LordManimal
Registered Member
Has anyone else ever considered the possibility that we may be living in the Golden Age of our species at this very moment? That this is as good as it gets? Or at least will get over the next.... 100 years or so.
If you consider that best estimates are that the planet can support roughly double our population before the environment begins to deteriorate to such a degree that it's not fit for human habitation, and that at our current rate of growth, we'll hit that limit within our very lifetimes (the next 100 years), it appears as though this is it. This is the zenith of our race, before a downward spiral of death destruction and chaos. Quite litterally, our children could be involved in "MadMax: Beyond Thunderdome" struggles for the few resources left on earth to survive.
It sounds surreal, most likely, from a lot of peoples' perspective, and understandably so. Who can imagine not having enough to eat when there's a fast food joint on every corner? Valueless money when there are ATM's at every shopping mall and gas station? Desease when there are Hospitals in every city?
But if you've ever been to places like Haiti, or Cuba, or Guam, or most of Africa, you'll see how surreal OUR lives must be to people that can't feed themselves, and wouldn't know what currency is. Peoples who entire lives revolve around cutting down the very forests that create the oxygen they breathe, just so they can farm enough food to live on for a few more seasons. Having nice cars, million dollar homes, and food so readily available must be mind boggling to most of them, the same as not having enough is to us.
Do I believe that we will survive as a whole? Of course! I'm not a doomsayer after all. ;-) The human mind is far too resilliant to be subdued by even it's own machinations of war and plague. Our very existance is a general scoffing at nature itself, populating places we shouldn't be able to, making use of resources we shouldn't have access to because our ingenuity and genetic success ensure that our minds have become our most valuable tool for battleing every obstacles that nature (and ourselves) present.
Also, if you consider the technological evolution up to this point, we're sitting on the verge of exponential advancement like we never have before. Of course, that only makes sense, seeing as forward motion is our nature. Every generation, at any given time has most likely believed that they were in a similar position, as far as technological advancements. Look at the late 1800's to early 1900's for example. They went from horses to trains to cars in a matter of one generation. That was one helluva period! But since the dawn of the 20th century, our quality of life has increased to a degree never before thought of. The wealth of the civilized nations is more evenly dispersed among the populous than ever before, for one thing.
Who would have believed that even the poorest of Americans would have food and water and shelter guaranteed at the very least? And what home doesn't have a TV? Or a computer nowadays? Even the richest of the rich only possess "upgraded" versions of the same basic amenities that most people possess. Nicer cars and computer and homes, true, but the margins between poor and rich are lessening every day. It's not even an unreasonable expectation to expect a 6 figure income straight out of college!
I've strayed from my question a bit I suppose. But considering all these things, and the fact that there IS a terminal populous that the planet can support, regardless of how much we stress the importance of conservation efforts, or how well they are actually carried out, don't you think that we might be living in the Golden Age of this planet? Only worse is to come, from my perspective. That's not to say that we won't come out from our impending predicament just peachy keen, but the odds are heavily against it getting any better before it gets worse.
I believe that we are the luckiest generation to have ever lived on this planet in the countries that we do, and that if we could seperate ourselves from the drama of our lives, we could sit back and appreciate each day we have a little more. Although that's a totally different subject, it's something to consider as well. I forsee the next 100 years as being the best our species has ever experienced, and that we are fortunate indeed to be alive right smack dab in the middle of it. What do you guys think? Is only BETTER to come?
--LM
If you consider that best estimates are that the planet can support roughly double our population before the environment begins to deteriorate to such a degree that it's not fit for human habitation, and that at our current rate of growth, we'll hit that limit within our very lifetimes (the next 100 years), it appears as though this is it. This is the zenith of our race, before a downward spiral of death destruction and chaos. Quite litterally, our children could be involved in "MadMax: Beyond Thunderdome" struggles for the few resources left on earth to survive.
It sounds surreal, most likely, from a lot of peoples' perspective, and understandably so. Who can imagine not having enough to eat when there's a fast food joint on every corner? Valueless money when there are ATM's at every shopping mall and gas station? Desease when there are Hospitals in every city?
But if you've ever been to places like Haiti, or Cuba, or Guam, or most of Africa, you'll see how surreal OUR lives must be to people that can't feed themselves, and wouldn't know what currency is. Peoples who entire lives revolve around cutting down the very forests that create the oxygen they breathe, just so they can farm enough food to live on for a few more seasons. Having nice cars, million dollar homes, and food so readily available must be mind boggling to most of them, the same as not having enough is to us.
Do I believe that we will survive as a whole? Of course! I'm not a doomsayer after all. ;-) The human mind is far too resilliant to be subdued by even it's own machinations of war and plague. Our very existance is a general scoffing at nature itself, populating places we shouldn't be able to, making use of resources we shouldn't have access to because our ingenuity and genetic success ensure that our minds have become our most valuable tool for battleing every obstacles that nature (and ourselves) present.
Also, if you consider the technological evolution up to this point, we're sitting on the verge of exponential advancement like we never have before. Of course, that only makes sense, seeing as forward motion is our nature. Every generation, at any given time has most likely believed that they were in a similar position, as far as technological advancements. Look at the late 1800's to early 1900's for example. They went from horses to trains to cars in a matter of one generation. That was one helluva period! But since the dawn of the 20th century, our quality of life has increased to a degree never before thought of. The wealth of the civilized nations is more evenly dispersed among the populous than ever before, for one thing.
Who would have believed that even the poorest of Americans would have food and water and shelter guaranteed at the very least? And what home doesn't have a TV? Or a computer nowadays? Even the richest of the rich only possess "upgraded" versions of the same basic amenities that most people possess. Nicer cars and computer and homes, true, but the margins between poor and rich are lessening every day. It's not even an unreasonable expectation to expect a 6 figure income straight out of college!
I've strayed from my question a bit I suppose. But considering all these things, and the fact that there IS a terminal populous that the planet can support, regardless of how much we stress the importance of conservation efforts, or how well they are actually carried out, don't you think that we might be living in the Golden Age of this planet? Only worse is to come, from my perspective. That's not to say that we won't come out from our impending predicament just peachy keen, but the odds are heavily against it getting any better before it gets worse.
I believe that we are the luckiest generation to have ever lived on this planet in the countries that we do, and that if we could seperate ourselves from the drama of our lives, we could sit back and appreciate each day we have a little more. Although that's a totally different subject, it's something to consider as well. I forsee the next 100 years as being the best our species has ever experienced, and that we are fortunate indeed to be alive right smack dab in the middle of it. What do you guys think? Is only BETTER to come?
--LM
). The same probably did in 1930. Life is a Bell Curve, until it changes, we are stuck with it. Where are we in the Bell Curve over time? Who knows. We are still climbing....