[OT] Your visions of the future.

[Grandpa Kim]

Dog, you're the host of one of those interview shows in real life, aren't you?

Damn fine questions if you can draw out even me!

-Will we colonise the solar system? When?

Yup, but not before 2100. Not enough money for our lousy space technology. When we improve the tech (economically speaking) we will do it!

-Will we ever travel beyond this solar system? When? How? How far?

You bet. If you are a religious man, you just can't believe we were not intended to use all that space; if areligious, you know we simply will not give up and will somehow find a way. It will take a theoretical breakthrough to do it and there is no predicting genius, so no date from me. How far? How high is up?

-How long will humanity survive? Will we evolve into something else, be wiped out by war/catastrophe or have we reached the point where we can overcome or avoid anything nature can throw at us?

All depends on whether the ultimate war occurs before or after we get enough people off this planet to make a difference. Spread us far enough and we will Last indefinitely and evolve very slowly. We will never reach the point where nature can't surprise us... and most natural surprises are unpleasant.


-Will civilisation continue on its path or are we headed for a catastrophe and a new dark age?

Most certainly we will have another dark age. No, make that many dark ages. The race will survive them all and be stronger for it... but I don't want to live in one!


-Will we meet intelligent ETs? Will they come here or will we have to go to them? How will we get on with them?

Yes, we will meet intelligent ETs. We will probably meet on neutral ground, but that's just statistics speaking. We will get on with them about the same as we get on with anyone who is different. Poorly.

-Will we achieve AI? When? What will be the ramifications for humanity? Will we all become cyborgs?

We will achieve AI and a lot sooner than you think. Certainly before the middle of the century. The main ramification will be the end to all computer programming bugs! Somehow I will find a way to live with this . We are already becoming cyborgs.

-What about genetics? Will future generations of humans be improved (or maybe
"improved") by gene-tweaking? Will people accept this?

Pandora's box. Yes we will try everything imaginable when it comes to gene tinkering. It will take a dark age to stuff this djinni back in the bottle. (Pun totally accidental or my subconcious...). And why should this be any harder to accept then any other outrageous thing from the past.

-What about neural technology? Will our great-grandchildren have computers embedded in their brains and direct mental access to everyone else?

Again, this is already happening.

-Will communications technology fundamentally change society? Will government become obselete when we're all jacked into some gigantic global network? Will we become the
Borg?

You think those gummint yahoo's will ever give up their power and privelege? If so, I have this bridge....
No, I don't think we will ever be universally jacked in, but, like anything else, some will love it, some hate it.

-Will the usa conquer the entire world? How long before the new empire crumbles?

No. Already is crumbling.

-What art/ literature/ individuals from today will be remembered for centuries to come?

I'm stumped here.

-Will humanity ever be united and war made a thing of the past, or is our tribalistic instinct too strong?

We will always have war. I won't say more because it would be book length.


-Is national identity something that will come to an end or will expansion to other planets create more nations and more conflicts?

I used to believe that this planet could be under one government, but I see there are more nations today than there were 50 years ago. I'm afraid we may never grow up, but one can hope.

-What is the future of religion? Can it stand up to the advance of science? Will it evolve, die out or will it stay as it is?

'Fraid were stuck with it and it's form will change little. *Sigh* Science may disappear in those dark ages, but religion will barely notice the difference.

Hey, that was fun, Dog. Do another! Do another!

Kim

[Aloofi]

Well, I see some people here support the idea of a global goverment. I think that will be a greater evil than the bunch of greedy goverments we have today. We will not even be able to change countries if we oppouse a given govt.
Besides, a Global Govt will be nothing more than the hammer of the Corps on our backs, or worst.

[dogscoff]

Well, I see some people here support the idea of a global goverment.

Not really. I think all governments are as bad as one another. I think technology will eventually allow us to unite without any form of government that we could easily recognise today.

Vote for anarchy.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

order and anarchy. not as impossible as it seems, you just need good people.

[Cyrien]

good people... Is that an oxymoron?

[Instar]

Anarchy would be bad. Order is needed for some sort of civilization and society, if you ask me.

[solops]

My vision of the future is very fuzzy. Maybe my glasses are smudged.

[TerranC]

Originally posted by dogscoff:
Not really. I think all governments are as bad as one another. I think technology will eventually allow us to unite without any form of government that we could easily recognise today.

Vote for anarchy.

I'd rather have government than anarchy; since with anarchy, if somebody likes the shirt I bought, they can might as well kill me and take it, and there would be no justice.

[Kamog]

Maybe in the future, humans will evolve to have larger and larger brains, and weaker bodies. We'll have huge heads and be incredibly smart, but have really flimsy arms and legs. We'll spend all our time hooked up to computers and machines and not have to exercise. Then we'll develop psychic powers to allow us to levitate and telekinetically move objects with our thoughts. We'll never have to walk or use any muscles, even to push buttons. Then, we will evolve into beings of pure energy. ...well, maybe not.