Informed_Debate's profile . Informed_Debate group posts
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| Doghouse_Reilly |
on Fri 25 Nov 11, 6:32 PM to the Informed_Debate group.
We live in interesting times.
Over the last few decades the distribution of wealth has gone completely haywire. Resources have become much more expensive. The climate has started to get a little bit crazy. The population of the human race has also doubled, give or take, in the last forty years.
Now we can add into the mix that the Euro, as a currency, is about to die. That's about a dozen countries including the biggest economy in Europe about to find themselves with a worthless currency in the next year or so.
Meanwhile politics and democracy across the world are in terrible shape. In some countries voters simply don't care to vote or to actively partake in the democracy, in other countries the voters aren't even asked their opinions before new leaders are appointed at the behest of others. Meanwhile while millions across the world demonstrate in the name of democracy, while not really having a plan for what to do with it if they got it, they face brutality and violence. Policemen from Oakland to Cairo busting heads seemingly just because people have the temerity to not lie down.
It's clear that something is going to happen, well specifically quite a lot of somethings have, I mean the Arab Spring is not to be sniffed at. But I don't think that's the end of things. I think the USA is in a lot of trouble, as evidenced by the clown car of candidates the Republican party have rolled out for this election. A two party system and one of the parties could be sectioned, that's not good. The EU is similarly boned. And of course China isn't boned, but the only reason China isn't boned is because it was pre-boned, the place is already a despotic shithole for most of the population.
So, predictions folks, is it time for me to buy the last of the V8 Interceptors, just in case things go all Mad Max, or are we coming to the end of an era of selfishness and consumerism and stepping forward into some sort of new Utopia? Or is everything going to be fine?
| 25 Nov 11, 6:52 PM Muzzlehatch UK(TN), 7 yrs |
A diesel engined vehicle makes far more sense. Something that runs on everything from meths to cooking oil. Removes you from the chasing petrol loop. You can keep going with an allotment.
Probably not, it's never happened in the past, so why should the future be any different.
Nope! Still I have great hopes that the current imbalance between the first world and third world will last until I'm dead and buried.
Owner of The Croppery Dungeon and Breakfast. Organises The St Leonards munch. | ||||
| 26 Nov 11, 2:10 AM Empress_Martine UK(HA), 2 yrs £      |
Probably not, it's never happened in the past, so why should the future be any different. [/quote] To put it perfectly,"those who do not learn from the past,are destined to make mistakes in the future".
Nope! Still I have great hopes that the current imbalance between the first world and third world will last until I'm dead and buried. [/quote] Its never likely to change unless there is something of a massive change in the system. http://empressm7.uboot.com/ http://www.socialkink.com/empressmartine Vampire, pro/lifestyle ts dom/switch.Ageplay mummy/aunty/AB,medical play,domestic,energy, outdoor specialist."Who you calling"@?!;:$£<Σ#"!" "Did you just call me a "@€$££!?"! Edited 26 Nov 11, 2:11 AM by Empress_Martine | ||||
| 26 Nov 11, 2:37 AM Doghouse_Reilly UK(MK), 6 yrs |
Well the fact that the system is dying on it's arse ought to facilitate that no? The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. | ||||
| 26 Nov 11, 9:21 PM katie_may UK, 7 yrs |
depends how folk deal with it all status quo wont work though new businesses in services would help i know folk who want to start up new ventures, and the only thing stopping them really is the crippling cost to them to get started and the worry that it could all go boobs up to the bank new ideas is whats needed, ideas that dont mean more stuff the tourist season should kick things off, especially low cost holidays, sport holidays, drama breaks, dance, painting breaks
NRDNA, in any aspect of my life, including this one | ||||
| 26 Nov 11, 9:58 PM AshUK UK(EN), 7 yrs £ |
It's a good question, and an interesting debate. I've had a zombie survival plan for a while ( hey, I'm a responsible adult; everyone should have one ) I'm now considering how best to adapt it to the forthcoming apocalypse. I know where the nearest barracks is for weapons, the nearest supermarket for supplies, the nearest hardware store etc.. Only problem is Tina Turner keeps fucking turning up in my back garden with lots of pig shit. Fucking silly cow. " Pow ! Right in the kisser ! " | ||||
| 28 Nov 11, 12:20 AM lush_london UK(WC), 6 yrs |
Hey, don't knock it. Even serious people are taking it seriously | ||||
| 28 Nov 11, 12:31 AM Siglorel  UK(RG), 11 mths |
I don't see the issues mentioned as apocalyptic, though undoubtedly they will erode real standards of living, and Easter Island must remain a lesson, as should “the tragedy of the Commons”. These are very short term issues – 5-10 years at most. I'm more interested in a 20-50 year time-scale where the possible confluence of nanotechnology, self replicating machines, and the AI singularity seem likely to really end the era. Just hope I get to see it... See worlds on worlds compose one universe, observe how system into system runs | ||||
| 28 Nov 11, 1:30 AM Top_Class UK(GU), 2 yrs |
Rank our common, basic needs, individually and globally to sustain life:
(4), (5), (6) can work together in an interchangeable mix; (1), (2), (3) have to happen or it's the end of you as you know it; (7) is the wait within life for death which some are able to do graciously with verve and vigour and others procrastinate about until they die. One thing no one needs is money and yet we persist with it as a concept and so find ourselves burdened, consumed and pre-occupied with its systems: we use 1/3 of (7) to get some money, 1/3 of (7) to have a kip and 1/3 of (7) to dispose of money on (2) to (6). As yet no one in the world has been asked to pay for (1) and no one has been bold enough to suggest that the world gets rid of money altogether to create the global, moneyless society. Now while the tricorder x-prize may force interesting developments in science for the temptation of getting USD10M in prize money a far more interesting Star Trek derived challenge would be the Federation's post-scarcity economy, a moneyless society in which all basic needs are met due to unlimited resources with provision of goods through robotic production. Of our futures be an optimist and don't worry about using several planet's worth of resources because we live within a solar system to exploit - we'll just get on our 21st century bikes and boldly go where no man has gone before to sort the shortages out. Is this the end of the world as we know it - metaphorically speaking I hope so because the structural dysfunction of what we've got now would best serve us all by leaving quickly and giving a different paradigm a chance to evolve. As far as space exploration is concerned, the only way we'll get to benefit from the other-world resources is if the nations of the world work together as one to fulfil another prophecy of sci-fi - that mankind ventures into space as 'Earthlings' and not 'Americans', 'Indians' or 'Chinese'.
"Fork handles?" "No, not 'fork handles' ... four candles." | ||||
| 28 Nov 11, 9:28 AM Mentor_2012 UK(PO), 4 yrs |
Yes, we are living in interesting times. Good Post! I personally am hoping for a backlash against materialism but whether that will happen or not is debatable. I personally see a decade of "no-growth" ( at best ) ahead of us in the UK, so a concentration on Happiness, rather than materialism might be appropriate. We have, as people, as companies and as a nation got "bloated" on debt, often without too much to show for it. I would like to see a rebalancing of values, with less emphasis on material possessions and the worship of celebrity ( especially of the transient / manufactured kind ) onto a more "down-to-earth" emphasis on personal happiness, combined with personal, corporate and social responsibility. It's a very big ask ------- and may well be in the "flying pigs" category but the St. Paul's protests could be a precursor. Worldwide, I see the ascent of China and the partial eclipsing of America. The Arab Spring is an interesting phenomenon. How the pieces will fall after the uprisings remains to be seen. I see the future as a battle between various idealogies and much that I might love Democracy, I think it should be something that people and countries fight for, rather than something that is so good that it has to be imposed on people and countries from the outside, regardless of whether it fits or not. It is like a grocer saying you will buy my tea because it is good and then holding a pistol to the persons head. I see Soft Diplomacy, the diplomacy of ideas, as being of great importance and the key to understanding future trends, along with the realities of economic and military might.
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| 28 Nov 11, 9:45 AM emark UK, 9 yrs |
You aren't using 1/3 of (7) to get money - you're using it to cover needs (2)-(6), and to get wants to help fill the rest of (7) more enjoyable. Money is just part of the system to allow for exchange - rather than having to spend your day making food/shelter/computers/beer yourself, you can work at one thing, and then exchange that for money, then separately exchange that for food/shelter/computers/beer. The reason why we don't need money for (1) is because (1) is not scarce. Economics is about the distribution of scarce resources. It's not true than no one has suggested we get rid of money - people suggest it often, as you yourself have done here. But it's a difficult task coming up with a system to replace it. So what's your alternative to money?
Sign the Consenting Adult Action Network's statement Edited 28 Nov 11, 9:48 AM by emark |
