Hawking: We must colonize Space...or Die.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by General Ludd
If europeans focused all their energy on developing civil, sane, and stable societies instead of persecuting themselves, conquering the world, and commiting genocides, the world could very well of been better off for it.

And what exactly is a civil, sane & stable society? And if we simply devoted more energy to making one, it would manifest?

It's not like constructing a building or going into space, we can't just throw money and manpower at a problem like that to make it happen. Humanity has been striving for civil, sane and stable societies for as long as societies have existed. The Bible, Hammurabi, Plato, Augustine, Locke, Marx, etc etc.

What happens though when one person's definition of a civil, sane & stable society is the polar opposite of another person's idea of a civil, sane & stable society? That's when we get persecution, conquering the world & committing genocides.

[Theseus]

Carter Catastrophe.

[Ramo]

**** colonization. Waste of money.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
What makes you think that man 1 million years from now would be able to be bred with men today

Everybody is going to be gay a million years from now?!?

[Vince278]

Hawking: We must colonize Space...or Die?

Hawking is also a fan of the Daleks on Doctor Who (I can picture him doing an imitation in his chair
).

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by OzzyKP


And what exactly is a civil, sane & stable society? And if we simply devoted more energy to making one, it would manifest?

It's not like constructing a building or going into space, we can't just throw money and manpower at a problem like that to make it happen. Humanity has been striving for civil, sane and stable societies for as long as societies have existed. The Bible, Hammurabi, Plato, Augustine, Locke, Marx, etc etc.

What happens though when one person's definition of a civil, sane & stable society is the polar opposite of another person's idea of a civil, sane & stable society? That's when we get persecution, conquering the world & committing genocides.

I'm not talking about political ideals, I'm talking about creating a culture that promotes a sustainable, peaceful, and compromising society. I'm talking about a change in ethos from growth and wealth to contentment and a love for what we have (rather than a love for what we don't.)

It is not something that can be done with money and manpower, as you say, and as long as we are encouraging a culture where we look to money, manpower, and the future to escape, it will be impossible. It will just continue our struggle to have everything we can't, thinking that the next thing we conquer will bring us contentment, when in reality it will only give way to a new want.

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by General Ludd


I'm not talking about political ideals, I'm talking about creating a culture that promotes a sustainable, peaceful, and compromising society. I'm talking about a change in ethos from growth and wealth to contentment and a love for what we have (rather than a love for what we don't.)

It is not something that can be done with money and manpower, as you say, and as long as we are encouraging a culture where we look to money, manpower, and the future to escape, it will be impossible. It will just continue our struggle to have everything we can't, thinking that the next thing we conquer will bring us contentment, when in reality it will only give way to a new want.

nonesense. people in wealthy first world countries have vastly improved lifestyles over what they had centuries ago. Furthermore, there is plenty of room for improvement.

On the other hand people should not fail to appreciate what they have while the strive for more. This can be as simple as the age old mindset of stopping to smell the roses as you travel lifes highway.

I think we need to strive to find a way to allow everybody in the world to enjoy a sustainable wealthy modern lifestyle. We have a long way to go before we will have all the tools that we would need for that to be possible. The current state of the art would be a horrible place declare victory and go home.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Geronimo


nonesense. people in wealthy first world countries have vastly improved lifestyles over what they had centuries ago.

If the wealthy modern lifestyle is so ideal, Then why is the united states, the wealthiest nation in the world and the model we should all strive to be, the largest consumer of drugs? Why are people so compelled to escape from the american dream which they're living?

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by General Ludd


If the wealthy modern lifestyle is so ideal, Then why is the united states, the wealthiest nation in the world and the model we should all strive to be, the largest consumer of drugs? Why are people so compelled to escape from the american dream which they're living?

Because everybody everywhere has drug addicts living among them. This has been true throughout time. Getting addicted to drugs has serious social consequences so most governments limit their use. This leads to smuggling operations to profit from those limits and naturally the most profit from such operations will be made in wealthier markets so that is where most such drugs will get diverted by the smugglers.

The numbers for drug consumption also ignore unprofitable drugs that don't get smuggled like solvents and glues that impoverished users sniff to get high.

[Spiffor]

This is unusual, but Geronimo completely misses the mark here.