End of the world? Yeah, right.

[GoodEnoughForMe]

I don't think we're that good a species. We're excessively aggressive, self-centered, and I don't think we're all that intelligent, either.

Well, we don't really have a lot of other species to compare ourselves to, but I think we're pretty interesting.

Why do we have the right to subjugate all other forms of life? What good is it? We're just taking out both them and ourselves. Harmony would be a state of sustainable development in which we wouldn't enslave and kill off every other living thing.

Because we're at the top of the food chain. Until I see conclusive proof that shows the world is about to end, I am not worried about it.

Technology has got us only closer to the end. We are only doing more harm to the planet as we go. So I don't think it has given us anything useful yet. But our only hope to survive lies in technology, anyway.

Technology has also saved lives, and it's brought us some really kickass stuff.

 

[Mureke]

Well, we don't really have a lot of other species to compare ourselves to, but I think we're pretty interesting.

It's a fact that we could in theory be a lot more intelligent. Some people are a lot more intelligent than others, but that doesn't apply to the majority. It's not the brains that control our evolution. In fact, human evolution has ceased all together.

Because we're at the top of the food chain. Until I see conclusive proof that shows the world is about to end, I am not worried about it.

The world is not about to end yet, but many of the world's species have become extinct and a lot of the environment devastated. What right does being on the top of the food chain grant us? There are other species which are on the top as well. They aren't harmful to their ecosystem. On the contrary, predators are usually a beneficial factor for their prey.

Technology has also saved lives, and it's brought us some really kickass stuff.

This is a question of perspective. Technology has saved lives. Hell, it has caused death rates to plummet which has lead to overpopulation. What good is immoderate human life when it risks the lives of all generations to come, and takes the lives of other species forever?

 

[storealex]

Let's not be stupid.

"The world will end in 50 years" is not the same as "The world is going to change for the worse in 50 years"

Swedishguy, just because there's a few nutters out there, it dosn't mean that we shouldn't worry about global warming, which is a very real problem indead. Im from Greenland, a place that is changing dramatically right now...

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

It's a fact that we could in theory be a lot more intelligent. Some people are a lot more intelligent than others, but that doesn't apply to the majority. It's not the brains that control our evolution. In fact, human evolution has ceased all together.

Has it? Can technology really stop evolution? Check back with me in a million years.

The world is not about to end yet, but many of the world's species have become extinct and a lot of the environment devastated. What right does being on the top of the food chain grant us? There are other species which are on the top as well. They aren't harmful to their ecosystem. On the contrary, predators are usually a beneficial factor for their prey.

Oh well. We have the right because we have the ability to. If it comes to a decision between dead animals and comfort or no dead animals and less comfort, I will go with the former. Because I love animals, they're tasty.

This is a question of perspective. Technology has saved lives. Hell, it has caused death rates to plummet which has lead to overpopulation. What good is immoderate human life when it risks the lives of all generations to come, and takes the lives of other species forever?

Again, I see no reason to be concerned greatly about later generations. It's also nice to see exotic species and animals etc., etc., but humans come first.

 

[azzaman333]

Has it? Can technology really stop evolution? Check back with me in a million years.

In a way, yes, before Natural Selection is no longer killing off the 'weaker' humans.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

In a way, yes, before Natural Selection is no longer killing off the 'weaker' humans.

I agree with that to some extent, but I believe that evolution is also to strong to be completely stopped.

 

[azzaman333]

I agree with that to some extent, but I believe that evolution is also to strong to be completely stopped.

But without natural selection taking place, wouldnt you agree that evolution is not occuring at a reasonable rate to survive any changes in climate/enviroment/etc?

 

[Ansar]

I believe the world will last for a long time, especially if people realize that you need to start being more ecological (friendly with nature).

I wonder if anyone thinks that the world will end in 2012 (Aztec calendar ends).

 

[Irish Caesar]

I wonder if anyone thinks that the world will end in 2012 (Aztec calendar ends).

If I did, I would have done something more fun than go to a hard college with my time.

And I think it's the Mayan calendar you're thinking of; the world will start a new cycle then, whatever that means.

 

[North King]

The physical world will most likely not end soon. Us on it is another story, and even if it isn't that likely, there's no reason not to take precautions...

 

[Bluemofia]

I wonder if anyone thinks that the world will end in 2012 (Aztec calendar ends).

My friend at school is bugging me to do this one thing before that date. And then he goes ranting on on how they predicted the 2 world wars, and a bunch of other stuff.

So I rolled my eyes and told him that the predictions were so broad that they can be interpreted to whatever the interpretee wants.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

But without natural selection taking place, wouldnt you agree that evolution is not occuring at a reasonable rate to survive any changes in climate/enviroment/etc?

That's what we have technology for.

 

[ybbor]

bluemofia mentioned exit mundi but no one has provided a link, so I thought I should do so.

 

[Bluemofia]

bluemofia mentioned exit mundi but no one has provided a link, so I thought I should do so.

I was lazy to provide the exact URL.

 

[Stolen Rutters]

It's not the brains that control our evolution. In fact, human evolution has ceased all together.

Woah now, nellie. Half my family was born without those things I have heard called wisdom teeth, you know, those extra teeth in the back of your mouth that come out later in life. (Ever seen those kids with crooked teeth? Not around here, you don't... no braces necessary either.) Natural selection has been making us more common over the past few centuries, not to mention the extra strong immune system. It's a nice set of complementary features that tend to propagate. Fewer infections, better marriage prospects (naturally straight teeth), more kids make it to adulthood and so on.

Just because a good many of the selective pressures that can change the average center of the gene pool have been removed in the past century is not proof that evolution has ceased. It's just going to get alternatively slower and more artificial.

Though, I admit being the brain and the runt in the family has killed my personal prospects for wife and kids among all lady prospects that have come by so far. 5-foot-4-inches is not a very appealing trait in society today. No I'm not bitter at all, not at all . I prefer a woman who likes smart guys anyway, really I do. Being dumped because I'm too short doesn't mean anything other than she's too shallow for me.

 

[Swedishguy]

Let's not be stupid.

"The world will end in 50 years" is not the same as "The world is going to change for the worse in 50 years"

Swedishguy, just because there's a few nutters out there, it dosn't mean that we shouldn't worry about global warming, which is a very real problem indead. Im from Greenland, a place that is changing dramatically right now...

Good point. And what are you doing to stop it...?

But really, I know that people will not stopping their consuming before the effects are noticeable for all. Maybe not even then.