Is humanity on a path to suicide?

[cryosteel]

We're probably more likely to meet an apocalyptic end from some stray gaseous supernova remnant flash frying the Earth's surface than by our dumb industrial insect activity, which we are expected to believe is the behaviour of an intelligent species.

I believe the point of this topic is to suggest for us that our present activity and assumptions are unsustainable for the long run. Under liberal democratic capitalism, these short term gains are designed to benefit a tiny gluttonous minority, placate about a billion mildly affluent, apathetic suckers and cost future generations crowded into the sprawl of post-industrial ruins needless hardship.

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

What a novel idea.

A lot of intelligent people still haven't figured out that they should have a lot of kids (or at least ONE) with their own spouse!

Yet a lot of stupid people have, although quite likely by accident. Consequently, I feel an overwhelming responsibility to do the best I can to offset their impact on the population

 

[the-southern-viking]

Really the main reasons for things such as not drinking river water have always exsisted but we never knew (most of the rpoblems are because of natural bacteria) and our immune systems are weak compared to thoose of yesteryear

my iPod broke last month, life is no longer worth living.

of course maybe society is coming to an end my ipod got stolen...of course i left it on the bus by accident but still

 

[Norsemaiden]

Yet a lot of stupid people have, although quite likely by accident. Consequently, I feel an overwhelming responsibility to do the best I can to offset their impact on the population

Exactly.

 

[cryosteel]

Nice. Here's a fresh report from yesterday.

As many as 600,000 babies may be born in the USA each year with irreversible brain damage because pregnant mothers ate mercury-contaminated fish, the Environmental Protection Agency says. Medical researchers are just beginning to explore such mercury exposure in adults, which can leave some people struggling through life in a disorienting "fish fog." Nationwide, more than 8,000 lakes, rivers and bays are compromised by mercury's toxic effects.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-29-mercury-cover_N.htm?csp=1

 

[drgrowl]

I think we have to think beyond generations and all that recurring trends and patterns bullshit. Humanity will one day disappear. With the way we behave and how numerous we are, I'd say our extinction will come soon enough. But still, I think the chinese will survive.

 

[WeAreTheLastMen]

I'm very suspicious of the legitimacy of your statistics, especially "It is no longer recommended to stop your car in over 1/3 of the average American or European city, because crime is so out of control."
But yes. Yes, we are.

 

[WeAreTheLastMen]

also, BlackMetalWhiteGuy, Every few seconds, I find that you have interrupted with a comment about your intelligence level relative to that of The Great-Southern-Trendkill's... You don't sound particularly intelligent when bragging about your intelligence. Feel free to demonstrate you "remarkable gift" by utilizing it to some more meaningful end, say... oh, I don't know, contributing to the argument for which this thread was intended.

 

[waif]

It is no longer recommended to eat fish from the ocean, because they have toxic levels of heavy metals.

It is no longer recommended to stop your car in over 1/3 of the average American or European city, because crime is so out of control.

It is no longer recommended to send smart children to regular schools, because the schools are designed to make dumb children feel accepted.

It is no longer recommended to drink water from rivers, or to eat fruit from trees grown in the suburbs.

It is no longer recommended to live in cities, because the pollution is so strong.

Today, seven billion... in ten years, nine billion. The average IQ is 85-92. Each one of these people produces a bag of garbage a day, and needs food that leaves more heavy metals in the water, more pesticides and fertilizer in our waterways.

Our politicians approve those things that make many people happy because it's what they think they want, but those things never turn out well, and problems remain. These are not problems like war, poverty and inequality, which are universal and will never go away, but problems like corruption, bad leadership, and the results.

Most cities are ugly places lined with advertising. Whatever is popular sells. Whatever sells is good, by most people's definition. They consider themselves successes if they make money and own things, but never think of the condition of their souls or minds.

Where does this course end? Nothing opposes it. It is popular. But who is thinking of the future? And most of all, who is thinking of making great art, great architecture, great music, great thinking? None of these things exist, only an incessant stream of pretty good alternatives.

Is the future of humanity doom, to fade out with a whimper and not a bang?

Ok: A) CUT THE FUCKING MELODRAMA
B) Is any of this actually true?
C) If we stay the course, then yes, we will die. But it's not really like suicide...more like drinking yourself to death even though you know it will probably kill you. However, it seems likely that we aren't actually going to destroy the world. Irreversibly damage it, yes, of course, but there are too many green freaks to let us kill ourselves. All those mutations and brain damaged babies and whatnot will hurt the race. But they won't destroy it. Overpopulation isn't going to end the world. In fifty years everything is probably going to be very different. But it won't be all gone.

TGSTK: You are tarnishing the name of a mediocre album. It takes effort, but you've done it. Drop your highly emo "I want the world to be destroyed" pose, if you meant it you would have gone postal or killed yourself already.

BMDM: It would be nice if you would replace melodrama with actual facts (the way Norsemaiden so kindly did). Also, what the fuck does
"If we're in a spaceship, living comfortable lives, and we fly it into the sun, we're in a world of bad, aren't we?"
actually mean?

BMWG: You aren't doing it for them, you're doing it for for future generations.

 

[Norsemaiden]

Check out the latest Radio Nihil show - on this very subject.
http://www.anus.com/zine/radio/shows/07.11.23.html

 

[WeAreTheLastMen]

Check out the latest Radio Nihil show - on this very subject.
http://www.anus.com/zine/radio/shows/07.11.23.html

Strangely, I'm reluctant to get my information from a site with the word "anus" in the url.

 

[Norsemaiden]

Strangely, I'm reluctant to get my information from a site with the word "anus" in the url.

The American Nihilist Underground Society was so named (ANUS) to emphasise how nihilistic, irreverent and value-free our thinking should be in order to understand life without preconceptions. Do not fear to experiment with ideas.

 

[WeAreTheLastMen]

The American Nihilist Underground Society was so named (ANUS) to emphasise how nihilistic, irreverent and value-free our thinking should be in order to understand life without preconceptions. Do not fear to experiment with ideas.

You're right, I shouldn't fear to experiment with the ANUS.

In all seriousness, thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[EerieVon]

If one thing history has shown is that above all else man does one thing extremely well--coming up with bigger and more efficient ways of killing each other. Eventually someone will release upon us one of these devices, whether its nuclear, chemical, biological, or some other uninvented killing device. We will cause our own extinction.

 

[waif]

If one thing history has shown is that above all else man does one thing extremely well--coming up with bigger and more efficient ways of killing each other. Eventually someone will release upon us one of these devices, whether its nuclear, chemical, biological, or some other uninvented killing device. We will cause our own extinction.

I dunno...at first glance it seems possible, but we survived the cold war. The question is how the US War On Terror will play out. It seems possible that it could end that way, but I don't see the human race being wiped out, just a couple US population centers. There's nobody to have a nuclear war with.* You have to realize that just because a couple nukes are detonated doesn't necessarily mean the end of the human race. We're like cockroaches - very good at surviving. We could adapt to anything except maybe a full scale atomic war (probably even that) and that doesn't seem remotely possible. Face it - we're here to stay. The more pressing concern is whether we'll destroy the planet. That would be tough to adapt to.

*I realize I'm ignoring North Korea here, but I doubt the Koreans would ever try anything. Their nation would be totally fucked. Kim Jong is nuts, but doesn't seem that nuts.

 

[EerieVon]

I dunno...at first glance it seems possible, but we survived the cold war. The question is how the US War On Terror will play out. It seems possible that it could end that way, but I don't see the human race being wiped out, just a couple US population centers. There's nobody to have a nuclear war with.* You have to realize that just because a couple nukes are detonated doesn't necessarily mean the end of the human race. We're like cockroaches - very good at surviving. We could adapt to anything except maybe a full scale atomic war (probably even that) and that doesn't seem remotely possible. Face it - we're here to stay. The more pressing concern is whether we'll destroy the planet. That would be tough to adapt to.

*I realize I'm ignoring North Korea here, but I doubt the Koreans would ever try anything. Their nation would be totally fucked. Kim Jong is nuts, but doesn't seem that nuts.

Actually I am more concerned with the biological weapons part--we like to weaponize and improve(if thats what you call it) already lethal diseases and bacteria. The nuclear part worries me that if a "rogue nation" decides to launch a missle or two at lets say Israel they would respond in kind which could and prob. would lead to another nation launching their weapons, and a domino effect would occur until most every nation, in the mindset of helping protect their ally, starts launching.

Yes we survived the Cold War but our enemy at the time also feared death, our new enemies(which are many) view death as glorious especially when in conjunction of striking fear and death in the hearts of the "infidels"

 

[WeAreTheLastMen]

Well, right now our foreign policy is shot to hell, and in the interest of keeping ourselves safe, we're consistently alienating our allies (at the moment our "missile protection program" in Europe). That needs to be fixed.
Of course, in order to mend our foreign policy, we'll have to give up a few other things that make us feel "safe" such as black sites, extraordinary rendition, and disregard for international law (talking about torture now).
God only knows what the fuck we'll do about Iraq. It'll be a miracle if we get a stable government in before we leave.
Nuclear war... not going to happen, I agree with WeAreInFlames here.
Environmentally, I can't say. We've already done quite a bit of damage, but people are starting to acknowledge this as a serious problem at last. Even the administration has been forced to recognize it.