Are things (Australia/society/the world) getting better or worse?

[Caesar]

'It will happen because it has to happen' sounds a lot like blind faith to me.

I dunno. I'm not saying it can't happen. I'm just saying I don't think it's likely.

 

[Daytripper]

That may be what you're talking about, but it's not really what anyone else is. We're just saying that whilst there are problem, there are also reasons to be optimistic and (dare I say it) excited about the advances that mankind will achieve within our lifetime. This will happen because it has to happen. Get excited!!

Agree.

What is the point of concerning yourself on things that might not happen and which you have no control over anyway- far better to live in the present, be grateful for what you've got and when you get a chance to be an influencer, then go for it.

 

[neroblack]

'It will happen because it has to happen' sounds a lot like blind faith to me.

I dunno. I'm not saying it can't happen. I'm just saying I don't think it's likely.

It's not meant to sound like blind faith, I said earlier that it is only hard work that'll do it.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Let's just wait and see if Mitt comes to power...

 

[HappyChappy35]

Wrote this while eating my toast so it's a bit all over the shop.

Pretty good write-up from someone who was eating their toast at the same time. Too many people (*cough* the media *cough*) tend to sensationalise petty and trivial issues, and that has contributed to the scaremongering/apprehension that seems so prevalent in society nowadays.

 

[Roobs321]

The world will be fine if we let it.

 

[neroblack]

The world will be fine if we let it.

"It doesn't take a genius to see that the world has problems".
"No, but it takes a room full of morons to think they're small enough for you to handle".

 

[bartel magic]

Interesting point, doesn't seem particularly relevant. I don't like where we are heading financially (US and Europe) I mean, plus with the Baby Boomers will be retiring soon and it will be Gen Y picking up the slack. We will need some innovative solutions.

fairdinkum I'm 21.

What is this "slack" you speak of....................seems to me at 21 you and most other Gen Yers have been having a pretty good time of things sponging off your parents and the rest of society
Dont know how to break this to you precious, but the worlds been progressing along pretty nicely long before the Gen Yers came along.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Why is it naive?

For all we know, cars could be powered by sand in 30 years time.

Cars can be powered by water RIGHT NOW, but oil companies will have none of it.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I’m pretty optimistic about the supposedly massive disasters we will apparently face (climate, food, etc etc).

I know these issues exist but I think the radical extremes of what is possible are always highlighted (both ends) as it’s more interesting. The boring never gets any attention. We live in a constant vacuum of attention bought on by having literally endless “information” at our fingertips.

I think throughout (known) human history, the race as shown itself to be tremendously flexible and resourceful when the need truly, urgently arises. Bad things have always happened and always will, but overall I think we’ll endure, and probably prosper.

 

[simmo41]

Overall, better. Remember how in the 60s nuclear war was going to destroy the world?

That being said, I think the concept of the "24-hour news cycle" has very nearly destroyed celebrating intellectualism. The first 10 minutes of the movie Idiocracy both amused and scared the shit out of me.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Anti-intellectualism and celebrity are both pretty concerning for the Western world, I reckon. But I think we’re ok at the moment, there still seems to be a healthy, almost mainstream cynicism toward these things.

 

[Tyler96]

China and the USA will butt heads over the Pacific.
The USA will take the "War on (mostly self-induced) Terror" too far, all Islam, as opposed to just the radical elements, will rise against the West. Speaking of the "War on Terror", governments will continue to revoke our liberties in the name of "security" until we live in a big brother (awful show) state.

Wages will deteriorate and unemployment rates rise as businesses jump offshore in the name of virtual slavery and capitalism, but cost of living won't go down, the "dole" won't go up, people will starve in developed countries.

The atmosphere's gone.
The rich will emigrate to Mars or an earthlike planet and colonise, the Chinese will make a killing as they're the only ones building spaceships by this point. The poor left behind will slowly die on a resourceless, dried up earth but the rich will realise the necessity of the lower classes when no-one is willing to do the "dirty work" on their Martian colony, and without garbage collectors, plumbers etc. their colony will fail and humanity will be destroyed.

 

[neroblack]

The USA will take the "War on (mostly self-induced) Terror" too far, all Islam, as opposed to just the radical elements, will rise against the West. Speaking of the "War on Terror", governments will continue to revoke our liberties in the name of "security" until we live in a big brother (awful show) state.

You should write movies.

Please explain the bit I've bolded too.

 

[Caesar]

The rich will emigrate to Mars or an earthlike planet and colonise, the Chinese will make a killing as they're the only ones building spaceships by this point. The poor left behind will slowly die on a resourceless, dried up earth but the rich will realise the necessity of the lower classes when no-one is willing to do the "dirty work" on their Martian colony, and without garbage collectors, plumbers etc. their colony will fail and humanity will be destroyed.

It's probably more likely they will die from a virus contracted from an unsanitised telephone.

 

[Andre]

As always both better and worse. In Australia for those who take care of themselves medical advances will continue to push up the life expectancy (I use the qualifier take care of themselves as being a smoker, obese or drug taker you're a good chance to go early). Work will continue to evolve as it has the last few centuries. There'll be less retail workers as more and more stuff goes on-line and manufacturing will continue to lose low skilled jobs overseas. The flip side is technology will reach the point of almost requiring no 'mindless' human button pushers, in which case manufacturing could come back to the west, as the labour cost advantages of shipping to Asia don't outweigh distance from supply chains anymore.

Climate change, peak oil, etc. are all really going to be a further issue due to global over-population. Or more accurately over-population outside of the Western world. The west has the last 50 years largely stabilised it's self-replacement (non-immigrant) populations. The big issues facing the planet are the continued high fertility rates outside the West and coupling this with the bringing up of the developing / third world to Western standards for technology. Climate change, peak oil, potential resource wars, wars for water, wars for food - the risks of the 21st / 22nd century would all drop down as problems dramatically if fertility rates outside the West could be brought down to replacement levels (or lower). China's one child policy is far from perfect, but a great help for the world as a whole.

If the West really wanted to help people from starving countries and the world at large they'd offer massively subsidised - if not free - food for many third world countries, on the condition of permanent tube tying of those accepting the aid. (Now to sit back and watch the insults fly ). I look at the original Band Aid concerts / efforts and think what a fat lot of use that was in the long run - 20 - 25 years later and their kids were right back at it starving again. If half of the money raised there had stopped them being able to have kids, odds are the population would have stabilised at a level they wouldn't have needed help for the next generation.

 

[Seeds]

Overall I think the world will be a better place. I think shortterm the Australian economy could get ugly, but there are other things in the world besides money

People will live healthier, longer and happier. Maybe in the long term future money wont even exist

But yeah majority of my post was in reference the world, not just Australia

Agree with your post except until the point you mentioned money might not even exist. You actually think we will go back to a barter society? Seriously?

 

[Seeds]

Considerably better, IMO.

You obviously don't know anything about history.

 

[Seeds]

I'm optimistic the world will be a far far better place in the future and it will be staggering to us today how much better it will be in 50-100 years.

The social reforms that happened lasy century have made the world a significantly better place and hopefully they will continue to spread throughout the world.

The opening up of economies to capital transfer that begun in the 80's has dramatically improved the standard of living in Asian and to a lesser degree South American economies. Hopefully this continues and spreads to Africa. The financial crisis of recent times have been backward step but I'm confident we won't make the same mistakes we made in the first half of last century. The only people who have lost from this process are the unskilled workers in developed economies. But even too they will gain in the very long run.

Technology will continue to improve and this will be a great thing. More efficient use of resources, higher wages, better medicines, better communication and transportation means and more fun gadgets. This is all good, more health, more leisure time and more fun. Soon hopefully we will be able to genetically modify people so they can live longer and be happier. This won't help us today but it will improve our grandchildrens lives multiple fold compared to ours.

Climate change may cause problems, but it will only be a setback. It won't make life go backwards. The only think that could potentially make life backwards is the outbreak of a deadly disease, the release of atom bombs or evil alien attacks. I'm confident this won't happen, although there always remains a possibility.

 

[Clay Davis]

The Earth's magnetic field is getting weaker, so we'll probably be ionised by solar radiation in about 500 years time. Buckle up.

 

[Seeds]

The Earth's magnetic field is getting weaker, so we'll probably be ionised by solar radiation in about 500 years time. Buckle up.

In 500 years time we will be living on other planets and moons so no problem

 

[Clay Davis]

In 500 years time we will be living on other planets and moons so no problem

Err, no we won't.

 

[Caesar]

Agree with your post except until the point you mentioned money might not even exist. You actually think we will go back to a barter society? Seriously?

Barter isn't the only alternative. There are other mediums of exchange besides fiat money.

 

[Seeds]

Barter isn't the only alternative. There are other mediums of exchange besides fiat money.

Like?

 

[Seeds]

Err, no we won't.

Nah ahh. If movies and tv's have taught me anything then humans will have colonized the planets and moon by about 2050.