02 Apr 20
I was in grade school during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. I've seen the cold war come and go, energy crisis of the 70's, savings and loan crisis of the 80's, AIDS and SARS epidemics, Y2K, the 2012 Mayan calendar scare, and now I sit at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, wondering what the next crisis will be. I'm inclined to think it will be a really severe worldwide economic recession, since so many of the world's economies are impacted by this pandemic all at once.
Any predictions?
02 Apr 20
@mchill saidI agree with a you a recession is coming if it isn't already here.
I was in grade school during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. I've seen the cold war come and go, energy crisis of the 70's, savings and loan crisis of the 80's, AIDS and SARS epidemics, Y2K, the 2012 Mayan calendar scare, and now I sit at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, wondering what the next crisis will be. I'm inclined to think it will be a really severe worldwide econ ...[text shortened]... ce so many of the world's economies are impacted by this pandemic all at once.
Any predictions?
We don't even know if the world will exist as we know it 100 years or even be here for that matter. Just look at the way things have been going over the past 100 years.
-VR
02 Apr 20
@very-rusty saidI think for most people on Earth ~ that is in terms of both bigger numbers and as a higher proportion of the population ~ I have no doubt that the world is a better place now than it was 100 years ago. It's certainly a better place than it was now than it was mid-C20th, continuing problems and challenges notwithstanding.
Just look at the way things have been going over the past 100 years.
@fmf saidPeople from a 100 years ago would debate you about rather we've gotten to be a better place. They would also have good reason. Look what we've done to the air, & water, animals once who roamed in herds wipped out. If you call technology as being better that is about it as far as it is being better. Also some cures for old diseases which would kill us, now we have new ones which could be even more dangerous.
I think for most people on Earth ~ that is in terms of both bigger numbers and as a higher proportion of the population ~ I have no doubt that the world is a better place now than it was 100 years ago. It's certainly a better place than it was now than it was mid-C20th, continuing problems and challenges notwithstanding.
-VR
02 Apr 20
@very-rusty saidI fear for the future of my child.
People from a 100 years ago would debate you about rather we've gotten to be a better place. They would also have good reason. Look what we've done to the air, & water, animals once who roamed in herds wipped out. If you call technology as being better that is about it as far as it is being better. Also some cures for old diseases which would kill us, now we have new ones which could be even more dangerous.
-VR
There are so many reasons to be fearful.
I grasp for every positive straw and then end up choking on it like an Orca.
02 Apr 20
@very-rusty saidI disagree. I think in terms of family size, life expectancy, infant mortality, access to health care, quality of health care, access to basic education, literacy, numeracy, observance of human rights, indigenous rights, womens' rights, access to justice, roll back of dictatorships, rollback of national security states, politicians being held to account, the growth and strengthening of civil society, and much more besides, I think more ordinary people [and a higher proportion of living people] have a better life now than in decades and centuries past. The problems you describe are real too, and new problems will arise, but on balance I think the world now is a better place for more people than in the mid-C20th. Having said that, I understand your perspective.
People from a 100 years ago would debate you about rather we've gotten to be a better place. They would also have good reason. Look what we've done to the air, & water, animals once who roamed in herds wipped out. If you call technology as being better that is about it as far as it is being better. Also some cures for old diseases which would kill us, now we have new ones which could be even more dangerous.
@fmf saidDon't even start about indgenous rights the land was stolen from them in the first place. The woman was recently able to vote in the 1900's. Politicians say what they must to get in power then line their own pockets. There is still much bias against people of a different religion or colour, just not put out there as it once was.
I disagree. I think in terms of family size, life expectancy, infant mortality, access to health care, quality of health care, access to basic education, literacy, numeracy, observance of human rights, indigenous rights, womens' rights, access to justice, roll back of dictatorships, rollback of national security states, politicians being held to account, the growth and strengthen ...[text shortened]... better place for more people than in the mid-C20th. Having said that, I understand your perspective.
How do you think the Trumpster got elected? Your idea of a better life with what is going on in the world right now proves my point not yours. Improvements may have been made but at what expense? How do you figure climate change happened? Why are our fish showing up dead? A better world? I guess it is all in your prospective of what you consider to be a better world.
-VR
@wolfe63 saidWofly,
I fear for the future of my child.
There are so many reasons to be fearful.
I grasp for every positive straw and then end up choking on it like an Orca.
I hear you loud and clear and have the same concerns of my children, grand-children, and great grand children.
-VR
02 Apr 20
@mchill saidso was i, i remember hiding under my steel tube and pressed board desk to escape certain evaporation by soviet nuclear missiles
I was in grade school
one reason the current crisis seems so new and terrifying is that humans have already experienced this and merely fail to remember
humans, in general, do not learn from our collective mistakes
we will, collectively, repeat the same errors with new names attached to those errors
lol, some will tattoo those names on their skin only to misunderstand the lesson
again
as for the next crisis, think outside the box
humans have already pretty much thought up the best ways to obliterate ourselves
and implemented those things
imaginations have created scenarios whee asteroids/comets/aliens/sentient stars have all come to search for and destroy human life
and made a movie out of it -
so that caviar and champagne can be passed around while discussing the plight of the poor
humanity will die because we haven't remembered the things that have already happened
and how those things were dealt with
brut, anyone?
@rookie54 saidWill anyone be left for the next big crises? I certainly hope so.
so was i, i remember hiding under my steel tube and pressed board desk to escape certain evaporation by soviet nuclear missiles
one reason the current crisis seems so new and terrifying is that humans have already experienced this and merely fail to remember
humans, in general, do not learn from our collective mistakes
we will, collectively, repeat the same errors wit ...[text shortened]... embered the things that have already happened
and how those things were dealt with
brut, anyone?
Perhaps everyone forgot what happened 102 years ago, not many were alive for it and if they were too young to remember.
You do have a very good point and make some good points here.
In the end mankind will kill ourselves!
-VR
@very-rusty saidI have come across viewpoints like yours before. It's OK. We can agree to disagree.
Don't even start about indgenous rights the land was stolen from them in the first place. The woman was recently able to vote in the 1900's. Politicians say what they must to get in power then line their own pockets. There is still much bias against people of a different religion or colour, just not put out there as it once was.
How do you think the Trumpster got elect ...[text shortened]... de but at what expense? How do you figure climate change happened? Why are our fish showing up dead?
02 Apr 20
@very-rusty saidYes, a better world. For the reasons I gave.
A better world? I guess it is all in your prospective of what you consider to be a better world.