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Lars_H
SFN Regular
Germany
630 Posts |
 Posted - 03/17/2002 : 12:05:01
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Poll Question:
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
We are constantly confronted with idiots and scam-artist who tell us that the world will end in the near future. Most of us are a bit skeptic about these prophecies and see the end of the world a longer way of. But even the most optimistic of us has problems believing that the human race will go on forever.
That is why I ask what do you think? How will the world end?
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| Results: |
| Asteroid-strike or any other catastrophe beyond our control and through no fault of our own. |
 [6%] |
6 votes |
| War either killing all mankind or enough of us that civilization won't recover. |
[10%] |
10 votes |
| Pollution indirectly causing our own downfall through shortsightedness and irresponsibility. |
[5%] |
5 votes |
| Pestilence a virus or any other other way of evolution catching up with us and our science. |
[4%] |
4 votes |
| Armageddon the Apocalypse as foretolled in the Bible or any other religious prophecy. |
[26%] |
27 votes |
| Not with a bang but, with a whimper. No big thing, just lots of little ones over a long time. |
[14%] |
14 votes |
| We will survive and adapt, leaving our sun, our galaxy and Universe behind. |
[22%] |
22 votes |
| Something completly different. |
[14%] |
14 votes |
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Poll Status:
Locked »» |
Total Votes: 102 counted »» |
Last Vote:
08/04/2005 21:07:56 |
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James
SFN Regular
USA
754 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 12:49:51 [Permalink]
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< nitpick>
Shouldn't this be in Prophecies and Prophets?< /nitpick>
AFA the end of the world is concerned, if it happens in my lifetime, I'll believe it when it happens. But, IMO, unless we do something completely stupid, it's higly unlikely.
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your common sense." -Buddha |
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Megan
Skeptic Friend
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 13:01:23 [Permalink]
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I think that we will have to wait and see where we will be technology wise and where we are with other people in the world. I think it depends on everything. Unless, it is something we have no control over, like an asteriod, then we're screwed.....
~Megan~
BTW, I'm a 15 year old that never stops asking questions(=P). Someday, you'll get sick of me... I know some people have(=P)
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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 13:14:01 [Permalink]
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What about: Earth is a Type 13
planet at its final stage of development, and will doom itself by being
shrunk into the size of a pea because of scientists looking for the Higgs
Boson particle.
@tomic
Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law! |
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Donnie B.
Skeptic Friend
417 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 13:40:36 [Permalink]
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What do you mean by "the world"? This planet, or life on this planet, or human civilization, or the human race as a species?
If you're talking about this planet, it may not ever end, although it will be vastly changed after the sun becomes a red giant: no oceans, no life, just a sterilized cinder. But the planet itself will remain.
Life on this planet will probably survive in some form or other until then. The human species will almost certainly not, though what may cause our extinction is pretty hard to predict.
Lots of things could cause the end of human civilization (or at least, civilization "as we know it"): asteroid impacts, massive environmental changes, ourselves by choice (genetic engineering or "silicon evolution"), or ourselves by accident. Even nuclear war could rear its ugly head, though that seems a remote possibility right now.
-- Donnie B.
Brian: "No, no! You have to think for yourselves!" Crowd: "Yes! We have to think for ourselves!" |
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Lars_H
SFN Regular
Germany
630 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 13:41:33 [Permalink]
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quote:
What about: Earth is a Type 13
planet at its final stage of development, and will doom itself by being
shrunk into the size of a pea because of scientists looking for the Higgs
Boson particle.
That and other curiosty killed the cat scenarios would fall under:
quote:
Pollution indirectly causing our own downfall through shortsightedness and irresponsibility.
If earth were to be blown up by idiotc aliens in a giant insectoid spacecraft on the other hand it would fall under Asteroid-strike.
But how likely is that?
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Lars_H
SFN Regular
Germany
630 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 14:14:56 [Permalink]
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quote:
What do you mean by "the world"? This planet, or life on this planet, or human civilization, or the human race as a species?
Sorry for not defining this clearer. I meant mostly mankind/human civilization. The assumption is, that without civilization mankind would be mostly done for. Unless we manage to establish a selfsufficient colony far enough away, the end of our Planet or the end of live on it would also mean the end of mankind.
quote:
If you're talking about this planet, it may not ever end, although it will be vastly changed after the sun becomes a red giant: no oceans, no life, just a sterilized cinder. But the planet itself will remain.
Not indefinitely. Nothing last forever. If earth survives the end of our sun intact there is still much to fear. Galaxies don't last forever either. And then there is the uncomfortable possibility of our Universe ceasing to expand one day and collapsing in a heat death. There also is a problem that even protons decay after enough time has passed.
Isn't entropy wonderfull? 
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Trish
SFN Addict
USA
2102 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 17:26:13 [Permalink]
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Hmm, anyone ever read Stephen Baxter? He's constantly destroying the universe - or at least making it inhospitable to baryonic life.
If we push, I think we can become self-sustaining in space, however, the environment will subtly alter the human species - whether that will cause speciation - dunno. Don't think we'll see things like Star Trek - but perhaps generational ships wouldn't be out of the question.
I think we can leave our own little mudball, just a matter of those adventerous enough to do so sometime in the next few decades.
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There is no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our world. It underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've known. Sagan |
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ronnywhite
SFN Regular
501 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 20:48:18 [Permalink]
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With all of the exotic possibilities being tossed out, actually I'd give the simpler possibilities related to population explosion and a lack of resources to sustain us (in a global sense) as being most probable. If (or when) the global population and resource shortages reach a certain point, civilization as we know it will begin to diminish due to numerous factors. Some colonies, groups, or villages will surely continue, but society and civilization won't exist as we've known it. I don't know if that qualifies as the end of the world, but looking at the numbers and population growth rate, eventually, the seams will begin to come apart unless there's a great deal more international cooperation, long-term thinking, and wisdom amongst our leaders than we currently have. I doubt large scale space colonization will be anywhere near economically, or technologically feasible before then, although it makes for neat scifi.
Ron White |
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Piltdown
Skeptic Friend
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 22:09:05 [Permalink]
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If we limit this to civilization as it has developed over the past few millennia, I regret to report that I think the end may come soon and mass delusions may be the cause.
Mass insanity is an old theme in science fiction. I really think that we are seeing it happen right before our eyes, and the process is accelerating at a breathtaking rate. I have long believed that irrationality might grow slowly for years, then reach critical mass and sweep suddenly over the world like a tidal wave. I really believe that this is close to happening. The recent Gallup poll of the Muslim world was a wake-up call. 76% do not believe that Muslims carried out the 9-11 attacks. This is a triumph for the conspiracy industry, and a good indicator of where popular perception is going in the rest of the world. Irrational
beliefs are being connected, refined, and unified as their profitability increases and they attract more astute proponents. A conspiracist lunatic has been elected to the Senate in Australia, a more rational country than the United States by most measures. I have seen a massive increase in public anti-Semitism in recent months, especially here near my home. Neo-nazi's have practically taken over the messsage boards at our local newspaper. It happens that I have infiltrated an invitation-only forum for fundamentalist leaders and activists. Some of the stuff being said there would curl your hair (a full report will be forthcoming). Conspiracism, much of it heavily tinged with nazi racialism, is a major component of many so-called alternate and New Age publications. The vicious ideas that represent an alternate reality have been spread everywhere, it will only take the right spark to set off an explosion, and plunge the world into a new dark age.
I'm sorry if this seems pessimistic, but it is how I evaluate the current situation.
Abducting UFOs and conspiring against conspiracy theorists since 1980. |
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ronnywhite
SFN Regular
501 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2002 : 23:06:08 [Permalink]
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quote:
If we limit this to civilization as it has developed over the past few millennia, I regret to report that I think the end may come soon and mass delusions may be the cause.
An interesting idea… if at least somewhat valid (irrationality being on the rise?) perhaps it's due to an increase in stress, uncertainty and complexity of living? I'd be interested in any hypotheses to explain this. It would seem that humans have always been irrational by nature (maybe irrationality has to be overcome with disciplined effort) yet despite all of the strange beliefs they express, their behaviors, for the most part, manage to be sensible enough as far as dealing with life's important issues are concerned when push comes to shove. The Bible crowd constantly exclaims the afterlife and "do unto others" stuff, yet examining their actions, in general, suggests pretty strongly they don't really believe it (suicide bombers, the Heaven's Gate cult, and the like are aberrations.) Paranoia and hatred of those different (nationalities, beliefs, etc.) has always been around, with predictably ugly results (and likely always will) but it hasn't brought the show down to this point. People talk a lot, but a small minority act on it, believe it, or would put their money on it (let alone their lives.) Unfortunately, they've become a very dangerous minority.
Ron White |
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Mespo_man
Skeptic Friend
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2002 : 07:42:47 [Permalink]
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Well, let's see now...
Asteroid-strike: Naw. South America will survive because no ASTEROID gives a DAMN about South America or the people that live there.
War: Naw. South America will survive because no DESPOT gives a DAMN about South America or the people that live there.
Pollution: Naw. South America will survive because no TOXIN gives a DAMN about South America or the people that live there.
Pestilence: Naw. South America will survive because no VIRUS gives a DAMN about South America or the people that live there.
Armageddon: Naw. South America will survive because no MESSIAH gives a DAMN about South America or the people that live there.
A Whimper: Naw. The rest of the world will shrivel and die in self-pity, wars, pestilence and Second Comings. But South America will survive because nobody gives a DAMN about South America or the people that live there.
We will survive in Outer Space: But the South Americans will continue to survive on Earth because nobody gives a DAMN about South America or the people that live there.
Something completely different: THE CORRECT ANSWER (IMHO). We will destroy ourselves AND South America because we suddenly started giving a DAMN about South America and everybody that lives there. 
(:raig
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ronnywhite
SFN Regular
501 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2002 : 12:54:52 [Permalink]
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quote:
We will destroy ourselves AND South America because we suddenly started giving a DAMN about South America and everybody that lives there.
I take that to mean they'll declare Holy War on us.
Ron White |
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Mespo_man
Skeptic Friend
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2002 : 12:35:51 [Permalink]
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Well, Ron. It just seems a shame that in all the Doomsday scenarios, South America is completely overlooked. All the death, destruction and mayhem is in the Northern Hemisphere. I dunno, but if I were an Argentinian, I'd petition the Church for a rewrite of Revelation.
Even in "Armageddon", the asteroid chunks missed South America. No respect at all.
(:raig |
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ronnywhite
SFN Regular
501 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2002 : 13:24:24 [Permalink]
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[quote]
It just seems a shame that in all the Doomsday scenarios, South America is completely overlooked.
[/quote]
Seriously, I never would have thought of that, and you're right! I hope some dissident screenwriter/author/doomsday prophet fills the void and makes the residents of Rio feel less overlooked.
Ron White |
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Donnie B.
Skeptic Friend
417 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2002 : 13:58:54 [Permalink]
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In Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" (the book, not the fascist movie version), Buenos Aires gets clobbered by an alien attack... nuclear, maybe, or was it an asteroid?
-- Donnie B.
Brian: "No, no! You have to think for yourselves!" Crowd: "Yes! We have to think for ourselves!" |
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Topic Locked
