The Two Futures Of Modern Thought
Design Art for apossible future proposed by Jacques Fresco. Source: http://dennisyeeavatar.blogspot.com/
An envisioning of the future by modern technologically informed scientifically inspired man has two wildly different visions of an earth to come. One is comprised of the ultimate marriage between nature and science when man’s cunning, hypothetically helped by computer driven brilliance in a possible post-singularity age, creates a world where man is able to use technology to help him live side by side with nature, images of a beautiful blues skies, flowing waterways, and lush verdant natural setting are complimented by the most technologically advanced buildings which are observable but which seek to become just as much a part of the natural world as their organic co-inhabitants. These buildings would feature the most brilliant technologies currently only conceived of by the most inspired scientists and visionaries, this would be a natural technological utopia exhibiting the brilliance of man’s mind.
And the other view of the world also sees technology and man’s largesse as key, but here it is not a force for creation but destruction. This is the world destroyed by the affects of global warming, man’s greed for the earth’s natural resources, his militancy driving him toward nuclear war, or even his technological curiosity driving him toward some catastrophic discovery, for instance the infamous grey goo. This envisions a world, which if it even exists is one virtually unrecognisable; whatever human survivors remain subsist in a post-apocalyptic nightmare, a popular scene for many a Hollywood movie. Here the natural world as we know it has lost all her beauty, blue skies are replaced by grey, grass and trees are burned to ashes and animal life if it exists at all has almost certainly gone feral, to say nothing of what would happen to the world’s most destructive beast, man.
These future visions are certainly interesting but what is compelling is not the aesthetics but about the way those who imagine the future perceive the human race. Optimists it could be argued believe that man can overcome his follies and utilise his creative and scientific brilliance and ingenuity to create the technologies that will allow man to live in a new Eden. This is a vision of a species that can overcome its incredibly apparent destructive tendencies and can live harmoniously not only with the planet but also with each other and fellow species; it is in short a utopia.
Source: http://faithlagrange.blogspot.com/
Conversely pessimists (one might argue) believe that man cannot overcome his follies, is doomed to fall, will refuse to learn from his mistakes and in the end will self-destruct, they argue that we need not fear an expanding and dying sun or the unavoidable clash of a comet; our own stupidity and arrogance will surely get to us first. This, not even dystopia but end, is derived from a basic observation of human behaviours today especially of those in positions in authority, for instance the politicians who refuse to even slightly deal with environmental change but are more than happy to invest in as much defence spending as possible. Pessimists observe the terrible starvation and disease that affects some parts of the world and then the extravagance and mind-numbing lavishness of the unnecessary conspicuous consumerism that plagues other regions, particularly the West.
But is this definition of optimists and pessimists correct, and if it is, whilst it might apply to those who take an active interest in Futurology, can it apply to the rest of us? Speaking as a pessimist whilst I find the wonderful visions of a possible world very attractive I cannot help but be swayed by the fact that humanity does seem to have a real desire to destroy its one and only home. Furthermore if one examines the climate change naysayers, who one would probably argue have a vested interest in current energy policy and expect to be dead by the time the future happens, one finds a rather crass degree of optimism, people who say the planet is fine and that man will overcome any challenge thrown at it, in fact their vision of the future might be the harmonious one whilst it is they who are seeing to it that there is no future at all.
Source: http:/wallchan.com/
Nobody (apart from a few Fundamentalist Christians who seek vindication for their dreams of the apocalypse) wants to believe that a destroyed Earth is actually in our future, we are all far more attracted to the first vision described, but no matter how we dream the future world it is important to do so actively. The fact is if we just say it will all turn out OK then it most certainly won’t. I believe the only way we can truly avoid being the cause of the world’s destruction is to know just what we as a species are capable of. It is only through the knowledge of our species’ many problems that we can overcome them.
I am not an optimist, I do not believe that it will all be alright in the end, but I so so want it to be. I love some of the images of possible futures which you can see at Urban Future – they are jaw droppingly inspiring, and if it is possible for people to imagine then it should be possible to make it happen. But to do that we must remember all the bad that we are capable of achieving, we must remember so we do not act arrogantly and with a blinding sack over our head fly headlong into our follies. Fundamentally we must know our weaknesses, know how awful we as a species are capable of being, and with this constant horror hanging over our heads we must act in such a way to ensure that our dark side is kept at bay. In the end our optimistic dreams can triumph but only if we remember the evil we are capable of.
READ MORE: Humanity and the Horizon Series
The minute we surrender to defeatism - that is pessimism unleashed - we will perish along with our planet. We must carefully define and understand the differences between pessimism and realism. Being realistic and optimistic are NOT contradictory. To me they represent a vigorous fusion that can produce a beautiful future but one that has stability and promise. Unbridled pessimism that is fueled more by suspicion and superstition deconstruct realistic plans replacing them with doom forecasts that deflate both hope and enterprise. Yes enterprise stripped of greed, which got us a long way for a long time, can be revived and employed. We need to gently but firmly shove the pessimist aside as well as the greedy and unfetter honest and eager opportunity. There is no doubt we CAN do it, the real quandary is WILL WE do it?
You have written, "This is the world destroyed by the affects of global warming..." This should properly be "effects of global warming."
Global warming may have severe psychological scars - you don't know Dan.
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