What will be the world's problems in 50 years?

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
Ahhh, but there is namely, fusion power plants, due to come online in 2020. Cheap, clean power -> inexpensive desalinization of sea water -> plentiful fresh water -> cheap and plentiful food.

I hope you're right, but where did you hear that cheap fusion will be available by 2020?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by LordShiva


I hope you're right, but where did you hear that cheap fusion will be available by 2020?

Cheap fusion is available in about 15 years. Always has been, always will be.

See "Brazil, the country of the future"

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by General Ludd
The economy will be in the process of collapsing while resources and habitibal land dwindles, population levels are higher than ever, and the gap between those with power (money) and those without is higher than it has ever been in human history. General chaos and stupidity will reign for a few generations as people attempt to cling onto material comforts and consumerist ideals. Western societies will be in complete mayhem with rape and rapine even more extreme than it is today. Indigeinous and uncivilized communities will welcome the collapse of the authorities that had been confining them and will be allowed to live again, provided they can avoid the rampant looting and savagery of those trying to cling on to consumerist ideals. This will continue on for a few generations untill population levels come back down to a sustainable level and people adapt a new (old) way of life.

If economies decline as you state, and esp if violence leads to population declines, this should reduce resource consumption, leading to a new equilibrium at tech levels well above the hunter gatherer levels you seem to look forward to.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Arcite
While the US is eating soylent green, Canada will have a monopoly on wheat

We will be exporting West Virginia Mountain Grown Coffee, Cane Sugar, etc.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


If economies decline as you state, and esp if violence leads to population declines, this should reduce resource consumption, leading to a new equilibrium at tech levels well above the hunter gatherer levels you seem to look forward to.

Possibly. But I also mentioned the scarcisty of resources and habitibal land. Violence probably wont be the leading cause of population decline - it is more likely to be starvation, pollution, and disease.

If an "equilibrium" where to establish itself in such a way, however, it would only be setting things up to run out of control and collapse again in exactly the same way.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by General Ludd



Possibly. But I also mentioned the scarcisty of resources and habitibal land. Violence probably wont be the leading cause of population decline - it is more likely to be starvation, pollution, and disease.

If an "equilibrium" where to establish itself in such a way, however, it would only be setting things up to run out of control and collapse again in exactly the same way.

Assuming no learning. Which is possible Ill grant you (since Im already granting you a collapse I doubt). But youre right, then we just get a cycle of growth and collapse. I dont see a mass return to HG lifestyles, barring a much more massive than is likely climate collapse (and im not sure in that case that HG life styles stay viable)

[Impaler[WrG]]

Even in the worse case climatic shifts I dont see civilization collapsing below a fudal middle ages level and even then key technologis (fire-arms) though crude would be retained because of their incredible utility. Some kind of Mad-Max + Somolia thing would happen in the west.

[Odin]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


We will be exporting West Virginia Mountain Grown Coffee, Cane Sugar, etc.

Sugar cane is better then corn for ethanol...

[Dis]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
Ahhh, but there is namely, fusion power plants, due to come online in 2020. Cheap, clean power -> inexpensive desalinization of sea water -> plentiful fresh water -> cheap and plentiful food.

Lessening of physical wants and stresses should lead to fewer military conflicts......unless that damnable human nature starts playing a part!

at least you say fusion instead of fission you said on page 2 (I didn't want to correct you before)

I still don't think fusion will be the cure all. I know my knowledge of the phsyics is lacking. But how can we essentually get energy for free without causing some sort of chain reaction and enveloping the entire earth in a fusion reaction?

If we could get free energy, then yes many of the world's problems would be solved.

[_BuRjaCi_]

Originally posted by Dis


at least you say fusion instead of fission you said on page 2 (I didn't want to correct you before)

I still don't think fusion will be the cure all. I know my knowledge of the phsyics is lacking. But how can we essentually get energy for free without causing some sort of chain reaction and enveloping the entire earth in a fusion reaction?

If we could get free energy, then yes many of the world's problems would be solved.

You should really read the wikipedia article on fusion power. I have no idea where you came up with a chain reaction that would destroy the Earth.

[_BuRjaCi_]

Originally posted by General Ludd


Some people say jesus will save us, too.

But we can only save ourselves. There isn't going to be some fantastic deus ex machina that delivers us from our woes.

Jesus

Technology

Didn’t you watch Star Trek, all we have to do is reverse the polarity.

[Dis]

Originally posted by _BuRjaCi_


You should really read the wikipedia article on fusion power. I have no idea where you came up with a chain reaction that would destroy the Earth.

I'm not saying that could happen (we simply could not produce that amount of energy anyways), but I just can't see how we can produce anything self sustaining.

[Ned]

Originally posted by SpencerH
The impending ice-age caused by human-caused CO2 emissions(the 70's doomsayers will be "proven" correct). A geriatric Al Gore will claim he knew it first.

The pending ice age and widespread famine caused by successfully combating green house gases that were preventing the onset of global cooling at the end of the current interglacial period.

[Ned]

Also, Arafat IV will be in charge of the PLO and leading the impoverished Palestinians in yet another uprising demanding an independent state that Israel had decades ago agreed they would give the Palestinians provided they stopped the uprisings and the terror.