How can the human race survive the next hundred years?
In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years?
Political and social chaos has been with us for a very long time. Given the revolutions of the past and present, class warfare, and scheming of those seeking power, the human race has shown a remarkable resilience and managed to survive thus far.
The new factors in the equation of the balance of mankind and the rest of nature are the technological advances that have changed how political and social chaos can develop, and the advances in industry that have the potential to inflict serious environmental alterations. Threats of nuclear war, biological catastrophe, and climate change now bring into question as to how humanity can continue to survive.
Personally, I think that with the growth of true threats to survival, there has been growth of human ingenuity as well. We have yet to release a Frankenstein’s monster of technology upon the world. Despite the stockpiles of nuclear weapons, there has been no global warfare. Medical research is in a renaissance of advance. Climate change remains a concern, but I believe that we are an adaptable species, as we have adapted before and will again.
The larger question is how will humanity survive, which is what is asked. It’s very likely that the resources of today may no longer be available in a century. But consider the resources available today that were not available a century before. As stated before, we are an adaptable species, and when one window of resources closes, it’s likely that other windows will be openable.
Of course, the speed that everything progresses at has increased. Will we be able to adapt in time? Perhaps not for a lot of us, but consider that in the 14th century, the Black Death wiped out over a third of
Why do I place this faith in humanity? Because I must. Without the belief that we will continue to grow and overcome the pains of social chaos as we mature as a species, we might as well not have any faith at all. I’m not talking religion (although that may or may not be a part in its current forms), but simply the same belief that we will survive just as much as the sun will rise the next day.
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Truthfully, the human race no matter how smart we may appear lack the discipline or forsight to care about the next generation. We humans are so selfish. It is always about our current days existence with little thought to the long term implications. We repeat history all the time and justify our discretions to benefit ourselves. If we make it 100 years it will not be because of our own doing rather dumb luck. If the environment holds we are our biggest threat. We will always have wars. We will always show prejudice to a race of people & we will always struggle with environmental issues. Because as our technological advances continue the humans that have the capability will use that tech for power and greed. . .a race without that tech will suffer racism…and we only care about the environment after disaster . . .we have changed little since the 20’s. Mr. Hawking you and Einstein both know this to be true. It is unfortunate that the humans in power can’t figure out how to get us off of this treadmill that were on.