| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/4/2008 12:26:27 PM |
With each generation, our awareness changes and grows. Back to back we had a population explosion mostly known as the babyboomer generation. This group had a very long reign on shaping the way our society thinks. The 70s and 80s generations have all these great thoughts but no one to listen because of the way the babyboomers had things structured.
This makes me chuckle a bit. I'm right at the tailend of the babyboomers so I grew up listening to their rhetoric of peace and love and how you should never trust anyone over 30. They had lots to say, too, and it was only because of their sheer numbers that they were able to shape our society; and what exactly have they done that's any different from the previous generation?
That aside, I still think there's no greatest threat to mankind, but bringing the two topics of materialism and a population explosion together, makes me think of exploitation of our environment in combination with too many bloody people on this planet....Not a good combination | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/4/2008 7:08:39 PM | Greatest threat to mankind, I don't know, but when viewing a possible development such as a cure for Malaria, we should expect an exponential increase in general world population difficulties; a spiritually minded man not inclined necessarily to survival of the fittest, Malaria eradication provides back into the world people who would have been victims from the worlds number one killer. 50% of the worlds deaths are from Malaria. Without this disease can you imagine the strain on the living with current food and economic issues? It makes me wonder sometimes about medicine...
I'm in favor of training mosquitoes to prefer terrorists blood.  | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/5/2008 3:12:02 AM | I think the greatest threat to mankind can be summed up in these quotes, which I do not remember where I read them at:
"The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy. Take a look in the mirror before you lose sight of your real enemy."
"I am my own worst enemy." | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/5/2008 9:09:19 AM | "The other threat is Fait people, FaceBot's, computerized robots that are now posting on the Internet in popular forums and sites so as to give an illusion of strong support for the death of spirit and the rise of fiatism. research it and remember, when you think you are debating a person, it is highly likely that that which you communicate, when it is pro-war, and pro-elites is a fiat person, fake, computer programed to abet the elites. These will replace the current peons who have no spirit nor soul as their time and skills have been put to use for sake of material and those who are without life."
You mean chatbots advanced enough to help advertise products and make people feel good about those products? I suppose they have become advanced enough for that and I have wondered about that.
You make an interesting point about dead material. All the food we consume techincally is still living matter when we consume it. It seems the less fresh and alive a food is the less healthy it is. Processed foods for example. Every time we reconstitute materials to make an object were waisting resources used to create life. So I can see your point about death. This would mean that computers aren't souless because theres no soul but because their made of dead material. Meaning that the only living material is organic mechanisms. Which are natural to us.
Still wouldn't this mean that art is pretty much a dead and souless thing? I agree that fantasy and pretending is taking away from us having focus on the right things.
Yet the problem I have with this is that I think it's a sign of an advanced species when we have the ability to express through art and to fantasize things. Yet your right about the destructive side of it. So are we just so powerful that were misusing our ability to imagine and create? Also I don't know if machinery is truly dead and souless like your saying. It's powered by electricity and electricity is life. Even if the husk is dead material. That said the machines of today are mindless but this is just a thought.
I don't claim to know whats right. I do think materialism has damaged us. I don't know if no materialism is any better though. Is it just misuse of materialism and when it interferes with our spiritual side thats the issue. It could be argued that all the living creatures on this world are materialistic. I guess were senslessly materialistic though.
Beauty is a good example of this. Is beauty that important to normal animals. Maybe health is but it seems we create standards of beauty as ideal in this world.
Also even if theres no energy being sort of spirit, I do think spirituatlity can be seen as the material mind itself.
Anyways I don't know whats what anymore. I can say we all give in to materialistic excess. Still for us to do it we must be lonely in some way. Maybe we need to go more back to the idea of family again and human networking. Yet how is that done without sacrificing the individuality and sense of independance of the individual. Seems to me we have been materialists for far too many centurys. We can't even seem to be sensitive to other peoples emotions at times or were too sensitive to them. Still I think anyone whos more excited with buying something than with socializing. It's because the people around them don't know how to instill happyness and positive emotions. Or maybe we crave too much stimulus now. Who knows. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/5/2008 9:16:37 AM | When you say souless people. Do you mean people in denial of their soul? People who are emotionless (sociopathic/psychopathic), or literally people who are souless.
You seem to beleive in the illuminati thing. So do you beleive Sociopaths and pyschopaths are not real people but artificial people of some kind introduced into our population. Almost like a secondary race of human that aren't natural? Im curious. I can be hit with anything here Im pretty curious to thoughts on these things. Whether their actually true or not. I am still curious. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/5/2008 3:12:38 PM | I believe that if the AIDS virus ever mutates into a form where it can be tranmitted through casual contact, even by air, than that would by far, beone of the greatest threats ever. There would not be enough of the drug coctails available to treat everyone, and eventually, even these powerful anti-virals will be rendered useless as the virus keeps mutating. What makes this disease so insidious is that it takes atleast 6 months to sho up on any anti-bodies test, that a person can go about their daily lives without even knowing it. Nearly everyone with few exceptions, will become infected if it were air-born rather than blood-born.
But, of course, not even this can wipe-out the entire human population because there will always exist individuals who are, for unknown reasons, immune to certain diseases. Just as the Black Plague swept across Europe, there were some individuals who were immune to small pox. Many of them, it was discovered, that they were previously infected with cow-pox, a non-lethal infection associated with cows, that provided them with immunity from it's very lethal cousin, small-pox. Perhaps the people who do have immunity from HIV, have aquired this immunity from another virus. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/5/2008 10:28:32 PM | One thing i've come to beleive about humanity is that we're lazy buggers until necessity arises. We can go on about how we fail at fixing the problems we've created.
Yet I do personally beleive that if there was anything like the plague all over again. With the technology at our hands today and the level of industry. That we would cure it in just a few years.
The real reason I think that things like Malaria and Aids have not been yet cured. I'm trying to not be offensive when saying this is because it's not financially rewarding.
Most of the people in the bulk of the countrys that get those diseases can't pay for medication. The people who can well there aren't as many of them.
Now I think Cancer is a bit different though.
Still I think if we had a near earth shattering epidemic that most of the coroporations and governments would overclock themselves to a solution. Especially because any corporation that did find a solotion even if they are one of the really immoral ones would have a good face in the public eye for a very long time.
I fully realize how powerful the aids virus is. Yet after reading about how they engineered bacteria that gets rid of Crohn's disease just because two millionaires had a son who had it and funded money for a cure. Really makes me think it really is about the money. Now okay those people that were tested on have to be quarantined because they don't wan't the engineered bacteria to mix with normal bacteria. I still think it says a lot about how human ingenuity comes from pressure. We don't seem to come up with our best inventions until something pushes us. Harsh conditions force us to take action.
Sometimes I think the problems we go through now like high gas prices will be the only way to pressure change. If people got angry enough companies would have to find more efficient and clean alternatives more quickly.
Look at how willingly restaurants changed their menus once people became more health concious. Im not saying everything was truly changed for the better. It just proves that people are more powerful then they beleive. Our sleeping eye dosen't get awakened enough. In the end it's the ones in power afraid of the people. After all why would anyone spend billions of dollars on advertising unless they were afraid we wouldn't be interested. That says a lot about how much power groups of people have.
We as a people don't demand things enough. If we complained more we probably would see more improvement and change in our society. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/6/2008 11:13:21 AM | I agree completely that it would take a catastrophe to happen for humans to take action. U nfortunately, this seems to be the case with the environment. What will it take for most people, especially conservatives, to realize that preserving the environment is of upmost importance?
I suppose the saying "Neccessity is the mother of invention," does ring true. Only when something is deemed "necessary," is it taken seriously. It is also unfortunate that it took the increase in gasoline prices for some people to start experimenting with biofuels such as biodiesel.
But I suppose harsh conditions will slways serve as the impetus for change. But that said, I also agree that money seems to be the driving force behind innovation. As for AIDS research, I do not think that research would have ever advanced as much as it has without the financial backing of the very wealthy among us. I would not be surprised if AIDS research is the most funded of all other research. Perhaps all of this research will lend more insight into other deadly viruses or microorganisms as well. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/8/2008 11:04:31 PM | Thats why im less worried now then I ever was. Things are getting worse but if they don't get bad enough for everyone to die. Energy efficency will become so important it wouldn't be funny. We either wouldn't have enough money to buy stuff in such a catastrophe or be expected to buy more energy efficient models of everything.
Whats happening with the ecosystem is worrisome though. Humans need alll the other animals to survive like it or not. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/9/2008 12:53:21 AM | Actually, new species come about all the time just as they become extinct. Its just much easier to chart extinction than the 'creation' of species because one is known and one is not.
Also, in reference to the whole global warming swindle, thats what it is. 40-50 years ago there was supposed to be a second ice age on the way, and now the same talk is coming back. Global warming has ceased as of 10 years ago, median temperatures are static since then, and the trend looks to be towards cooling now.
I don't think anyone is driving SUVs on the moons around Jupiter but they are experiencing warmer temperatures as are other planets. Could it be linked to record levels of sun activity? That'd be my best guess. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/9/2008 10:41:51 AM | Religion
George Bush (luckily that's coming to an end... even better if he dies first)
Viruses
Greed & Power-lust from cretin politicians
Our technological adolescence
Asteroid
Climate change
Our INDIFFERENCE to so much that is going on
But who knows... maybe we can do something about it.... But seeing that individuals might be intelligent... as a population... we are complete idiots..... so we won't realise until it's too late.
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/9/2008 1:15:21 PM | | I haven't read all the replies to this thread, so If i repeat something already mentioned, just bear with it. I think the greatest threat to mankind is Selfishness. At the end of the day, we are always looking out for ourselves...it's in our nature to do so. That's my 2 cents for the day. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/11/2008 3:16:18 PM | | I'm recalling what happened to New Yorkers after 911...the crime rate dropped because people connected; then World War 2 with its recycling drives and war bond purchases...people will call up in them selves their best when they find them selves in the same boat...a life raft, not a luxury cruiser with some down in the steerage and others the promanade...a life raft without distinctions economically, racially and so on. Charlie Daniels goes on about Pittburg Steeler fans? Just throw something at mankind and see what will happen! | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/11/2008 5:51:49 PM | Top ten answers to the "Greatest threats to mankind"
10. garbage .... we humans make to much of it filling landfills and burning it.
9. detergents .... hard to get out of our water supply and earth
8. Loss of or forests .... and losing the production of Oxygen
7. Ozone .... Chemicals and fossil fuels in our atmosphere.
6. Pesticides .... in our water and foods
5. Disease
4. Natural earthquakes and disasters
3. War
2. Nuclear war heads
1. Mankind .............does all of the above except no# 4 and partially no# 5
Feel good about tomorrow! | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/11/2008 7:46:45 PM | I think the greatest threat to mankind is the discovery which infallibly proves mankind's obsolence.
Because in light of that revelation, we won't even fight to survive.
We'll gracefully resign.
Then I can't help but wonder if it'll even be considered threatening, but instead liberating. | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/11/2008 8:43:42 PM | I have several answers(not necessarily any right ones, but), not sure what I would place as the greatest of the great, but
1) Agreement with the viruses/bacteria replies-I wish antibotics were regarded as a natural resource and therefore, not as frivolously prescribed to doctors who merely want to please their hypochondriacs patients, yes I think research should be more supported(fiscally and more public support)
2) As paranoid and random as this sounds, an asteriod/comet hitting earth, I don't know any statistics on the probablity of this happening, but can't deny that mankind would be terminated.
3) The greatest threat to mankind individually I think is a disconnectedness that results from apathy, loneliness, materialism(from family/friends and media), and general confusion. The general confusion part is what frightens me the most. Maybe I'm just strange, but I always seem to wonder how can I tell what is the truth, how can I tell what is reality, how does math even work(did we "discover" math or was it "invented"), is everything i experience really just neurons sparking, do those things even matter, if those things don't matter, what does, etc.(which is why I don't get a lot of sleep)? Most people(maybe just those that I've met) don't wonder those things, and if by chance they creep upon those questions that just suppress their minds with reality tv or other fluffy mind fillers. Those fluffy mind fillers, the equivalent to intellectual circus peanuts/cool whip, leave the mind sticky ready to cling to anything shiny. Somehow I want the educational system to teach how to actually think, not just parrot and regurgitate "facts"(are there even such things as facts? what criteria does a proposition have to meet to have that superior status of "fact"?). I think I was just rambling, so just read the first sentence.
So, is it even a question of what is the greatest threat to mankind, or does it matter, can we do anything about it(obviously in the more environmentally threats, we can)? Hmmm...just pondering | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/11/2008 8:46:30 PM | Actually I really like Vancer's answer...I might change my mind
Makes me think of Cat's Cradle/Ice-9 | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/11/2008 9:12:11 PM | Lack of Reason.
Reason would dictate we educate everyone. The combined creative output of 6.5 billion people would cure many of our current problems. I don't mean creativity as in art but as in creative problem solving. I think it all boils down to education and using our collective potential. Just look at what happens when a population becomes educated. The birthrate goes down (the most educated countries have negative birthrates), disease and pollution decrease (sorry America is not one of the most educated countries per capita nor Canada and I'm Canadian), and new solutions are found at rates that don't show up in less educated areas.
If society were based on reason what would we lose? Greed in the upper levels of politics? the stream on non-accountable leaders would stop? I hope we can see past the fact that reason doesn't make us become robots but in fact inspires us to much greater creativity. Many great thinkers of the past that have revolutionized science, society and art (something functional can be beautiful) enormously have embraced reason as a guide. People need to remember reason cannot eliminate individuality and creativity, I don't think anything can! | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/16/2008 9:36:37 AM | Arrogance
ignorance
selfishness
greed
overpopulation
one bad seed in the form of a new virus causing sterility or death | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/17/2008 3:03:44 PM | | When and if the gas prices become reasonable again don't stick both your hands in the bowl and buy the most inefficient lumbering giant you can find...the more you use the more gas costs! Do you get that? ...fat Americans suck...gas! | |
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| Greatest threat to mankind?
Posted: 5/18/2008 8:40:41 AM | Apathy ... which directly ties in with a majority of the posts already stated ...
jeffery | |
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