What if there was a real monumental world changing event?

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What if there was a real monumental world changing event or discovery?

What would the world be like afterwards?

As a couple of examples

Life after death is undeniably proven: - Billions commit suicide in search of a better life, bodies litter the streets, disease is rampant forcing non-believers into the countryside. As a result civilisation breaks down and the remnants of humanity devolve to a lower state of evolution to never fully recover.

Cold fusion and matter transformation are common place: - Any and all items can be created at zero cost, there is an end to world hunger and poverty is eradicated. Science, culture and the arts flourish as a result. A perfect form of communism where everybody has everything they want.

DeK

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It seems I am your alter ego; I see the impact of your senaria differently.

A: (While the proof of life after death would be a hoax), notwithstanding, the resultant massive reduction in world population (since there is definitely no changing your mind after death) would result (longterm) in a greater abundance of resources to share. And, since the competition for resources is the cause of animosity between species, including humans, we might even entertain a period of relative peace and prosperity for a while; at least until "nature" rears its ugly head again (there, now I'm doing it!).

B: When there is no longer a cost for the production of goods, the economy goes into a terminal tailspin. There is no longer sufficient profit available to justify production, nothing is made; there are world wide shortages followed by rioting and anarchy. This is followed by skyrocketing prices worsening the gap between the rich and the poor, and escalating the level of lawlessness and violence. Civilization crumbles...

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It seems I am your alter ego

Nice to finally meet you, I was wondering where you were Smile

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While the proof of life after death would be a hoax

My view too....

I guess point A introduces another question, If life after death is proven real would you commit suicide? I've made it a new topic Smile

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6391

I do disagree with your point at B though, in the described scenario there is no need for production because you can create any item you want or need for free. This would include the device that could create you anything making it available for both rich and poor.

There is an argument here that development of new items would stop without a financial incentive but I would hope that would argue that would not be the case with the rhetorical question "why do people climb mountains?"

The points I were making were really just romantic fantasies, I'd like to hear similar ones from people as well to stimulate more debate

DeK

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It seems I was not allowing sufficient "hypothetical licence" in my interpretation of your scenario.

I agree with your stance on creativity, it will continue regardless; apart from eating and sex, it is the only thing we do that is worthwhile (O.K., I exaggerate). Also, I feel that leisure (undisturbed by vacuus activities, such as TV., etc.), in the past created by wealth, is a portal to creativity, and here is the "motherload"!

I wonder about "idle hands" though?; ah yes, TV, the opiate of the masses!

An aside; ah the energy of "newbies", I may not be able to keep up with your prolific offerings, but will add them to my long list of "must reads".

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DeK

(Interesting screen name!)

Instead of those really improbable scenarios -- and since you did not preclude offering other, more probable, ones -- I'd like to submit:

We are notified that an asteroid the size of the state of California is on a collision course with the Earth -- and that on its next orbit (maybe two years off) it will slam into the Earth. Scientists speculate that the possibility of any life above the level of bacterium surviving the impact is remote.

Whatta ya think yud do?

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I'd cry a lot........

[Frank do you really think - DeK... - ]

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BoGoWo wrote:

An aside; ah the energy of "newbies", I may not be able to keep up with your prolific offerings, but will add them to my long list of "must reads".

Worryingly (no not really) for me I'm like this all the time, it just happens to be a Saturday so I have time to write down some of my thoughts and have people worthy of sharing them with. I think of myself as a manic depressive without the depression Shocked

I'm flattered that my random ramblings are of interest to anyone, thanks.

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Frank Apisa wrote:

DeK

(Interesting screen name!)

Thanks, I've been using it for a few years now, I like short names, its also non aggressive while being firm, a bit like me irl! (oh I feel another thread coming on related to this, I'll do a search to see if it's already been done before I post it though!)

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We are notified that an asteroid the size of the state of California is on a collision course with the Earth -- and that on its next orbit (maybe two years off) it will slam into the Earth. Scientists speculate that the possibility of any life above the level of bacterium surviving the impact is remote.

Whatta ya think yud do?

I would spend 2 years trying to stop the fecking thing!!!

(does everyone understand the context behind the work Feck?)

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Keep thinking, and we'll suck you dry !!

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Had a quick search and I couldn't find anything similar so here's another new topic...

Why did you pick your username?

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I'll allow you to guess why I picked mine.

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Re: What if there was a real monumental world changing event
Two separate points, just to be obstinate:

Dek wrote:

... there is an end to world hunger and poverty is eradicated.

(1) This is easily done at any moment. There is plenty enough food and wealth to make everyone on Earth comfortable. The only reason we don't feed everyone is Politics. Apparently, we NEED people to starve, and that many never change.

We live within an economy of scarcity rather than an economy of abundance. What this means ... is people create scarcity in others, so they can they sell to them, influence and use them. If we (somehow) changed our behavior and values to live within an economy of abundance, then sharing, giving gifts, and helping others would be the norm. But to do that we have to go beyond any urge to control others, and simply take pleasure in others well-being. Chances?

Dek wrote:

What if there was a real monumental world changing event or discovery?

(2) The world is already changing every year. Radically, too!
-- Personal computers and the internet.
-- Massive news media, capable of molding billions of people.
-- Entire countries being wiped out from HIV, not just damaged, but ceasing to exist because all the citizens are dead.
-- Corporations are larger, more powerful and influential than countries. The foundation of society is changing, shifted by ruthless, amoral and non-representative organizations.
-- A personal flying car (28 MPG at 350 mph) is already prototyped, and sold on eBay.
-- With carbon nanotubes, companies like LiftPort and HighLift are creating a Space Elevator to replace rockets at 1% of the cost.

So many things ARE happening! You just have to poke around and find them. By the nature of media, good news won't jump in your face like a newspaper headline. You have to dig, hunt, and go FIND what is happening ...

Just consider how much we've been through already!

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Re: What if there was a real monumental world changing event
One, single, monumental event would be quite dramatic and pleasing to talk about. Simple is always nice. But in real life, it's more likely there would be a series of smaller events that together, in hindsight, one realizes changed everything.

Dek wrote:

What if there was a real monumental world changing event or discovery?

What would the world be like afterwards?

One simple, world-changing event that I have experienced:
A friend of mine is a luthier -- builds guitars for a living.

Nobody taught him, he just started working with wood, resin, various tools, and figured things out all by himself, because he was curious. He's made about 60 guitars now, and from his simple garage can easily make a six-figure income creating wonderful, beautiful things with his hands.

It takes 2-3 weeks to make a guitar and he sells them for $2000-6000 each. It's a specialty hand-made item, but they sell great on eBay. That is NEW!

Doesn't sound like much, huh? But think! . . .
There are 12 million auctions that form an incredibly large marketplace online. It's a huge economy. Not for companies, not for governments, not for factories, industry, franchises or big business, ... but for the individual. Anyone who loves to build something at home -- a hand-made, beautiful or productive thing -- suddenly has the entire world shopping for it. A direct connection to millions of other individuals.

So, people are not forced to work in a factory 9-5 every day. The industrial revolution, with all the social customs and constructs that came from it, is starting to be undone. There is a viable way for an individual to build, produce, and sell ... straight to another individual.

The middlemen, the huge organizations that push people around, are simply cut out. The effects may take 10-20 years to really take hold, but the social change is tremendous, and inspiring!

If you love to build anything at all, you have job security.

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This is easily done at any moment. There is plenty enough food and wealth to make everyone on Earth comfortable. The only reason we don't feed everyone is Politics. Apparently, we NEED people to starve, and that many never change.

Yes I agree but the beauty of this fantasy is that it is a self perpetuating solution, the devices do not need to be bought they can be freely copied from one person to another, ergo everyone has them

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The world is already changing every year. Radically, too!

Yes you are right it is, but it's much more fun to pontificate on things that are a little more implausible.

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So, people are not forced to work in a factory 9-5 every day. The industrial revolution, with all the social customs and constructs that came from it, is starting to be undone

Hallelujah!!!

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Dek wrote:

... the devices do not need to be bought they can be freely copied from one person to another, ergo everyone has them

My fear: The RIAA lawyers would prevent all copying of matter, as a copyright infringement. Every object on earth would not only be "owned" by an owner, but leased from a copyright holder as well, to gaurentee revenue streams from those who are kept needy.

My daydream: We copy vast sums of money to attract all lawyers into a stadium in Los Angeles. Then we sever the city from the mainland and set it adrift. Paradise ensues.

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... it's much more fun to pontificate on things that are a little more implausible.

Oh. Oh yeah.
Well, life after death may not be so implausible though. Once we imprint a mind onto circuitry, simply use DNA preservation techniques or clone a replacement host, we ought to be able to create secondary lives for ourselves rather nicely.

That's not really an afterlife, though, is it? Just another ticket on the merry-go-round.

Well . . .What if we just created some New Age cults that teach there is an afterlife far better than this one? They could make people conform to their indoctrinations year after year, until they died and got a chance to go to this beautiful place for Winners Only. Once the suspension of disbelief is in place, the mind becomes incredibly flexible! Then people would put up with a lot more suffering, sacrifice whatever they're told to, and stay out of the way too.

All we need is some kind of amazing legend to hypnotise people with. Hah! Very Happy

How implausible would THAT be? It could never happen!

(Disclaimer: Satirical content for entertainment purposes only. Not to be taken internally.)