Is the Future Depressing?

[MAGNA]

All you can do is the best for your kids and they seem to have a way of changing things. Although we see the extremes on the news I have seen that many in the generation after mine are becoming more conservative in outlook - not politically but in what they use and want. Yes they want computers, game consoles, Ipods and so on but they are used to them being around. I wanted a transistor radio when I was younger as I could carry it around in one hand and it only used small batteries. Marvellous.

At the same time the next generation are very concerned with alternative energy and water use. An awful lot of them see that the carbon blah blah is just that and that general pollution and wastage is a far bigger threat. There is also the fact that a big shift in energy production - moving away from oil - will mean a bigger shift in economies. We are moving very quickly towards being able to produce energy needs on a more local basis - even at our own residence. This will further erode governments ability to manipulate voters and will be resisted strongly.

My fingers have run out of breath - probably just as well. So yes, things will change but in the long run it will be for the better, especially for our kids.

[Geek44]

As you say, things will change. That's the nature of everything...permanence is an illusion. Humans generally resist change (for some reason).

[MAGNA]

Resistance to change is a normal thing. In economic terms it means holding on to market share. This can be detrimental and I think is one of the reasons we are still using petrol engines in cars.

Disruptive technology is the term for changes in industry / economics. Anything that is easier and especially cheaper to produce and use is resisted.

EG - The Internet - Television companies were paranoid that their days were numbered because of it. Maybe they still are. Phone companies are worrying too as voice traffic becomes more of a reality. That is why they are pushing mobiles instead of high speed landlines while saying they are going to upgrade them in Australia and at the same time stalling.

Ipods vs. music industry is another one. Delivery of music by digital means instead of having to go into a shop and buy the CD releases the stranglehold on what is marketed and for how much.

Don't even get me started on where computers should be by now. Safe to say we have been held back badly in that area for the sake of profit margins.

[Geek44]

And around we go again to my core complaint. It's all about money.

When governments keep secrets, there's a problem. When people are killed by the State, there's a problem. When the lives of many are risked or sacrificed for the few, there's a problem. Bottom line, there's a problem and sometimes I feel like I'm either mad because nobody else seems to see it, or they just don't give a toss because they have food and beer to last into the foreseeable future. The mindless consumption and encouragement to do so by people and organizations that should (and probably do) know better is a dead end. One day, there'll be nothing left but a huge mountain of discarded troll-dolls. Don't even get me started on designed obsolescence. Disposable cars. Did you know that in over four hundred different Aboriginal languages in this country, not a single one has a word for 'waste'?

[MAGNA]

Money is the problem for sure. There must be ways of having the same level of civilisation we have now without using money. I have seen a few ideas for it but nothing that really strikes me as workable.

[cyberia]

Figures. When I had no money everyone said it was a good thing. Now that I have some everyone wants to get rid of it.

I can't win.

[Geek44]

As a wise friend once said to me; 'We're always in the s*** mate, it's just a matter of how deep'.

[cyberia]

By the way, love the Bigfoot.

[Geek44]

Thanks mate. I like it too. Any of these critters out your way?
We have a similar 'creature' down here you may be interested to know. It's known as the 'Yowie' because of it's call. I've never seen one but there's a guy here kinda like Steve Irwin who calls himself 'Tim The Yowie Man'. He basically spends his time looking for Yowies. No luck so far just in case you were wondering.

[cyberia]

You know, there seems to have been a few sightings. When I was working local I was down the library looking through microfilm from newspapers from the 60s.

I came across a series of stories of Bigfoot sightings in 1969 that happened right in the neighborhood where I now live. Seems they went on for weeks, then suddenly stopped.

Shame though, we could have learned to communicate with them and used them to negotiate peace terms with the bears.