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Some random jumbled thoughts on this thought-provoking topic:
Without a doubt it is the best time to be alive. Our standard of living is way, way higher than anyone could have imagined even 60 odd years ago. The technology at our fingertips is crazy.
I think one key challenge we have in the west is around mental health. Kids today are getting extremely mixed messages from our education system, politically obsessed parents and activists, and wider society. Not to mention the "always connected" social media that means the playground politics and bullying follows them everywhere.
It's little wonder anxiety and depression is on the rise. Part of that is we've become a bit too progressive for our own good, and more traditional ideas around responsibility have taken a back seat to our youths detriment. That is self-correcting - see Jordan Peterson's popularity - but we've neglected the discussion about what constitutes a meaningful existence for a long time now.
I would also say we appear more politically polarized now, but that's hard to get a gauge on. The crazies congregate on social media and make things seem worse than they are, but it does worry me that the intolerance from people on both sides there is seeping into the real world.
Climate change is obviously a hot topic, I don't doubt we need to be very careful with our planets environment to ensure it stays liveable. But I'm far from convinced the solutions that get the most funding are going to make much difference. I also wonder why nuclear power gets no focus at all, despite it having the potential to provide all of our energy needs. I think with the advancement of technology we will find solutions.
I also think a key to that is lifting people out of poverty to unlock all of that potential. That's something we are doing very well at in recent times, with the standard of living dramatically improving all over the world.
I think overall we're heading in the right direction. Things will never be perfect - the default condition of life is suffering and tragedy - that our standard of living is so high despite that is nothing short of a miracle. But the real world is a brutal, messy, unforgiving place so it will always be easy for naysayers to spin a negative "the world is ending" narrative no matter how good we have things overall.
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One other point around youth mental health I forgot to mention is the number of kids growing up in broken homes with little stability in their lives. Without a doubt that is having a negative impact. It's so important that we prioritise childrens well-being.
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@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
The world is fine we have infinite resources, so are not in any kind of trouble.
Are we taking that literally, or is it a resource accessibility assisted through tech type position?
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@Paekakboyz said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
The world is fine we have infinite resources, so are not in any kind of trouble.
Are we taking that literally, or is it a resource accessibility assisted through tech type position?
Literally.
Resources is raw materials factored by human imagination. Human imagination is infinite or at least immeasurable. Of course raw materials are finite( if we limit ourselves to this world).
Of course when you multiply a finite number by an infinite number the result is infinite.
We didnt leave the bronze age because we ran out of bronze, we didnt leave the iron age because we ran out of iron. -
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Paekakboyz said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
The world is fine we have infinite resources, so are not in any kind of trouble.
Are we taking that literally, or is it a resource accessibility assisted through tech type position?
Literally.
Not if we ban things like offshore oil and gas exploration.
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@No-Quarter said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Paekakboyz said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
The world is fine we have infinite resources, so are not in any kind of trouble.
Are we taking that literally, or is it a resource accessibility assisted through tech type position?
Literally.
Not if we ban things like offshore oil and gas exploration.
You are confusing resources with raw materials.
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@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@No-Quarter said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Paekakboyz said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
The world is fine we have infinite resources, so are not in any kind of trouble.
Are we taking that literally, or is it a resource accessibility assisted through tech type position?
Literally.
Not if we ban things like offshore oil and gas exploration.
You are confusing resources with raw materials.
Yes, I see what you mean now. Though if we outlaw the collection of raw materials I guess we limit our resources.
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@No-Quarter said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@No-Quarter said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Paekakboyz said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
The world is fine we have infinite resources, so are not in any kind of trouble.
Are we taking that literally, or is it a resource accessibility assisted through tech type position?
Literally.
Not if we ban things like offshore oil and gas exploration.
You are confusing resources with raw materials.
Yes, I see what you mean now. Though if we outlaw the collection of raw materials I guess we limit our resources.
Nope. Unless we outlaw collecting all raw materials, but even then.....
In 200 years we might decide that all we will collect is sea water.. you want to bet we couldnt do amazing things with just sea water in 200 years? In 1819, they would not have dream of some of the things we can do with materials they didnt even know existed or how to harvest. Our puny little 2019 imaginations cannot even comprehend what might be possible in 200 years. People just always apply todays ideas and tech to future shortages or supply. It has never worked that way and never will. -
@Baron-Silas-Greenback figured that was the take but thought I'd check 😁
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@Paekakboyz said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Is this thing sustainable?:
The world is fine we have infinite resources, so are not in any kind of trouble.
Are we taking that literally, or is it a resource accessibility assisted through tech type position?
Tidal, solar are two such examples of what Baron is talking about. Both are as close as you can get to being infinite.
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@MajorRage said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Kirwan that’s proper next level!!!
Baron mentioned 200 years, if we aren’t doing things like that then something has gone terribly wrong.
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@No-Quarter said in Is this thing sustainable?:
One other point around youth mental health I forgot to mention is the number of kids growing up in broken homes with little stability in their lives. Without a doubt that is having a negative impact. It's so important that we prioritise childrens well-being.
There is a bloke called Jonathon Haidt who is on a number of podcasts talking about his book "The coddling of the American mind", He speaks a load of truths about how we treat young people today and how we are setting them up for failure.
I grew up in a small NZ beach side community in the eighties. The only rules I had was be home before dark. I would leave home on my bike and go to a mates place, we then would do whatever we wanted, fishing, building huts, swimming, hanging out with mates. Mobile phones didn't exist, my mum really had no idea where I was but she trusted me and she trusted the people who lived in our village.
Because of this responsibility I developed skills that allowed me to talk to strangers and ask for help if needed. We would solve problems as they arose and we got to experience the world. We had freedom to be kids that I believe few have today due to the helicopter parenting that is common.
We also had a plethora of jobs we could get. I could do a paper run, milk run, rubbish collection, pump gas, cut grass, pack shelves etc etc. A lot of these jobs are being automated and young ones have less and less opportunities. Some parents don't want there kids to work as it may interfere with education.
Finally we didn't have social media, we actually spoke to our mates face to face. We didn't watch these fake perfect lives of others, we only had each other to compare with and I didn't know anyone who was rich and perfect. In fact I grew up in a housing commission area with plenty of drug use etc. However I thought it was paradise.
I actually feel sorry for young ones who are ruled by their smartphones.
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@jegga said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@chimoaus there’s a thread about universal income that discusses that podcast a fair bit . Have you heard the ones with Johann Hari where he discusses the Portugese and Swiss approach to drugs?
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/1313/universal-income/78
Oh thanks for that will check it out, Yeah I read his books and think he makes loads of good points, his book on depression is interesting. I was nodding my head in agreement about so many of his points. I experienced many of these things first hand. No doubt he has his biases and there are plenty of people that discredit him but I like the dialogue he is starting. The war on drugs really doesn't work.
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@chimoaus Jonathan Haidt is fantastic, that book is next on my reading list. Looks like a must read especially for parents.
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@Kirwan said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@MajorRage said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@Kirwan that’s proper next level!!!
Baron mentioned 200 years, if we aren’t doing things like that then something has gone terribly wrong.
By then we should be able to harness the rage of a woman to discovers you’ve been home all day and haven’t bothered to empty the dishwasher.
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@Siam said in Is this thing sustainable?:
@chimoaus loved his idea about giving kids time with no adult intervention.
There's a fucking lot of "I'm telling on you" in this day and age
It’s kind of a shame they are having to organise this when it was standard once upon a time. I was actually proud that my nephew walks to primary school on his own. It’s funny because getting a ride to school in a car was foreign when I went to school. You either caught the bus, walked or rode your bike.
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@chimoaus yep. Perhaps a gradual stepwise change starting at cannabis and opiates might be the most effective strategy.
Would love to learn how Portugal is in regards to their drug policy. Need objective info though, not info aligning to a particular narrative
Is this thing sustainable?