss Army knife. My concern is mostly for younger generations who will have to deal more intensely with coming changes. I’m very encouraged by personally knowing some bright and independent thinking young people who already understand that these changes are inevitable and need addressing. I’m saddened, however, when I hear young people talk only with gloom and despair about the future.
I’m totally OK with anyone shredding my ideas here but what would really be more interesting would be to see what others here think. Maybe pass along some idea that some of us can use one day.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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Comments
I think we will suck this planet dry of every possible resource. we will poach all our animals, bulldoze all our trees, use all our fresh water for lawns and car washes. we'll have man made domes like in total recall on mars because our air is so polluted you can't breathe it outside.
I think there will be some serious religious wars in the future with agnostics and atheists playing just as big a role as Christians and muslims. lots of division, lots of hate. lots of self righteous judgement.
Then when our planet is a barren wasteland, we should have the technology to travel to a distant planet, wipe out the indigenous species, and do the whole thing over again. manifest destiny.
for the most part i'm just gonna sit back and watch the world burn. although I do plan to make it to Africa to see elephants and rhinos before they are extinct from poaching. and I would like to swim with whale sharks off the coast of Madagascar. unfortunately what ed said we shouldn't let happen is happening to me. apathy is taking over.
I don't for one minute think the human race will go on endlessly. Each of us will die, maybe a little sooner from our own personal neglect. But every step we take to take better care of ourselves will give us a chance to live longer and better. So I think it makes sense to try and I like the idea that hope is the conviction to do what makes sense no matter how things turn out.