- #61
Mathnomalous
- 83
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Nothing that has not been written, debated, expressed, or heard about my generation. We are extremely good at detecting BS, though.
We live in very interesting times
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the potential future events that participants believe they might witness in their lifetimes, including significant political changes, space exploration milestones, and global challenges. The scope includes speculative predictions about societal and technological advancements, as well as the implications of these events on human history.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express excitement about the possibility of witnessing major historical events, such as a third world war, a second American revolution, and the first human landing on Mars.
- Others question whether similar sentiments were expressed in the past regarding technological advancements and societal changes, suggesting that future events may eventually be viewed as mundane.
- Participants propose various odds for the likelihood of these events occurring by 2070, with differing perspectives on their probabilities.
- Some participants express skepticism about the stability of current political systems and the long-term viability of capitalist and democratic structures.
- There is a humorous exchange regarding the potential experience of living through a world epidemic, with differing views on the implications of such an event.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants do not reach a consensus on the likelihood of the proposed events, with multiple competing views on their probabilities and implications. There is also disagreement regarding the stability of societal structures and the interpretation of historical context.
Contextual Notes
Participants' predictions are influenced by personal experiences and perceptions of current events, which may not account for broader historical patterns or future developments. The discussion reflects a range of assumptions about societal resilience and the nature of progress.
- #62
Char. Limit
Gold Member
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Nothing that has not been written, debated, expressed, or heard about EVERY generation by the generation preceding it.
"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for
authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place
of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties
at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."
-Socrates
"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for
authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place
of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties
at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."
-Socrates
- #63
Mech_Engineer
Science Advisor
Gold Member
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Mathnomalous said:
There is plenty to do in the world, and plenty that needs to be done. The fact that you are having trouble finding something to be inspired by is no one's fault but your own. Categorizing "your generation" as geeked-out electronics addicts is logical fallacy.
- #64
Mathnomalous
- 83
- 5
Mech_Engineer said:
You are correct.
I simply feel anything we may accomplish will pale in comparison with what our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents accomplished.
- #65
Grep
- 298
- 3
Touché!Char. Limit said:
- #66
Mathnomalous
- 83
- 5
Char. Limit said:
I have been defeated.I still dislike my cohorts, though.
- #67
mheslep
Gold Member
- 373
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I don't think so, not for many of them.Mathnomalous said:
http://movies.nationalgeographic.com/movies/restrepo
- #68
Char. Limit
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Mathnomalous said:
By saying this, and being willing to admit defeat, my respect for you went up about 100fold.
Well so do I, but I'm not going to cast a shadow of blame on an entire generation.
- #69
mheslep
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That's a nice reference (though probably a bogus attribution to Socrates) but there are two ways to see it historically. The first is as you did - that every new generation looks worse to the prior, always. The second view is that history and society proceeds in epic cycles, not arithmetically for ever. The second view bestows upon Socrates a much more cautionary note.Char. Limit said:
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- #70
Mathnomalous
- 83
- 5
Char. Limit said:
But we still need to jam a high voltage cable up our collective derrières. Back in 2008 - 2009, when the feds were bailing out companies left and right, I thought "this is the moment! young people are going to revolt and demand a stop to all this!" Instead, the deafening roar of silence...
I feel the major challenge of our times is the unbearable financial inequality between the "haves" and the "have-nots." More and more debt is being charged on OUR credit card and we are not doing much about it. I honestly yearn the day when we young people will rise up and overthrow our elders, do the same thing the masses did to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, not more of that "Rock the Vote" nonsense that does not work.
That is the only delusion I grant myself in my otherwise quiet and unremarkable life. Ok, I am also looking forward to sexy robots I can, um, engage in man-machinette relations; that ain't cheating, is it..?
- #71
Zryn
Gold Member
- 310
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"Be the change you want to see in the world"
-Ghandi
Instead of doing something, you sit on an online forum and complain
.
-Ghandi
Instead of doing something, you sit on an online forum and complain
.- #72
Mathnomalous
- 83
- 5
In my defense, threatening to overthrow the government or put wealthy people under the guillotine are frowned upon in modern times. "Good" citizens are expected to debate the issues peacefully and to vote. Citizens who challenge the status quo are generally considered to be "bad" citizens by The Powers That Be and immediately tased.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bVa6jn4rpE
I do not want to be tased, bro. At least, not yet.
- #73
Zryn
Gold Member
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You could get lucky and be shot with rubber bullets or have the joys of mace-in-your-face instead. Batons and riot shields can make a fair mess too!
Instead of doing something that might be dangerous or frowned upon due to social etiquette, you could anonymously hide on the internet and tweet about the injustices of the world or log into Warcraft and release your pent up anger by slaying a dragon..
Instead of doing something that might be dangerous or frowned upon due to social etiquette, you could anonymously hide on the internet and tweet about the injustices of the world or log into Warcraft and release your pent up anger by slaying a dragon.
.- #74
CRGreathouse
Science Advisor
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mheslep said:
I was addressing Lisa's point which was about wars in the third world, not world wars. (My numbers did not exclude non-third-world wars but the probabilities would be similar.)
- #75
Mathnomalous
- 83
- 5
Zryn said:You could get lucky and be shot with rubber bullets or have the joys of mace-in-your-face instead. Batons and riot shields can make a fair mess too!
Instead of doing something that might be dangerous or frowned upon due to social etiquette, you could anonymously hide on the internet and tweet about the injustices of the world or log into Warcraft and release your pent up anger by slaying a dragon.
I fire my electronic bullets on Reddit. I quit Warcraft 3 years ago... damn Blizzard and their nerfs. I am just a poor, young family man daydreaming about future possibilities. There is not much else goings on in the lives of people at my socioeconomic level; we only have family and future goals as inspiration (those two inspirations are more than excellent). Still, it never hurts to think about great things one might experience.
Who knows? Maybe my son will win a Nobel Prize!