Will The World of man, End?

[bigfootedfred]

OK.

before you cry, "crackpot" "nutter" or "seek help".
let me go through my concept.

The purpose of this thread, is to ascertain how many people here believe the world will end, by whatever means.
and wether humanity will be stil be around the way it is today, by say 2050?

The US, is ranking up debt, and doing nothing about it.
Recently, in britan, Future pension schemes have been curtailed, NI, for any fellow britishman.
but in the end this is not-important. but all part of the same thing.
People around me, attitudes have changed.

So, my question is this,
Are we comming to an end?

this does have a purpose, i want to see how many people on here believe
that we will be here, as we are today, at this level, in 2050.
ill give my own opinion later on. or i might not, i just want to hear other peoples.


do you glimpse the future, and see large scale devastion, humanity in destution, and despair prevalent in all?
or, do you see a happy thriving global comunnity?

[MoROmeTe]

I will probably be around bar a freak accident or liver failure (I drinks quite a bit)...

I will be 67 then.

[Guderian]

I reckon it all depends on whether or not we take the space program seriously instead of seeing it as competition between countries or something to support in order to get elected. But either way I don't think the earth can take much more of the damage we are doing to it.

[EDIT] 2050 is too soon, i'd say it'll at least be a century or two from now before something drastic happens. So im voting 4 if 's 2050 and 3 if it's 2100+.

[imb39]

America has actually had a much higher amount of debt as a proportion of GNP during WW2. It is true that they benefitted from Europe's rebuilding but they can sustain a very high level of debt. Its debt at the moment is around 70%. Britain debt (for comparison purposes is around 40%). I think it is going to be a huge problem, but 50 years time is too soon.

With life expectancy increasing and, I believe (perhaps hope is a better choice...), Africa being supported better (through a downgrading of tarrifs etc) then the number of people supported can be improved.

Tech development is not slowing down, indeed we are developing new technology fields (biotechnology is just in its infancy and its promises are great).

The only thing that is going to put a break on this is a world war - one that goes nuclear. I just cannot see this happening.

[Rowan11088]

Well economic issues will definitely not be the cause of such a disaster...most of the world right now is living and over-populating on a standard of living that's a tiny fraction of our own in the U.S. or Europe, so worrying that we won't have our pension funds is not tantamount to global devastation. I suppose we can look at environmental damage, but I still see nothing that could possible end the human race coming about. We will run out of oil, but that doesn't stop us from growing food, and will additionally forcibly stop our pollution to a great extent. Global warming may or may not be our fault or even a real problem, but at the rate it's going it's not really a threat to life. What are we so worried about? Every generation has had some period of doubt surely, where they think the "end of the world" is coming, and it never does...

[Muizer]

Every generation has had some period of doubt surely, where they think the "end of the world" is coming, and it never does...

I agree. There's a certain element of mental lazyness in predicting the end of the world when confronted with uncertainty. There's also lazyness in thinking we will adjust come what may. I think we will see change and the question whether it is going to be change by evolution or revolution is worth asking I think. My prediction is we'll have gotten used to everything we worry about today (which isn't to say we'll have solved all our problems) and have added new issues to worry about that we can't even begin to contemplate now.

Muizer

[First Crusader]

I agree. There's a certain element of mental lazyness in predicting the end of the world when confronted with uncertainty. There's also lazyness in thinking we will adjust come what may. I think we will see change and the question whether it is going to be change by evolution or revolution is worth asking I think. My prediction is we'll have gotten used to everything we worry about today and have added new issues to worry about that we can't even begin to contemplate now.

Muizer

I agree. Whether the fear is running out of whale oil, nuclear war, or global warming, there is always some silly fear to get the masses hysterical.

[MadKow]

I voted 4, as i tend to be optimistic. Technology will not stop, and unless a nuclear war takes place population wont significantly decrease.
By 2050, we'll probably have had to deal with a few major crisis and hopefully come out stronger and wiser...
I would be 84... so probably only wiser, for me, if at all...

[bigfootedfred]

hmm early stages, but a healthy optimisn showing..

keep voting boys n girls.

[First Crusader]

I think technology will continue to go up, but current trends suggest a severe decline in birth rate for the West and the Islamic world. But I don't think that will hurt society too much, since the Muslim birthrate would be too low to "absorb" Europe, like some people fear.

Of course, if that peak oil thing turns out to be true, we may have a serious problem unless we switch to nuclear as soon as possible. :sweatingb

[LordSaradain]

Prehaps America and Eurpoe are coming to an end of their world domanance and the number of europeans will proably begin decreasing, but as a whole it wont affect humanity because in asia there is such a great population increase which proably will continue at least a couple of decades. I think China and India will become new superpowers in the future.

[First Crusader]

Prehaps America and Eurpoe are coming to an end of their world domanance and the number of europeans will proably begin decreasing, but as a whole it wont affect humanity because in asia there is such a great population increase which proably will continue at least a couple of decades. I think China and India will become new superpowers in the future.

India, a superpower?

[Elu Barcino]

India, a superpower?

Ummmm... yeah. A country that is due to overtake China in terms of population isn't going to sit around forever, is it?

[Pra]

India, a superpower?

By some, India is already considered an informational superpower. Among Japan and the USA, India is the only other country to own a super-computer. Moreover, India has the largest volunteer based army in the world.

[First Crusader]

By some, India is already considered an informational superpower. Among Japan and the USA, India is the only other country to own a super-computer. Moreover, India has the largest volunteer based army in the world.

I think they will have to solve all of their internal problems before they start the journey to world domination.

Right now, expansion for them is impractical, if not impossible, due to the current nuclear stalemate between them and the Pakistanis. Pakistan wouldn't sit back and do nothing if India tried to take over the world :laughing:

[Pra]

I think they will have to solve all of their internal problems before they start the journey to world domination.

Right now, expansion for them is impractical, if not impossible, due to the current nuclear stalemate between them and the Pakistanis. Pakistan wouldn't sit back and do nothing if India tried to take over the world :laughing:

The laughing icon is quite the patronizing gesture.

A nuclear stalemate, perhaps, but the Indians have the one-up on the Pakistanis in every other feat. India has an endearing economic, self-sufficient, institution. Currently, it has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It's people are recognized as one of the hardest working groups in the world; in 60 Minutes, India's Indian Institute of Technology was regarded as more prominent and rigorous than three of America's top Universities. Corruption may be a problem, but nothing that 50 years growth will not settle out. (Also, India has been an independant nation for around 60 years.)

On the military front, it has been reported that Indian Soldiers are the second best trained in the world, right under those of Israel. Moreover, in every military conflict, India has defeated Pakistan, even when the Pakistanis have had the advantage. If there was a war, one which didn't involve the exchange of nuclear materials between India and Pakistan, India would clearly be the victor. Further, India, through its size in manpower, could possibly sustain a nuclear explosion greater than Pakistan could.

I will concede that expansion is impractical, expansion, in these days with 9-year long expected insurgencies, is rarely practical, but to discount Indian military prowess as purely whimsical is falacious.

[Seleukos]

2050 is too soon. We would still grow in population, I doubt a world war III would happen unless we do something stupid and attack China. We would have better tech. Simply 2050 is too soon.

[Trey]

India and China both have the ability to become superpowers. But my prediction is that it will be one or the other, because 1. they will be competing against eachother 2. they aren't what you would call friends.

[Pra]

India and China both have the ability to become superpowers. But my prediction is that it will be one or the other, because 1. they will be competing against eachother 2. they aren't what you would call friends.

I would hope that India will grow to become a superpower-one that is weaker than the United States, but a crucial ally to the United States.

In all likelyhood, China will be the stronger, but India will more likely be a closer ally to US.

[First Crusader]

I would hope that India will grow to become a superpower-one that is weaker than the United States, but a crucial ally to the United States.

In all likelyhood, China will be the stronger, but India will more likely be a closer ally to US.

Interesting. Explain why you think India would make a good ally. I am not disagreeing, I just want to know your reasoning.