|
Solomon Ash
Nudibranch

Registered: 05/16/11
Posts: 149
Last seen: 12 years, 4 months
|
Is the world getting better or worse?
#14461644 - 05/16/11 11:41 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
In terms of how you see current trends and your future life chances, do you think that things are generally getting better or worse? In other words, do you expect the future will be better or worse than the present?
Are you in broad terms optimistic or pessimistic about the future?
|
Le_Canard
The Duk Abides


Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Solomon Ash]
#14463330 - 05/16/11 05:26 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Eh, some things will get better and some things will get worse, as they always have.
|
weedist
Duke of Mania



Registered: 10/19/10
Posts: 1,380
Loc: TN, US
Last seen: 8 years, 11 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Le_Canard]
#14492243 - 05/22/11 12:57 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
well the world didnt end, so thats a plus
--------------------
|
Silversoul
Rhizome


Registered: 01/01/05
Posts: 23,576
Loc: The Barricades
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Solomon Ash] 1
#14500662 - 05/23/11 06:53 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Thomas Berry was once asked whether he was an optimist or a pessimist. He replied, "Oh, I've never been either of those. Apocalypse is our only hope."
The point I take from this is that the evil in this world can seem to get overwhelming until it runs up against its own contradictions and gives way to something new, somewhat like Hegel described, though not as strictly deterministic. This, I think, is what the idea of eschatology is getting at. We have seen the abolition of chattel slavery, which had existed since the beginning of civilization. We have seen the rise of women's rights. We have seen monarchies give way to liberal democracy. That gives me hope.
There are plenty of things that seem to be getting worse right now. Human civilization is continuing an unsustainable course which could have catastrophic ecological consequences. Large international corporations are becoming more and more empowered and their interests are taking hold of politics more than ever before. Speculators and rentiers are gaining a foothold on the economy over the actual forces of production. None of this is sustainable, and that which cannot be sustained will not be sustained. There is indeed some uncertainty as to whether it will end peacefully or in a disaster. My suspicion is that some crisis is inevitable, but that the ultimate outcome will be a net gain for humanity, and we'll be all the better for it. I do believe that humanity does have the capacity to learn from the past. I believe, as Martin Luther King put it, that "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
--------------------
|
4runner


Registered: 07/16/10
Posts: 15,406
Loc: State of Jefferson
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Silversoul]
#14501834 - 05/23/11 10:33 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Ouch, pessimists, the lot of ya.
|
BothHands
Dog Coffee



Registered: 10/28/09
Posts: 13,177
Loc:
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Silversoul]
#14501865 - 05/23/11 10:42 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Silversoul said: Thomas Berry was once asked whether he was an optimist or a pessimist. He replied, "Oh, I've never been either of those. Apocalypse is our only hope."
The point I take from this is that the evil in this world can seem to get overwhelming until it runs up against its own contradictions and gives way to something new, somewhat like Hegel described, though not as strictly deterministic. This, I think, is what the idea of eschatology is getting at. We have seen the abolition of chattel slavery, which had existed since the beginning of civilization. We have seen the rise of women's rights. We have seen monarchies give way to liberal democracy. That gives me hope.
There are plenty of things that seem to be getting worse right now. Human civilization is continuing an unsustainable course which could have catastrophic ecological consequences. Large international corporations are becoming more and more empowered and their interests are taking hold of politics more than ever before. Speculators and rentiers are gaining a foothold on the economy over the actual forces of production. None of this is sustainable, and that which cannot be sustained will not be sustained. There is indeed some uncertainty as to whether it will end peacefully or in a disaster. My suspicion is that some crisis is inevitable, but that the ultimate outcome will be a net gain for humanity, and we'll be all the better for it. I do believe that humanity does have the capacity to learn from the past. I believe, as Martin Luther King put it, that "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
Damn good post. +5
|
DrGreenThumb865
Dude, who's got the lighter?




Registered: 05/27/11
Posts: 1,967
Loc: Tennessee
Last seen: 9 years, 9 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: BothHands]
#14525996 - 05/28/11 11:39 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
Definitely worse... Seems like freedom has completely gone out the window, there's more war now than ever, and oil spills all over the gulf. If our forefathers could see us now, they would shake their heads in disbelief and shame.
|
Oboy
Psychonaut



Registered: 05/03/11
Posts: 533
Loc: Sweden
Last seen: 5 years, 4 months
|
|
Quote:
DrGreenThumb865 said: Definitely worse... Seems like freedom has completely gone out the window, there's more war now than ever, and oil spills all over the gulf. If our forefathers could see us now, they would shake their heads in disbelief and shame.
|
BothHands
Dog Coffee



Registered: 10/28/09
Posts: 13,177
Loc:
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Oboy]
#14526635 - 05/28/11 02:25 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
Would you prefer to live in the dark ages? Executed as a heritic for having logic, common sense, or furthering science?
|
owls
just let go!


Registered: 02/22/09
Posts: 6,485
Loc: dancing
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: BothHands]
#14532724 - 05/29/11 08:05 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
both simultaneously
-------------------- i love you ♥ you are beautiful! COME TOGETHER, JOIN THE PARTY!! "what beith a man if he doth not enjoy cannabis?"
|
PinniesPlox
Deep in the bushes...



Registered: 09/05/07
Posts: 90
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: owls]
#14534651 - 05/30/11 07:12 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|

Google Kali Yuga for some insight correlative to this poll.
-------------------- I've got bigger blunts to smoke...
|
Hashishin13

Registered: 10/10/09
Posts: 315
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: PinniesPlox] 2
#14546716 - 06/01/11 04:39 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
All these people thinking that the world is getting worse are just funny. They must know absolutely no history.
It reminds me of these people called primitivists who think we should go back to nature and try living off the land, clearly not realizing that this would be a death warrant for over 95% of humanity.
All you need ot know about whether the world is getting better or worse is to look at average lifespans, and the technology we have all around us.
death=bad, living=good. We are living longer and therefor the world is better. Also all this new technology allows us to learn about anything and everything at speeds which outpace even the harshest of moralizing bureocrats, this site stands testament to that fact.
GET SOME PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE JESUS!
-------------------- It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it. -George Washington
|
domite
Puppet

Registered: 04/12/03
Posts: 2,978
Loc: Who's askin'?
Last seen: 10 years, 5 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Hashishin13]
#14548626 - 06/01/11 11:27 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
"death=bad, living=good. We are living longer and therefor the world is better."
Isn't this kind of silly?
|
LeeHarvOz
Homie


Registered: 10/13/10
Posts: 2,339
Last seen: 1 year, 5 days
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: domite]
#14548699 - 06/01/11 11:49 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
As i see it the purpose of the human race could very well be similar to that of a parasite, to feast upon our host's (Planet Earth) resources at its expense until it succumbs to our infestation. I see no problem with humanity filling this role but it most likely means that the world is getting worse. we have been slowly destroying it for most of our modern existence in order to expand untill our infestation reached to all corners of the globe. the pace has picked up dramatically since the industrial revolution with no signs of slowing down. in fact it only seems that things are getting worse as time goes on and as technology advances. our technology is already beginning to turn on the planet in ways that are beginning to affect its ability to sustain life. for fucks sake japan's getting radioactive and we cant do a thing to stop it, and when we fuck up and unleash endless streams of oil into the ocean it takes months to fix our mistakes. the world is fucked, my advice is sit back and enjoy the fall.
|
DieCommie

Registered: 12/11/03
Posts: 29,258
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Solomon Ash]
#14550580 - 06/02/11 12:06 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
I think the world is very much getting better for humans, and by and large, has been for thousands of years.
|
i like cow poo
Nature Lover


Registered: 10/20/09
Posts: 4,041
Loc: Mother Nature's Vagina
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: DieCommie]
#14551067 - 06/02/11 02:09 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
I heard something like there is a higher percentage of depression then ever. But who knows how accurate that is? Personally I like living in this age compared to when they had the Black Plague that killed millions. Or being burned at the stake for being called a witch. IDK life will always have some suffering, but a good dick suckin can help you forget about that for an hour or two
|
Distorted Vision
The best. Of the worst.



Registered: 07/30/09
Posts: 4,292
Loc: Indiana
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: i like cow poo]
#14556484 - 06/03/11 04:46 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
It's neither. There are still trillions of creatures bleeding to death as we speak, and trillions of creatures loving life. There is no better or worse.
--------------------
"Yo yo just here to spread my clit and show ya'll what a wonderful and free being we are all inside lets take the acid and turn inside into the outside come on over baby lets smell the roses ohh ohh come on we're about to get lit show my undies to your baby I'll hug it down three times go around frown come on we aint a nice clown kiss me upside down down down come on sorry if you cant handle my wokeness come on lets take her panties off write shroomery on my asshole and taste it lick it make if feel like we was 1978 come on baby lets do the locamotion"-Twig dude
|
Hashishin13

Registered: 10/10/09
Posts: 315
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: LeeHarvOz]
#14558203 - 06/03/11 11:10 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
This view of humanity as a plague is incredibly masocistic and self-hating. We are the only animals that have ever existed with enough brain power to EVEN COMPREHEND the CONCEPT of earth, so how could you possibly look down on our species?
If we are doing badly in your eyes, we are still good overall because before us THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS BAD. Morality and caring for other species ORIGINATED WITH US.
Also your assesment of the current state of affairs is just wrong on many levels, the earths resources are still incredibly plentiful, we have only even finished MAPPING the earth less then 100 years ago.
Sure we may have caused a new mass extinction during the adolescence of our species, but the rise of the enviromental movement is an indication that we are maturing. Also to think that we should hate ourselves for causing one out of the 7-8 mass extinctions that have happend in the past is incredibly short-sighted and unfair. If the universe can get away with 7 without being hated and reviled, why can't we get away with 1?
ALSO if you take the long view, the whole earth and everything in it will eventually crash into the sun, or the sun will explode. If Any trace of life including us alone escapes this fate then killing every other living thing on Earth would be forgivable. Considering that we are the only hope of this occuring, anything we do to any of the other animals short of hideous torture can be EASILY justified.
The world is far from "fucked", our lifespans have tripled in the last few hundred years and we have become aware of the environment and started changing our habits, if thats "fucked" I hope it gets as "fucked" as it possibly can. Dial the "fucking" of the earth up to twelve please.
-------------------- It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it. -George Washington
|
Hashishin13

Registered: 10/10/09
Posts: 315
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: domite]
#14559317 - 06/04/11 09:24 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
Silly? So you think its silly to use being free from disease and living longer as a general rule for life being better? I don't think there are "happiness" scales, so what would you suggest?
Also any account for increased depression has to take into account that many more people are alive to even experience depression then in the past. Surely being alive and being depressed is better then being dead? At least if your alive there is hope that things could get better, death is hopeless.
-------------------- It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it. -George Washington
|
devek
Stranger


Registered: 11/02/08
Posts: 12
Last seen: 10 years, 8 months
|
Re: Is the world getting better or worse? [Re: Hashishin13]
#14567805 - 06/06/11 02:24 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
If you scratch the skin of the “modern” man there is still a brutal Neanderthal lurking in the darkness of our collective psyche: men who can kill, rape, and commit the most gruesome atrocities.
|
|