What times do we live in?

[BeBMan]

So what's the expert opinion of polytubbies on the current times (say from 2000 until today?). Any speculations how people in 50 or 100 yrs might look on "our" time? Include anything you want - politics, "war on terror", culture(s), religion.



Discuss.

[Lorizael]

I think we're living in exciting times. I'm hoping civilization will be brought to its knees soon; it'll make for good TV.

[BeBMan]

I thought it's tv which is bringing down civilization

[Arrian]

Speaking personally, good times when viewed with a modicum of historical perspective.

-Arrian

[Zkribbler]

We live in the time of the banana We are perched precariously, in danger of an imminent catastrophy.

(1) The Era of Free Enterprise is fading; it is the Dawn of the Cartels. More and more megamergers mean less and less competition.

(2) Religionsrise, not to comfort man, but to send him into combat with those of other religions.

(3) Dark and Self-Interested Forces slither down the Halls of Power, making our "elected" officials dance like marionettes.

(4) Salaries stagnate like putrid ponds. Fees and costs climb.

(5) Debt and deficits gather like carrion birds. Personal debt = all time high; trade deficit = all time high; national debt = all time high. --But don't let anyone raise your taxes

(6) Climate change batters our coastlines and scorches out hinterlands.

(7) Prison populations swell, training legions of future criminals.

[LordShiva]

[VetLegion]

This period simply shall not be discussed because of the impossibility of referring to it. It was easy to say something happened in the 80's or the 90's, but you can't use 00's, can you?

[Riesstiu IV]

The Age of Aquarius.

[SlowwHand]

These are the good old days.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
These are the good old days.

Ah, you're just saying that because you think Hillary's going to be elected, and soon, you'll be looking back on today as "the good old days."

[Aeson]

Our times will be viewed as the past by those in the future. If we don't pre-emptively kill them all off of course.

[Blake]

The age of foolishness

Basically the age of little wisdom.

Called this either because it leads to the end of civilization (distinctly unwise), OR because we're entering into the age of wisdom and the way we've acted will seem very foolish. Well, yeah, both ways it's going to seem foolish.

The way we eat, leading to epidemics of health problems.

The way we wage wars on ideas and for ideologies.

The way we tolerate the grossest of inequalities, even thinking nothing of it.

Next quarter profits mentality.


Mind you I have no idea how long the age of foolishness is going to continue for, I'd say about 60 years, there is a growing groundswell of support for not being idiotic, but a couple of generations have to die off first.

[LordShiva]

Re: The age of foolishness

Originally posted by Blake
The way we eat, leading to epidemics of health problems.

Human beings are healthier than they have ever been.

The way we wage wars on ideas and for ideologies.

This is neither unique to our time, nor particularly worse than waging wars for any other reason.

The way we tolerate the grossest of inequalities, even thinking nothing of it.

We are much more sensitive to this than our ancestors were.

Next quarter profits mentality.

What?

[ZEE]

Re: The age of foolishness

Originally posted by Blake
The way we wage wars on ideas and for ideologies...

The way we tolerate the grossest of inequalities, even thinking nothing of it.

this coming from the guy that created the most ruthless AI in the history of the Civ series

[Blake]

In the spirit of greater equality for AI's .