Choose the course for the next human advancement?

[Ghostpanther]

Faster than light travel. I hate making long trips which take hours and hours.

I already have immortality, so no need to wish for that.

History has shown that when a more advanced civilization meets up with a lesser one, it did not end well for the less advanced.

No thanks on the mind reading crap. Some things are best never known.

[Kithelle]

Well FTL can help with one of the other options, I doubt we'd ever find immortality, and I don't really care about telepathy...so obviously my choice is FTL

[Doctor Amadeus]

Focusing on the further away advances over the medium term ones doesn't seem that helpful. There's also a question of what is and isn't a healthy expectation. In my view a big part of tech is setting the right goals at the right time.

I think in terms of practical applications when it comes to almost everything especially when it comes to science, because I am NOT a scientist, I think it is very tempting to be enticed by what I think I would like, or get romantic notions about ideas not fully realized.

So when it comes to anything, I am open minded and skeptical within reason. I trust the data, and the science more than I trust the people in it, and I think that is kind of the point. Separating what I want or would like to have vs what there is.

That isn't to say there can't be that want to know what could be, but I think there has to a process.


Immortality doesn't seem fantastical, however what that means and by what measure or when it certainly uncertain. Although if I had to say whether or not I had a bias, I would say that understanding the building blocks of life, and organic engineering is probably the most powerful science there is.

[cubby]

Focusing on the further away advances over the medium term ones doesn't seem that helpful. There's also a question of what is and isn't a healthy expectation. In my view a big part of tech is setting the right goals at the right time.

I cannot disagree with you've said here. I am definitely looking at the 100+ years advancements which assume a lot of advancement in several fields of study. I think it's easy to bet on relatively far-off items when you can ignore the practical issues. For instance, if I was betting actual money on this, I would be choosing things that are "closer".

Still a great and thought provoking poll though.

[Doctor Amadeus]

First option is the only one with a guaranteed net positive.

Second, Third and Fourth would probably lead to WW3 or our extinction.

Second due to overpopulation.

Third because we'd probably be wiped out.

Fourth because we'd all release Humans are massive cunts, realisation of widespread corruption and social issues leading to everyone killing each other.

We are overpopulated depending on who you ask, if it happens to be the few with too much, who in essence waste more than the rest of world ever would or could I said NAH!


As for E.T's I agree, but it has less to do with any over all technology, and more human beings propensity to fucking always react in the same idiotic ways, human indifference creates fear and hostility, until eventually violence.


As far as Telepathy, if every human being had to feel every ounce of torture and pain of every other human being, I think humanity could actually leap forward a few thousand years, in our humanity and technology.

[The Stormbringer]

While I'd like to meet aliens and explore the universe, I'm gonna go with immortality. With immortality, we'll be able to achieve everything else.

I'm not concerned with over-population. As long as we're more efficient and actually start using our resources wisely, there'd be no problem.

[Rudkobing]

Develop Human Telepathy because imagine how well it will go since it is going so well with being able to post our thoughts online. It should, also, be by will, and not a hive mind.

[cubby]

Faster than light travel. I hate making long trips which take hours and hours.

I already have immortality, so no need to wish for that.

History has shown that when a more advanced civilization meets up with a lesser one, it did not end well for the less advanced.

No thanks on the mind reading crap. Some things are best never known.

I'm curious how you already achieved immortality.

- - - Updated - - -

FTL. Duh.

Immortality leads to overpopulation, which we already have a bad case of.

Contact with an alien species probably wouldn't end in our favor at our current tech level.

And could you really stand 7 billion voices screaming at you, all at once, for all of time?

Over population is really just a myth at this point. Effective control of our resources, along with heavily recycling technology, and a trend towards less children as nations develop will keep that from happening.

Agreed re alien species. If they can reach us, we're fucked. Unless they choose not to wipe us out, enslave us, or eat us.

[Mormolyce]

Same here. It's why I can't talk to anyone who puts money, time, or effort into "rescuing" animals. I could give five fucks about a dog when there is a 5 year old starving to death in the United States.

I feel kind of the opposite way...

Still, I bought a purebred cat because I wanted a very specific breed, and I wanted to own her from a kitten stage in order to bond with her better and enjoy her as a kitten. I understand the argument that people should adopt cats instead of buying them because there are so many without a home, but honestly if I went into a shelter I'd probably walk out with 40 cats and my house would be a giant litterbox.

[Thetruth1400]

Yeah... But at least we would be around to try and figure out the answers to those questions, as opposed to not existing.

We, as a species, are going to exist regardless. We personally, maybe not though. All that aside, I think I'd rather be able to die then live life in any of those horrible ways as above or live in an overcrowded and unfed world because we have way too many people, which is exactly what would happen if we all suddenly became immortals. Breeding wouldn't suddenly stop, but the 55+M people that die a year would. In 8 years, we would add 1B more people to the Earth. Likewise, we would have the 440K still around that would have died off. Unless laws were implemented immediately, we would pass peak population, meaning the ability to feed all those people, in roughly 25 years. Every single birth after that would be one more mouth that couldn't be fed.

[Deleted]

How about making human rights a global thing and share/develop tech to make that happen? Make the lives of the poorest better => biggest gain on mankind's overall advancement-"score".

[anyaka21]

It's more likely that immortality is the next step. Humans are obsessed with life and staying alive. The elderly use the vast majority of healthcare at least in the US, all in the hope of not dying.

Thus, I'd say that is the most likely advancement. I would suggest that immortality will likely have tech involved and esp nanotech to help keep the aging process as well as possibly reversing it. Further, I'd also suggest that with said nanotech, other types of augments will likely happen. If Black Mirror type tech is a good example, then that's the type of augments that I think will likely happen. Hell, there's already prototypes of contacts with HD recording capabilities.

Although, I think it also likely that FTL drives will happen in the near future or coincide with this. As overpopulation continues to happen, the need to find other planets to populate will be imperative.

[Hooked]

Banishing low iq people. The 2 concepts just cant go together.

[Doctor Amadeus]

How about making human rights a global thing and share/develop tech to make that happen? Make the lives of the poorest better => biggest gain on mankind's overall advancement-"score".

Sorry I didn't add this, I love it, and I will do my best to do better going forward, this is a great option, I wish I had thought of.

- - - Updated - - -

Banishing low iq people. The 2 concepts just cant go together.

What the fuck are you actually talking about?

[Hooked]

What the fuck are you actually talking about?

I was giving an honest, realistic answer, to the topic of the thread.

[Doctor Amadeus]

I was giving an honest, realistic answer, to the topic of the thread.

Ok sorry, still confused but thought there was something else I missed. Not sure how banishing people with low iq's is going to advance humanity, socially or otherwise.

I don't think the problem with this world has anything to do with I.Q, certainly having a higher I.Q makes you more intelligent, but that isn't the greater problem. The problem is that it doesn't matter what someone's I.Q is whether it's 80 or just 100.

People who make the decisions they do, aren't often times doing so because they aren't intelligent enough. The reason is because despite whatever they know, there something they want, and that something even those with a I.Q of a genius have a problem with.

To be more simple, when you were growing up you probably didn't do all the things your parents told you to do, even though logically and reasonably they are going to know what is best for you, because they are where you come from, however you don't do it, most kids don't, and it isn't because as teenagers they aren't intelligent enough.

The problem is regardless to whatever it is that someone is told even if it's for their own good and they know it, it won't stop them from making a choice.


Anybody can be stupid, and anyone can make a choice, if their is a problem, that is the problem, although I am guessing that is that probably isn't as fun and just assuming people one disagrees with simply have mental deficits.

[Keosen]

Abolishing capitalism would be the biggest step for sure.

[MikeBogina]

Pretty sure we're working our asses off to get this lifespan expanded. Only problem is that it would be reserved for certain people as the world's population would explode if everyone lived longer.

[Deleted]

I got this one, Mall. You keep thinkin' up good polls.



No idea wtf you are talking about here - try using complete sentences. Practical Immortality is within our grasp, right now. The first bicentennials are already born - and with that comes consciousness transfer - hence immortality. Read, then post - don't be a douche bag.




But several other drive types that get around that issue are already being looked at. So, again, head out of ass - think then speak.




The only thing divorced from reality is your thoughtless responses. Each of the choices Mall offers is an effective soon-to-be reality. PAY ATTENTION.




Of course it is - effectively. Not actual, of course.

Of course it does - you just don't know why and can't be bothered to find reasons for yourself. Ask and we can help..

1. Op said the end to death as we know it. Those all deaths we know of. I took that to mean the immortality he proposed meant never dying to any of that list. Many of the others options unrealistic why would I assume this was aswell.

2. That was a mistake I meant psychics were i said physics. Light speed is the speed cap on the universe. Wormhole style drives are conceptual at best. The solar sail and (Can't remember it's name but basically it dotonates a series of explosives gradually increasing in speed) these just allow near light speed.

3. Near light speed and ftl are VERY different things. A cohesive space civilisation demands ftl. Human could explore other systems with near ftl however.

4. Know I understand why you think that. Education and increased living conditions have led to a decrease in birth rate in the west etc etc I simply point that ever other example in nature when a natural control on population end. In the wild hunters. There is a population boom. Without natural death population would rise even if birth rates fell drastically. Surley your not arguing that over population is an issue?

[Flutterguy]

Accurate weather reporting.