The world as it is and changes incoming.

[Ryme]

Rapid rise and fall of far right communities in developed countries, which will result in the UN being even more transparently useless and not much more.

[Deleted]

The world we live in is (and has been) constantly changing. The problems we're facing today like migration, economic crisis, political unrest, military conflicts, social injustice and so on, have always been around. Still, for some reason people seem to worry about them a lot more than they used to. I've seen this even contributing in causing depression for certain people close to me.

So why is this happening one might ask? Are things really looking that grim? Is there any solid proof that shows we're actually going through an evolution which is completely different from what we've experienced before? Who's telling us to worry and what do they base their statements on? Do they have anything to gain by making us worry and maybe even change our opinions as a result of our fears?

Regardless of the questions mentioned above there's one thing that really changed in my experience in the last decade, namely the amount of information that is presented to us, the rate at which it is presented and last but not least, the quality of the information itself. Living in Europe myself, the whole discussion about the current refugee crisis is a perfect example of this. If I open my Facebook lately there's literally a constant stream of posts in regard to this topic. Not a week has gone by without me seeying articles that are pure propaganda and based on nothing more but assumptions and sometimes blatant lies. Most of the time it doesn't take more than a little bit of research to come to this conclusion, but people who are actually looking for this type of information in order to see their oppinions and fears confirmed will share them without a second thought.

Instead of fearing migration, cultural and religious differences, the race for resources, overpopulation, pollution and tons of other subjects, it's rather our lack of understanding and biased opinions we should worry about. Fear is the worst counselor. It's a constant fight to question everything and everybody all the time but nevertheless we should try our best to do so. Very often it will turn out that things are not that bad afterall...

To end my plea there's a video I would like to share on one of the topics I mentioned above, (over)population. Before seeing this lecture it was something that worried me, mainly because I was misinformed and never had somebody explain to me in detail how populations evolved over the last centuries and what to expect next. Yet again it turned out things aren't as bad as I assumed...

[Ghostpanther]

This is from the Economist magazine some say it's the best business magazine around.

My point is, Mexico has been a problem for the US for many years, we've experienced a flood of their illegal immigrants, it's like 11 million illegal immigrants at the moment. Look at where Mexico is in 2050, Mexico joins the G8!

2050 illegal immigrants from all over will be trying to sneak into Mexico. I will be much amused.

The only way to stop immigration is to make the immigrant's home countries places where immigrants want to stay. Otherwise tremendous economic pressure will force immigration to you.

I disagree. It is not the only way to stop immigration. We have been too lax for far too long on illegal immigration into the US. Time to get tough.

On this thread's topic, there will be WW3. And natural disasters which will make Hurricane Katrina look like a nice breezy day.

[Emageht Tsoluoy]

This is our future 500 years from now.

[Wayne25uk]

The same thing i have been saying since i was about 14 (15 years ago) when i realised how shit life was and how much this planet has gone downhill.

"Wipe out every human on the planet and who ever survives let em start again"

I personally don't think we deserve this planet, too many idiots trying to run it and ruining it.

[Kurioxan]

You fix issues of immigration by making the places people are leaving stronger and a more desirable place to live. This is hard to do in certain areas because of constant conflicts and weak structures of government. Also, no one wants to pay for that stuff either.

This is the theory, reality is different.

http://www.migrationobservatory.ox.a...nd-development

Second, increases in GDP per capita in many developing countries may lead to an increase rather than a decrease in migration (Hatton and Williamson 2002). As income rises, those who have a lot to gain from moving but were not previously able to move will be able to migrate.

Migration is bad, in many ways.
We have this mentality of trying to save everyone, but the truth is that emigrants make their countries worse, as the country invested in their training, education, better wealth and health, and then... they leave.
its not beneficial for the receiving countries either, as it adds to the burden of unemployment, welfare state (if it exists), creates social, religious, and cultural problems as people are at different stages of cultural development, different values towards human rights/obligations and so forth.


the brightest minds leave for other countries. Developing countries complain that scientists, nurses, doctors, engineers and other professionals, who were educated with the limited resources available, go to work in and benefit developed countries.

And many times developed nations already have a lot of (better) educated skilled workers, which messes up the job market for people still in training as well.

Immigrant between countries with similar socio-economic/cultural stages is beneficial, not so much when there is a chasm in it.

If people really, really, want to help, and not just the pat yourself in the back for being such a good human being for supporting the poor moving here, then you realize that only hurts and creates a cycle that wont stop, the way to help those countries is to first and foremost stabilize them, have developed nations invest in their economy by training skilled workers, building factories, employing the natives (look at Asian tiger countries/china/japan) to create economies which then lead to all else, and prevent emigration from the population by changing legislation.


Edit: And now with increasing robotization, its even worse.
There was this excuse given by governments who allow such mobility of people from underdeveloped countries that "we need unskilled workers (bs) to man our factories/low education jobs due to our ageing population"
First and foremost economic growth isnt the holy grail, we dont need to be constantly growing, then we also have a lot of unemployed people, they dont do those menial jobs because the pay is shit, increase wages and the problem fixes itself.
Now add robotics to the equation and you will have even more social issues, as the already high unemployment will only rise.

[Grummgug]

The current trend is that Europe is clearly on the decline. The US might be. China and Russia are ascendant. The current world is stable as long as the US has the military advantage, but if something changes and either the US disarms or China and Russia combined get close enough to the military power of the US, then you will see changes. Changes like Russia and China acquiring more land and a fight breaking out over that move.

- - - Updated - - -

Liberalism is death. History books will say that Western Civilization ended in Europe when the Nazis conquered them in WW2. The US merely resurrected Europe by winning that war and it existed as Zombie Europe ever since, limping along with the same failed policies that got it conquered. So long as liberalism grips Europe, its fate is to get conquered. If not by Nazis, then by the Soviets. If not by them, then it will be Putin. Europe is just so weak and pathetic and it invites these types to come in and take it.

Europe is SO weak that it couldn't even beat Gaddafi, some tinpot dictator. It had to run to the US to bomb the hell out of him to win. Can it stand up to Putin? Not on your life.

[Deleted]

The survivors will tell their children about the horrors of figthing in the feminist wars!

[Deleted]

The current trend is that Europe is clearly on the decline. The US might be. China and Russia are ascendant. The current world is stable as long as the US has the military advantage, but if something changes and either the US disarms or China and Russia combined get close enough to the military power of the US, then you will see changes. Changes like Russia and China acquiring more land and a fight breaking out over that move.

1. You seem to have forgotten the cold war era and that in the end it led to nothing except for a stockpile of outdated weapons and the fall of the soviet union.
2. Russia acquiring more land? Take a good look at Russia, why would they need more land? Although Russia annexed Crimea not so long ago they very aware of how this complicated their relations. They will test the international community but not at all costs.
3. What would Russia, the US or China gain by starting a conflict?

[Oktoberfest]

You are a sad person, I almost feel pity for you... almost.

Yeah? Enjoy immersing yourself in your cities new diversity . Dont cry to me or lose your head when it gets worse for you

LOL

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slate...n_belgium.html

Why There Are So Many Jihadists in Belgium

[Bakis]

Global warming is the big elephant in the room. By the time the pleads of large parts of the undeveloped world and shit hits us in the face at home it will already be too late.