Who is going to win the war to save the planet?

[Vee]

I guess we can all agree the earth is in great danger and since all forms of life depend on the planet, the future of humankind and millions of other species is in danger too. The list of threats is long and well known:

- Global Climate change
- Pandemics
- Over consumption of the earth’s resources by a growing population
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Oceanic dead zones and overfishing
- Wars
- Etc, ect, etc…

In 2016 Stephen Hawking said that we are living through the most dangerous time in the history of the human race (This is the most dangerous time for our planet | Stephen Hawking). There is one particular sentence that stands out for me “We now have the technology to destroy the planet on which we live, but have not yet developed the ability to escape it.”

More recently, in August this year Pope Francis as said that our common home is at risk “The service of the common good is left behind. Once capital becomes an idol and guides people’s decisions, once greed for money presides over the entire socioeconomic system, it ruins society, it condemns and enslaves men and women, it destroys human fraternity, it sets people against one another and, as we clearly see, it even puts at risk our common home, Sister and Mother Earth.” Independently of any religious belief, I think he’s right. Here’s the full article in case anyone is interested - Pope Francis on the Dangers Facing Mother Earth.

We have lost a number of battles but the war is not yet lost. Some still have the hope that humans will find ways to fix these problems and set things on the right track. That solution will, for those who still have faith in human kind, be provided mostly by technology. It is true that things are advancing in a lot of areas but are they advancing fast and far enough? Will the technological advancements necessary to save the earth arrive on time? And if they do, can technology alone do it?

Can the outcome be positive without a radical change in human mentality and behavior and what are the odds of people accepting to stop all forms of corruption and live with less in order to save the planet?
I don’t want to be negative but knowing what I know about humans, I don’t trust our species to do the right thing. What is your take on this?

 

[shunyadragon]

The cockroaches, and the Twinkies and candy corn will last forever.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I don’t want to be negative but knowing what I know about humans, I don’t trust our species to do the right thing. What is your take on this?

There are too many variables to say how, but the world will survive.

Did you know that the inventor of economic theory, Adam Smith, believed that the world was becoming overpopulated and expected doom and massive death back at the end of the 18th century? He is the reason that Economics is called The Dismal Science, and by sheer coincidence another Adam Smith recently authored a popular and genre-changing video game called Doom. The message to mothers is not to name their children that. (Ok I made up that part about Adam Smith writing Doom. That isn't the author's name.)

In 2016 Stephen Hawking said that we are living through the most dangerous time in the history of the human race (This is the most dangerous time for our planet | Stephen Hawking). There is one particular sentence that stands out for me “We now have the technology to destroy the planet on which we live, but have not yet developed the ability to escape it.”

I like Steven Hawking, because he is a dogged, inspirational figure who has accomplished many things even in the face of hardship. He makes some odd statements sometimes, however which get sensationalized by writers (not talking about you). For example he has warned that AI is a threat to human life, but he does not do AI research papers. On matters where he is an expert, he is breathtakingly sharp. In other areas his opinion has weight but not at the same level. For example if he predicts doom based upon Astronomy and the statistical likelihood of meteors he should be taken very seriously, but if he warns about doom based upon other things then he is not to be placed up with other better authorities. Bill Gates sees AI as a threat, and that is a more serious comment in that area.

Which brings me to AI. AI certainly is a threat as well as a tool. It is such an amazing tool and impressive threat it has the potential to solve our nuclear war problem eventually. It could categorize all of our knowledge and lead us into a world of lasting brotherly love. It could place us all into slavery or even replace us. Combined with our other tech it could give us absolute control of our weather. Its that powerful, dangerous and amazing. It is one short path to mastery of knowledge. It makes it no simpler to answer the question of whether the world will survive.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Planet of the Apes.

 

[David1967]

The cockroaches, and the Twinkies and candy corn will last forever.

Darn it!! You beat me to it.

 

[columbus]

I guess we can all agree the earth is in great danger and since all forms of life depend on the planet, the future of humankind and millions of other species is in danger too.

No we don't all agree on this.
I doubt that even a majority do.

I do, but because we are the minority I don't expect any substantial changes to human culture and expect us to annihilate ourselves.

Google "The tragedy of the commons" for a better explanation.
Tom

 

[sayak83]

I guess we can all agree the earth is in great danger and since all forms of life depend on the planet, the future of humankind and millions of other species is in danger too. The list of threats is long and well known:

- Global Climate change
- Pandemics
- Over consumption of the earth’s resources by a growing population
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Oceanic dead zones and overfishing
- Wars
- Etc, ect, etc…

In 2016 Stephen Hawking said that we are living through the most dangerous time in the history of the human race (This is the most dangerous time for our planet | Stephen Hawking). There is one particular sentence that stands out for me “We now have the technology to destroy the planet on which we live, but have not yet developed the ability to escape it.”

More recently, in August this year Pope Francis as said that our common home is at risk “The service of the common good is left behind. Once capital becomes an idol and guides people’s decisions, once greed for money presides over the entire socioeconomic system, it ruins society, it condemns and enslaves men and women, it destroys human fraternity, it sets people against one another and, as we clearly see, it even puts at risk our common home, Sister and Mother Earth.” Independently of any religious belief, I think he’s right. Here’s the full article in case anyone is interested - Pope Francis on the Dangers Facing Mother Earth.

We have lost a number of battles but the war is not yet lost. Some still have the hope that humans will find ways to fix these problems and set things on the right track. That solution will, for those who still have faith in human kind, be provided mostly by technology. It is true that things are advancing in a lot of areas but are they advancing fast and far enough? Will the technological advancements necessary to save the earth arrive on time? And if they do, can technology alone do it?

Can the outcome be positive without a radical change in human mentality and behavior and what are the odds of people accepting to stop all forms of corruption and live with less in order to save the planet?
I don’t want to be negative but knowing what I know about humans, I don’t trust our species to do the right thing. What is your take on this?

The danger is to us, not the planet nor life in general. Mass extinctions have happened before. The world has been much warmer before. Plastic eating bacteria have already evolved. It's we who will suffer and likely go extinct if we cause a mass extinction or change the world too much. If we ignore the problems, our suffering from natural and ecological instabilities will continue to increase until society attains a tipping point when clamor of change overwhelms inertial tendencies. What will happen then is any body's guess. I, personally believe that the story of humanity is far from done and we will emerge from the crisis, even if a lot of damage has occured.

"The rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward. Did you not know?"
-Gandalf in LOTR

 

[Laika]

I guess we can all agree the earth is in great danger and since all forms of life depend on the planet, the future of humankind and millions of other species is in danger too. The list of threats is long and well known:

- Global Climate change
- Pandemics
- Over consumption of the earth’s resources by a growing population
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Oceanic dead zones and overfishing
- Wars
- Etc, ect, etc…

In 2016 Stephen Hawking said that we are living through the most dangerous time in the history of the human race (This is the most dangerous time for our planet | Stephen Hawking). There is one particular sentence that stands out for me “We now have the technology to destroy the planet on which we live, but have not yet developed the ability to escape it.”

More recently, in August this year Pope Francis as said that our common home is at risk “The service of the common good is left behind. Once capital becomes an idol and guides people’s decisions, once greed for money presides over the entire socioeconomic system, it ruins society, it condemns and enslaves men and women, it destroys human fraternity, it sets people against one another and, as we clearly see, it even puts at risk our common home, Sister and Mother Earth.” Independently of any religious belief, I think he’s right. Here’s the full article in case anyone is interested - Pope Francis on the Dangers Facing Mother Earth.

We have lost a number of battles but the war is not yet lost. Some still have the hope that humans will find ways to fix these problems and set things on the right track. That solution will, for those who still have faith in human kind, be provided mostly by technology. It is true that things are advancing in a lot of areas but are they advancing fast and far enough? Will the technological advancements necessary to save the earth arrive on time? And if they do, can technology alone do it?

Can the outcome be positive without a radical change in human mentality and behavior and what are the odds of people accepting to stop all forms of corruption and live with less in order to save the planet?
I don’t want to be negative but knowing what I know about humans, I don’t trust our species to do the right thing. What is your take on this?

This crisis is potentially the greatest opportunity in human history if we use it right. We have an opportunity to fundamentally alter the nature of society, our relationship with the planet and with each other. Anyone who says it will be easy is lying or delusional and there are a huge amount of obstacles and dangers. But all our problems are man-made, so it is well within our ability to solve them if we are willing to find the means necessary to achieve it. The main problem is the inertia of our current economic, social and political institutions and our lack of imagination. History shows however, that it not the inherent condition or nature of mankind but is something more peculiar to our own time.

It could be a very exciting time to be alive that will have consequences for generations to come. Whether they are positive or negative is up to us to decide. We have to start the ball rolling by believing that people want and can do better and that we can create a future we deserve.

Don't give up on humanity just yet. We are about to get interesting. Humanity is worth fighting for.

 

[columbus]

This crisis is potentially the greatest opportunity in human history if we use it right.

The main problem is the inertia of our current economic, social and political institutions and our lack of imagination.

What makes you think we might suddenly change so dramatically?
I'm not seeing a reason to think so.
Tom

 

[Nakosis]

Can the outcome be positive without a radical change in human mentality and behavior and what are the odds of people accepting to stop all forms of corruption and live with less in order to save the planet?
I don’t want to be negative but knowing what I know about humans, I don’t trust our species to do the right thing. What is your take on this?

Science might win it, but probably only if there's money to be made from doing it.

Not every human is greedy but it's the greedy one's who make things happen. Or really it's money that makes things happen and it the greedy folks who have it.

Some smart people feel there's no way to save the planet. So the only option is to spread out into space to destroy other ecosystems.

What I feel is that we'll probably find some way to adapt to whatever the earth becomes. However probably not until it becomes a necessity to do so.

 

[Laika]

What makes you think we might suddenly change so dramatically?
I'm not seeing a reason to think so.
Tom

Its an unintended consequence of being suicidal. You realise all you're reasons for giving up are ******** and you stop caring about what other people say is impossible and go and try it anyway. The desire to live is irrational and uncompromising and even in my darkest moments there was that part of me telling me to keep trying. its a question of learning to listen.

Eventually, people are going to figure out the difference between being afraid of dying and being afraid of living. I'm willing to bet that when it comes down to it we will give ourselves the chance and try. success is another story- but we can't succeed unless we are actually willing to try and keep trying until we get something that works. I'm going down fighting and I don't care if everyone else thinks I'm crazy. If resignation to collective suicide is the definition of sanity, I'm just fine being crazy. I get to die happy.

 

[metis]

We have to remember that well over 90% of all species have gone extinct since the beginning of this planet, so I don't think that humans are immune to this possibility.

What Hawking focuses in on is what he calls "the greed factor", namely that we don't have the mindset to think what's good for the planet and all humankind but more of what's good for moi.

 

[Quintessence]

I'm not really one for the "save the planet" and "the planet is in danger" rhetoric. It's poor choice of wording that doesn't accurately reflect what is going on. The planet does not need saving, and it is not in danger. There is not some giant rogue planetoid on a collision course with earth that will result in the literal end of the world and earth being pulverized into space dust.

Are dramatic changes happening to global ecosystems and climate systems? Yes. Is this normal? Yes. Do humans consider it normal? There's the rub. Humans create norms in their heads - stories about how the world is "supposed" to be - then expect reality to conform to it. Except it never, ever does. Everything is always changing. If it changes in a direction we don't think it is "supposed" to (usually because we don't want it to) we scream: danger, bad, warning, apocalypse! It's an understandable self-centered response to events. Do I think it's disgusting that the legacy of my species will be a layer of garbage in the layers of rocks of this planet and an extinction line? Oh, absolutely. Disgusting is putting it mildly, really.

 

[Father]

Nature will win. after it kills off a large portion of humanity in a plague or famine or natural disaster

 

[Profound Realization]

I guess we can all agree the earth is in great danger and since all forms of life depend on the planet, the future of humankind and millions of other species is in danger too. The list of threats is long and well known:

- Global Climate change
- Pandemics
- Over consumption of the earth’s resources by a growing population
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Oceanic dead zones and overfishing
- Wars
- Etc, ect, etc…

In 2016 Stephen Hawking said that we are living through the most dangerous time in the history of the human race (This is the most dangerous time for our planet | Stephen Hawking). There is one particular sentence that stands out for me “We now have the technology to destroy the planet on which we live, but have not yet developed the ability to escape it.”

More recently, in August this year Pope Francis as said that our common home is at risk “The service of the common good is left behind. Once capital becomes an idol and guides people’s decisions, once greed for money presides over the entire socioeconomic system, it ruins society, it condemns and enslaves men and women, it destroys human fraternity, it sets people against one another and, as we clearly see, it even puts at risk our common home, Sister and Mother Earth.” Independently of any religious belief, I think he’s right. Here’s the full article in case anyone is interested - Pope Francis on the Dangers Facing Mother Earth.

We have lost a number of battles but the war is not yet lost. Some still have the hope that humans will find ways to fix these problems and set things on the right track. That solution will, for those who still have faith in human kind, be provided mostly by technology. It is true that things are advancing in a lot of areas but are they advancing fast and far enough? Will the technological advancements necessary to save the earth arrive on time? And if they do, can technology alone do it?

Can the outcome be positive without a radical change in human mentality and behavior and what are the odds of people accepting to stop all forms of corruption and live with less in order to save the planet?
I don’t want to be negative but knowing what I know about humans, I don’t trust our species to do the right thing. What is your take on this?

You're not negative, you're just realistic and trying to be content/make peace with what is.

In this world, the commonly perceived right thing is usually the wrong thing. Mankind in legion, have put their trust in many of the wrong things. Unable to see clearly their left from their right.

Mankind/humans have never saved themselves, nor are they capable as much as many like to think. There are forces/powers much superior to mankind.

Personally, I'm doing my time on the prison plane as is everyone else. Only, I've found a way to escape. Some others have too.

 

[osgart]

i don't think any of the systems or institutions of government and economy are conducive to benevolence, opportunity, or charity towards the fellow human. rather the nature of society lends toward selfish necessity, and competitive shrewdness.

maybe we should experiment with new forms of government.

 

[Vee]

Mankind/humans have never saved themselves, nor are they capable as much as many like to think. There are forces/powers much superior to mankind.

True. A few updates from this week:

Insect numbers plummet 75%, putting the world on the edge of 'ecological Armageddon'

Global pollution kills 9m a year and threatens 'survival of human societies'

We're heading full speed to disaster.

 

[metis]

True. A few updates from this week:

Insect numbers plummet 75%, putting the world on the edge of 'ecological Armageddon'

Global pollution kills 9m a year and threatens 'survival of human societies'

We're heading full speed to disaster.

Yep, and we still haven't learned that if we screw around with Mother Nature it is us who's gonna be screwed in the long run.

 

[shunyadragon]

Yep, and we still haven't learned that if we screw around with Mother Nature it is us who's gonna be screwed in the long run.

"We have met the enemy and they are us."

Pogo

 

[metis]

"We have met the enemy and they are us."

Pogo

Hey, I've used that line and remember that cartoon, the latter of which is a miracle considering my age.