Is there any reason for humanity to be optimistic at all?

[A-Stump]

Nuclear weapons are actually an incredibly useful deterrent for any country that possesses the capabilities and vice versa. Any military mind knows that a land invasion into any major country possessing them means that they can launch and destroy your entire civilization. It's why Russia hasn't gone into full scale war with America and same for America; The Cold War was both sides itching to empty their silos at each other and you'd have to be one suicidal motherfucker to do that.

Anyways with that in mind the future seems OK. The US is sitting on a wealth of valuable resources; Fields and fields of fertile land, many minerals, fossil fuel, some of the most powerful minds in the world (the US actually 'brain drains' other countries by taking their specialists away), easily accessible advanced technology, infrastructure which a lot of people bitch about but which is perfectly functional and always being worked on. The future looks pretty groovy.

 

[Marvin]

I've been worried about the future of the human race...when I hear about x cities will be underwater in about 100 years, I dread the thought of never being able to show my children or grandchildren certain parts of the world. I also dread thousands of years of culture going up in smoke. I'd be able to sleep better at night if I knew that part of our culture will be preserved should we ever leave Earth. I like the idea of seeing a new Globe Theatre, Guggenheim, Library of Congress, etc. being built in whatever part of our universe we end up in to ensure that at least some of our art and literature will be preserved. On one hand, I like the idea of traveling to a new world ala the Kryptonians or Starfleet, but if we end up colonizing new worlds, I worry that history will repeat itself, but then we'd all be dead before any of that happens I imagine.

I've read about methods scientists have thought up to cut carbon emissions, but I figure the governments are more concerned with one-upping each other and getting elected for the sake of status rather than actual contributions. Then there's the issue of money. We need those cocaine laced greenbacks love it or hate it, and I feel like they are one of the things that can impede society in some ways. This brings me back to my bit about colonizing other planets, in that only the rich will probably be able to go while most of us are just left to die.

Then I look to myself. Even if I could go green, I'm just one man. I'm not a scientist, and I wasn't very good at science in school. Is it selfish that I want to follow my dream of working in stage or film, industries which are practically predicated on environmental destruction? I like trains and railroading, and those aren't any better. I'm not a scientist, and I feel like I would just be someone with good intentions who became corrupted if I went into politics. Should I throw myself into a field I'm not good at in the hopes that I may get better, or should I follow my own path? Listening to the words of gloom and doom environmentalists, whether they practice what they preach or not, it just leaves me depressed at the end of the day like I am now...I only have one life, so which do I choose?

Society wouldn't exist without money.

Also, the human species is not leaving the solar system.

But yeah, we're doing very well. Always moving forward.

 

[StallChaser]

I've been worried about the future of the human race...when I hear about x cities will be underwater in about 100 years, I dread the thought of never being able to show my children or grandchildren certain parts of the world. I also dread thousands of years of culture going up in smoke. I'd be able to sleep better at night if I knew that part of our culture will be preserved should we ever leave Earth. I like the idea of seeing a new Globe Theatre, Guggenheim, Library of Congress, etc. being built in whatever part of our universe we end up in to ensure that at least some of our art and literature will be preserved. On one hand, I like the idea of traveling to a new world ala the Kryptonians or Starfleet, but if we end up colonizing new worlds, I worry that history will repeat itself, but then we'd all be dead before any of that happens I imagine.

I've read about methods scientists have thought up to cut carbon emissions, but I figure the governments are more concerned with one-upping each other and getting elected for the sake of status rather than actual contributions. Then there's the issue of money. We need those cocaine laced greenbacks love it or hate it, and I feel like they are one of the things that can impede society in some ways. This brings me back to my bit about colonizing other planets, in that only the rich will probably be able to go while most of us are just left to die.

Then I look to myself. Even if I could go green, I'm just one man. I'm not a scientist, and I wasn't very good at science in school. Is it selfish that I want to follow my dream of working in stage or film, industries which are practically predicated on environmental destruction? I like trains and railroading, and those aren't any better. I'm not a scientist, and I feel like I would just be someone with good intentions who became corrupted if I went into politics. Should I throw myself into a field I'm not good at in the hopes that I may get better, or should I follow my own path? Listening to the words of gloom and doom environmentalists, whether they practice what they preach or not, it just leaves me depressed at the end of the day like I am now...I only have one life, so which do I choose?

Underwater cities? Take your kids scuba diving. But yeah, global warming won't be pretty if we don't do something soon. Not human extinction bad, but redraw all the maps for agriculture and habitability bad. There will be a lot of refugees.

We won't be leaving the solar system for a very long time, if ever. Even if really fucked up earth, it would be easier to adjust it back rather than terraform an entire new planet light years away. It wouldn't be until the sun starts fusing He into C and swallows up the inner planets, and that's like billions of years away. Who knows what the life forms on earth will even look like by then.

As for yourself, do what you're good at. If you care about the earth, try to put that message into your acting. Don't do something you dislike or are bad at because you think you're "supposed to." You're not.

 

[Anonimo]

Underwater cities? Take your kids scuba diving. But yeah, global warming won't be pretty if we don't do something soon. Not human extinction bad, but redraw all the maps for agriculture and habitability bad. There will be a lot of refugees.

We won't be leaving the solar system for a very long time, if ever. Even if really fucked up earth, it would be easier to adjust it back rather than terraform an entire new planet light years away. It wouldn't be until the sun starts fusing He into C and swallows up the inner planets, and that's like billions of years away. Who knows what the life forms on earth will even look like by then.

As for yourself, do what you're good at. If you care about the earth, try to put that message into your acting. Don't do something you dislike or are bad at because you think you're "supposed to." You're not.

Society wouldn't exist without money.

Also, the human species is not leaving the solar system.

But yeah, we're doing very well. Always moving forward.

The more I think about it, it's more that I'm aware of these issues, but acknowledge that I'm only a small dust speck in the grand scheme of things. When I read articles about what people like Stephen Hawkwing or scientists say about how our planet is doomed, then I'm redirected to articles written by some more puritanical speakers with holier than thou attitudes. I look at my own life style and I feel bad because enjoying things that give me pleasure is basically saying "fuck you" to my next of kin. My parents switched our TVs to flatscreens, we throw out our trash instead of getting recycling bins, we eat meat, we're going to take a plane to Orlando for a vacation next month like we have since before I was born, our house relies on electricity, and yet we use those "trendy" twisty light bulbs. My parents and my brothers are aware of these issues, but when I bring them up at the dinner table, they tell me I need to take these things with a grain of salt. And it's not like I can just convert my house to solar power overnight, trade in my mom, dad's and my brother's cars for electrics or hybrids.

Then there's population issues that will come up. I'd like to have at least one child, but then I know that I'll only be contributing to overpopulation, however small that may be. I've thought about adopting, but then I'd need to come to grips with knowing that no matter how close the child is to me, he/she is not my real child. I feel like I can't do much of anything without feeling guilty about something. When I hear about things like this, couple it with depression, and my mind goes to some dark places. I don't want to continue a family line knowing that when the land masses become smaller, the refugees will break out into a war with the natives for territory that they may end up being plunged into.

These people have lead me to believe that the only way I can do anything to help is to kill myself or deprive myself of all pleasure, and turn my back on civilized society to live in the wild. I once attempted suicide(albeit for different reasons) and I don't plan on going through with it. I'm too firmly rooted in my lifestyle to just change it that drastically. I want to live life, but I feel like if I'm not worrying about these issues and taking everything to heart, then it means I'm a terrible person. Am I overthinking things? Should I just dismiss some of these speakers as "cry wolfs"? Should I listen to them at all? Should I live my life for me or for other people, and does it make me evil if I choose the former?

 

[theshak]

Just that, America is full of unrest, shit is still going on within the Middle East etc. the government spies on us to "keep us safe", and everyday in my class someone brings up how bad everyone's financial shit is. Is there any reason, at all, for anyone to be optimistic, about the future of the world? or are we all just screwed?

The planet has not been hit with a meteor? That's A reason .

 

[Niachu]

The more I think about it, it's more that I'm aware of these issues, but acknowledge that I'm only a small dust speck in the grand scheme of things. When I read articles about what people like Stephen Hawkwing or scientists say about how our planet is doomed, then I'm redirected to articles written by some more puritanical speakers with holier than thou attitudes. I look at my own life style and I feel bad because enjoying things that give me pleasure is basically saying "fuck you" to my next of kin. My parents switched our TVs to flatscreens, we throw out our trash instead of getting recycling bins, we eat meat, we're going to take a plane to Orlando for a vacation next month like we have since before I was born, our house relies on electricity, and yet we use those "trendy" twisty light bulbs. My parents and my brothers are aware of these issues, but when I bring them up at the dinner table, they tell me I need to take these things with a grain of salt. And it's not like I can just convert my house to solar power overnight, trade in my mom, dad's and my brother's cars for electrics or hybrids.

Oh boy, you're asking me to rant.

There are always small things you can do, it just takes effort. Buy a recycling/compost bin or set your recyclables (plastics, glass, paper, batteries, electronics, plastic bags) aside and take them somewhere appropriate, don't buy stuff with micro plastics in them, take shorter showers, eat less meat, walk more, buy a reusable water bottle, shut off any lights/electronics when you're not using them, etc...

If your family is saying to take things with a grain of salt...well, that's just being lazy, pure and simple. When someone says that it's an excuse to not think about things too hard.

You may ask yourself if it's not enough, but you'll know that you're doing what YOU can not to contribute to the many environmental issues caused by people. When Stephen Hawking and others spell gloom and doom they always say "if things continue the way they are." I think people are starting to get the message, but obviously not fast enough for everyones' good. All of us wiping ourselves out before we ever get off the planet is a very real possibility, but that's not to say there aren't those who are doing what they can. I'm involved with several sustainability programs where I live, so I do take this to heart.

As for the overpopulation thing, most of the babies are coming from places like sub-Saharan Africa where we can't enforce any birth control laws. The population is on the decline in many western societies. If we wanna do something about the population it's seeing through that women have equal rights in places where they don't and rebuilding infrastructure in poor countries with lots of civil unrest. People have lots of babies when the babies don't have a great chance of survival (not an issue in developed countries) and educated, empowered women put off having kids and have less of them.

If you're still having existential worries...all I can say is enjoy life but enjoy it responsibly. Do what you think is best for others. No matter how powerless you feel, aspire to leave life on a high note instead of a low one.

 

[Marvin]

The more I think about it, it's more that I'm aware of these issues, but acknowledge that I'm only a small dust speck in the grand scheme of things. When I read articles about what people like Stephen Hawkwing or scientists say about how our planet is doomed, then I'm redirected to articles written by some more puritanical speakers with holier than thou attitudes. I look at my own life style and I feel bad because enjoying things that give me pleasure is basically saying "fuck you" to my next of kin. My parents switched our TVs to flatscreens, we throw out our trash instead of getting recycling bins, we eat meat, we're going to take a plane to Orlando for a vacation next month like we have since before I was born, our house relies on electricity, and yet we use those "trendy" twisty light bulbs. My parents and my brothers are aware of these issues, but when I bring them up at the dinner table, they tell me I need to take these things with a grain of salt. And it's not like I can just convert my house to solar power overnight, trade in my mom, dad's and my brother's cars for electrics or hybrids.

Then there's population issues that will come up. I'd like to have at least one child, but then I know that I'll only be contributing to overpopulation, however small that may be. I've thought about adopting, but then I'd need to come to grips with knowing that no matter how close the child is to me, he/she is not my real child. I feel like I can't do much of anything without feeling guilty about something. When I hear about things like this, couple it with depression, and my mind goes to some dark places. I don't want to continue a family line knowing that when the land masses become smaller, the refugees will break out into a war with the natives for territory that they may end up being plunged into.

These people have lead me to believe that the only way I can do anything to help is to kill myself or deprive myself of all pleasure, and turn my back on civilized society to live in the wild. I once attempted suicide(albeit for different reasons) and I don't plan on going through with it. I'm too firmly rooted in my lifestyle to just change it that drastically. I want to live life, but I fell like if I'm not worrying about these issues and taking everything to heart, then it means I'm a terrible person. Am I overthinking things? Should I just dismiss some of these speakers as "cry wolfs"? Should I listen to them at all? Should I live my life for me or for other people, and does it make me evil if I choose the former?

Environmental issues are purely a practical problem, and only because of the environment's relevance to humanity.

Growing up, whenever I heard about various animals going extinct or being threatened, I felt sad. Like environmental advocates really crank up the emotional aspect of stuff like that (it's good way to sell their views, of course). But now that I think about it a bit more, it's really silly to get emotional about it. The whole idea of evolution is extinction. Every species today exists because it beat out tons of other branches on their evolutionary tree.

Sure, there are practical reasons why we want to keep an eye on threatened species, just because it might fuck up natural resources we might need. Or maybe they're pretty to look at, like in zoos. Otherwise, you shouldn't give a shit.

Plus, it's a large scale issue. Unless you're wanting to get a phd on a particular large scale issue, don't worry about large scale issues. I'm in the US, I'm one out of 300 million people. My obligation to the country on large scale issues is a function of my authority and how many of me there are. I'm not the director of the EPA or anything like that, so I split up responsibility with 300 million other people. (Of course, the size of my obligation, while small, is not zero. I do pay my obligation by being politically active.)

If you vote and recycle, don't worry about it.

There are always small things you can do, it just takes effort.

Heh, sometimes that effort isn't worth it.

 

[Holdek]

Nuclear weapons are actually an incredibly useful deterrent for any country that possesses the capabilities and vice versa. Any military mind knows that a land invasion into any major country possessing them means that they can launch and destroy your entire civilization. It's why Russia hasn't gone into full scale war with America and same for America; The Cold War was both sides itching to empty their silos at each other and you'd have to be one suicidal motherfucker to do that.

The problem is when things like the Cuban Missile Crisis or the Yom Kippur War happen and countries go on hair-trigger alert and then it just takes a mistaken signal or frayed nerves to start a nuclear back-and-forth that can't be stopped. During the Cuban Missile Crisis two Soviet officers on a submarine thought that American depth pings were a prelude to a torpedo launch, so they gave the launch order for nukes to be fired at Miami. Only the third officer on the sub stopped it with his veto power.

Or hell, just accidents, like when the Russians thought a meteor shower was an American ICBM launch prepared to launch a second strike.

 

[LordCustos3]

Just that, America is full of unrest,

Take it from someone old....the current unrest is a pale shadow of the unrest of the past. We are living soft lives.

shit is still going on within the Middle East etc.

The "Holy Land" has been a violent shithole since the Dark Ages. The current unrest there is neither new nor special. The intensity level of the unrest seems to be pretty constant.

the government spies on us to "keep us safe",

This is also not new. Read up on how intrusive the FBI used to be under J. Edgar Hoover. We are merely getting as bad as it USED to be back then.

and everyday in my class someone brings up how bad everyone's financial shit is.

Sure, it sucks....but it isn't "Great Depression" levels of suck.

Is there any reason, at all, for anyone to be optimistic, about the future of the world? or are we all just screwed?

Just think about this:
100,000 years ago, we had lifespans that barely made it into double digits. The ones who ended up as sabre-toothed tiger shit were the lucky ones.
5,000 years ago, the best you could hope for was a thatched roof hut to keep out the rain. Until barbarians came along and burned it and you to the ground.
2,000 years ago, nearly everyone was a peasant who lived off of 400 calories a day in a world that had no deodorant or soap.
500 years ago, people still thought slavery was a wonderful idea and the only cure for a headache was beheading.
100 years ago, There was no such thing as refrigeration, air-conditioning or recorded music.
45 years ago, people wore bellbottoms and muttonchop sideburns unironically.

Any complaints we have nowadays are the whiny bleatings of the soft and over-indulged.
Life used to be a miserable wretched abyss of boiling sewage....
Nowadays its an inconvenient gully full of oily bilgewater.

You don't know how good you have it.

 

[Niachu]

Any complaints we have nowadays are the whiny bleatings of the soft and over-indulged.
Life used to be a miserable wretched abyss of boiling sewage....
Nowadays its an inconvenient gully full of oily bilgewater.

You don't know how good you have it.

The "no one is allowed to complain, ever" stance isn't helpful, nor does it indicate awareness of how human psychology works. People always want something better. If we didn't, no one would have it as good as we have today.

Single mothers who can barely provide for their kids because they aren't making a living on minimum wage while prices for food and rent go up every year aren't being whiny because they don't have it as bad as mothers who had their babies picked off by lions 200,000 years ago. College kids stuck with crippling debt aren't "over-indulged" just because there are people their age in other countries who have no hope of an education.

Not saying we should take our comparatively comfortable lives for granted, or that it's not stupid that there are many, many who do. But with an advanced society comes certain expectations, like a government that doesn't spy on us, huge corporations that don't exploit their workers, etc. Everyone has expectations society sets for them or ones we set for ourselves, and we get upset when those aren't met.

Now, I'm talking about the issues like the financial crisis, environmental destruction, human rights abuses...if you were talking about the kind of people who get mocked here, then I'm not arguing.

 

[LordCustos3]

The "no one is allowed to complain, ever" stance isn't helpful.

If that was the message you heard, that you misheard me.
I'm not saying "stop complaining" or "it can be sooooo much worse."
I'm saying that life in the modern age is a vast improvement over how things used to be.
This is something to be both heartened and proud of. We have accomplished to much, and have so much potential. Sure, most of that potential is wasted; but all it takes is a quick reconnoiter of how bad things used to be to see reasons to be optimistic. Its two steps back, and three steps forward.
OP asked "Is there any reason for humanity to be optimistic at all?" to which I resoundingly say "Yes!"

 

[niggers]

trying to find patterns in broken glass op

the world is rudderless. there were no good times and no bad times. just times.

if you want a goal just hope the singularity happens before you die and you merge with the machine-god

 

[Niachu]

If that was the message you heard, that you misheard me.
I'm not saying "stop complaining" or "it can be sooooo much worse."
I'm saying that life in the modern age is a vast improvement over how things used to be.
This is something to be both heartened and proud of. We have accomplished to much, and have so much potential. Sure, most of that potential is wasted; but all it takes is a quick reconnoiter of how bad things used to be to see reasons to be optimistic. Its two steps back, and three steps forward.
OP asked "Is there any reason for humanity to be optimistic at all?" to which I resoundingly say "Yes!"

I agree. Interesting to think of how the people that lived centuries, even decades ago couldn't conceive of how things would improve, you know? Heck, if you told middle school me all the stuff I'd be able to do with my phone in just eight years I wouldn't have believed it.

 

[LordCustos3]

I agree. Interesting to think of how the people that lived centuries, even decades ago couldn't conceive of how things would improve, you know? Heck, if you told middle school me all the stuff I'd be able to do with my phone in just eight years I wouldn't have believed it.

Too true.
Case in point.....here's Patton Oswalt talking about his mp3 player:
https://ia700409.us.archive.org/12/...ssIsStrong/12Obama...AndTimeTravel...AndC.mp3

 

[Hyperion]

With people like me running around reproducing no I don't think we should be optimistic.

 

[ToroidalBoat]

The Olduvai theory could kick in and we revert to a preindustrial lifestyle after a probably brutal transition, so in the end it kind of works out if you're a fan of "the good old days." Or, given how much things have overall vastly improved since preindustrial times, especially in health care and sanitation, it may be a bumpy road there, but the future could get brighter overall with advanced technology. So I say there's still some optimism.

 

[LordDarkrai]

I admit I still have negative thoughts myself, it flares up randomly. Each time, I know that it's not the way to spend any day. I want to believe people have potential within to become great. That's why I came up with ways to combat my negative thoughts by self-improvement, to find something within that can make a difference in someone's life.

 

[Pickle Inspector]

Just that, America is full of unrest, shit is still going on within the Middle East etc. the government spies on us to "keep us safe", and everyday in my class someone brings up how bad everyone's financial shit is. Is there any reason, at all, for anyone to be optimistic, about the future of the world? or are we all just screwed?

I think so, if only for technological advancements, I mean they've got to the point they can make artificial skin/blood vessels in labs and can use 3d printers to print bones and even organs, those last two things just happened this year so in the near future if you have organ failure you'll be able to go get a doctor to just print another one off for you.

This image might cheer you up.

 

[wheat pasta]

Re: Is there any reason for humanity to be optimistic at all

I remember reading that Earth is past due for a mass extintion event. My money's on asteroid strike or super volcano.

I know this is an old post of yours so apologies for that, but my theory is that humanity is the mass extinction event. Sure, some people are treating the planet better but there's so many hundreds of thousands of millions of people who are not. Many species in the ocean are dying out due either to pollution or overfishing, our rainforests are being destroyed and the animals within are running out of habitat and poaching is still a huge thing in a lot of places. For instance, we'll probably lose tigers soon as well as tuna fish and some species of crab.
Even just in America where we're supposedly more enlightened than other countries, there is an astounding number of people who do not engage in any recycling practices whatsoever, which I think should be punishable by at least a fine in this day and age. There shouldn't be any excuse for that kind of negligence.

Okay, that was awfully preachy of me and I'm sorry. Just had to get it out there.

 

[Marvin]

I know this is an old post of yours so apologies for that, but my theory is that humanity is the mass extinction event. Sure, some people are treating the planet better but there's so many hundreds of thousands of millions of people who are not. Many species in the ocean are dying out due either to pollution or overfishing, our rainforests are being destroyed and the animals within are running out of habitat and poaching is still a huge thing in a lot of places. For instance, we'll probably lose tigers soon as well as tuna fish and some species of crab.
Even just in America where we're supposedly more enlightened than other countries, there is an astounding number of people who do not engage in any recycling practices whatsoever, which I think should be punishable by at least a fine in this day and age. There shouldn't be any excuse for that kind of negligence.

Okay, that was awfully preachy of me and I'm sorry. Just had to get it out there.

But... there's not any inherent value in the selection of species we have. I mean, maybe they're nice to go look at in zoos, but just out in the wild? They're unnecessary if they can't survive. That's evolution and it happens constantly. Humanity is just a branch of our evolutionary tree that hasn't died out yet.