| Mar 23, 2007 @ 3:23 AM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever
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karmavsDogma
Posts: 8
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I thought I'd stir up a little discussion with a question that's been on my mind lately.
It's pretty apparent from the world we live in today that, if we follow the current course, the human race will kill itself off and will take a large chunk of life on this planet (if not all of it) with us. So, the question is: how would you change things to ensure our long-term (i.e. forever) existence in this universe?
Here's my short list (by no means all-inclusive or in chronological order):
1. Start using, on a global scale, fuels available to us that are known to have zero net emissions (meaning the carbon put into the atmosphere is balanced by the carbon taken out of the atmosphere by the fuel itself - i.e. plant fuels). The technology is available to us, but there's been no financial impetus to move in that direction. If we start looking at our fuel consumption not in dollars and cents but in global ecological impact, we'll find all kinds of impetus to start moving in that direction and very quickly.
2. Start a brand new philosophy that breaks from all the previous religions and philosophies, and base it on the minimal requirements for peaceful human interaction. From my observations, those requirements seem to be as follows:
-Be nice to each other
-Be responsible for yourself
If everyone follows those rules we'd have a much more cooperative global society.
3. Find a permanent storage solution for the world's knowledge. If that includes building backup databases of information on extraterrestrial sources, then that's what we'll do. We have lost so much of our history already, and although we've reclaimed a vast majority of it another world-wide cataclysm could wipe out all that accumulated knowledge. It's happened in the past.
4. Learn how to balance our population and the limits of the planet, as well as how to fix the damage that we've done to the ecology of this planet. Through this process, we should be able to develop new science and technology to allow us to create habitats in space and/or on other planets.
5. Figure out how to mine for materials in space. If we're going to go out there, we're going to have to learn how to adapt to conditions there. One thing that has always intrigued me has been nanotech. How close are we to being able to manipulate the physical properties of matter at the molecular or even atomic level? If we could harness that power, we could reconstitute our waste materials into new products that we needed. We'd no longer be reliant on the resources of any one planet, and would have limitless power to mine resources from the known and possibly unknown planets as well as other matter floating in the universe.
6. Learn how to manipulate gravity. No more missiles with pods on top pushing us into space. Let's figure out a gentle way to overcome the weak force of gravity and glide out of the planetary hold rather than force our way out. According to my physicist friends, we're getting very close.
7. Learn to fix genetic damage. The world needs to stop being afraid of what's possible. We can read our genetic instructions, and soon enough we'll be able to write them as well. If there's a way to extend the quality and quantity of life for human beings, we should definitely learn how to utilize it for the betterment of humankind.
Most people, when posed with a question of this magnitude, will have a knee-jerk response built in their minds somewhere that says "who cares, I won't be around long enough to see the future of the human race or to make a difference one way or another". I know I did when this question was first posed to me over fifteen years ago. Judging from the history that has been made during my lifetime it has become apparent that the more we prolong that attitude the worse the root problems get, and the easier it is to think that the next generation will solve all our problems. But we seem to be reaching the end of our rope, and my generation seems to be one of the last who has a chance to get a handle on the problems of the human race. It's only going to happen if we start acting, and too many of us are willing to sit back and watch as our race devolves. Perhaps just putting the ideas out there will get the ball rolling, and a little work now could lead to huge leaps forward in the future. Who knows, we haven't had a generation that's been willing to try in a long time. And we've never had the tools available like we do now to help us in our goals.
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| Mar 23, 2007 @ 3:30 AM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever |
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Always_Striving
Posts: 8,794
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People that want power over others will not allow it, unless they can have the power to control people's lives by regulating what's on your list.
Even if there was free energy it wouldn't be allowed to get into the hands of ordinary people if powermongers can help it.
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| Mar 23, 2007 @ 5:54 AM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever
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ToucherinSparks
Posts: 6,699
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8. Banish all religion of any type.
More wars have been over religion, and more people killed in the name of religion than anything else.
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| Mar 23, 2007 @ 7:51 AM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever |
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uab_5
Posts: 4,759
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Touch,
I disagree. More wars have been fought over resources be it oil, food, or gold.
Religion has only been the catalyst for war, but the real reason has been resources.
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| Mar 23, 2007 @ 8:03 AM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever
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bryan2992
Posts: 688
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I have to agree with both of you, more wars have been started in the NAME of religion but actually for power (control of trade routes, supplies etc.)
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| Mar 23, 2007 @ 8:51 AM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever |
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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I've often heard the opinion stated that "we need to fix the problems on this planet before moving into space". Ending poverty and war on a global scale is a noble but completely unrealistic goal. The only way to ever achieve those goals is to play Hitler on a global scale and even that won't prevent those nasty opinions and disagreements that lead to war.
The simple fact is that we're part of the natural world and our human nature is natural. We probably will evolve past warfare and are far less violent now than we were in our past. 4000 years ago we were engaging in warfare and we walked thousands of miles to do it. If those of us living today had the mindset of 4000 years ago, we wouldn't be talking about war with Iran, there would BE war with Iran and it would include things like exterminating all male children under the age of 5 or so.
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| Mar 24, 2007 @ 12:21 PM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever
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eastham
Posts: 7,913
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As we peer into society's future, we - you and I, and our government - must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without asking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.
During the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.
Such a confederation must be one of equals. The weakest must come to the conference table with the same confidence as do we, protected as we are by our moral, economic, and military strength. That table, though scarred by many past frustrations, cannot be abandoned for the certain agony of the battlefield.
Disarmament, with mutual honor and confidence, is a continuing imperative. Together we must learn how to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose. Because this need is so sharp and apparent I confess that I lay down my official responsibilities in this field with a definite sense of disappointment. As one who has witnessed the horror and the lingering sadness of war - as one who knows that another war could utterly destroy this civilization which has been so slowly and painfully built over thousands of years - I wish I could say tonight that a lasting peace is in sight.
Happily, I can say that war has been avoided. Steady progress toward our ultimate goal has been made. But, so much remains to be done. As a private citizen, I shall never cease to do what little I can to help the world advance along that road.
So - in this my last good night to you as your President - I thank you for the many opportunities you have given me for public service in war and peace. I trust that in that service you find some things worthy; as for the rest of it, I know you will find ways to improve performance in the future.
You and I, my fellow citizens, need to be strong in our faith, that all nations, under God, will reach the goal of peace, with justice. May we be ever unswerving in devotion to principle, confident but humble with power, diligent in pursuit of the Nation's great goals.
To all the peoples of the world, I once more give expression to America's prayerful and continuing aspiration:
We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races, all nations, may have their great human needs satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual blessings; that those who have freedom will understand, also, its heavy responsibilities; that all who are insensitive to the needs of others will learn charity; that the scourges of poverty, disease and ignorance will be made to disappear from the earth, and that, in the goodness of time, all peoples will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love.
While we are all more familiar with that part of Eisenhower's farewell address warning us about the military-industrial complex, this passage seems appropriate.
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| Mar 24, 2007 @ 12:22 PM |
Does the human race have the potential to exist forever |
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nightrider3281
Posts: 752
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only until mother earth has had enough of us
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