[turmoil]

The way I see it, humans have great potential but also great stupidity. And at this point, due to major exponential population growth which is causing resource depletion and mass extinction of supporting species, humans have two options: we can work together as a species towards a common goal, or we can continue fighting amongst ourselves. What I would like to discuss here is which goal(s) would be best suited to our species and the best use of our potential, rather than the chances of actually agreeing as a species to accomplish a clear goal.

Below are some examples of common goals that the human species could agree to achieve. Feel free to add to this list, or comment on what I have here.

Total Destruction of Earth
There are many potential ways to achieve this goal and therefore not challenging enough for our species. Although I list it here because we might choose to do this as a last resort.

Intergalactic Space Travel
If this is physically possible, I see no reason why humans with enough mental and physical flexibility couldn’t at least make it out of the solar system. It might require genetic modification of the human species. Somehow we would need to enhance our physical support system while maintaining our mental capacity, a system that would require less food, water, and energy. We would at least need to be smaller, maybe even the size of howler monkeys.

Sustainable Organic Agriculture
With 6.5 billion people on the planet, achieving a state of balance with Ma Earth would be tough to say the least. We would have to simultaneously lower the birth-rate, increase the death-rate, and maintain a much lower consumption of resources (we could still use electricity and fossil fuels if we maintain minimal consumption and use renewables for most of our energy needs). This would be a colossal challenge physically and mentally but it can be done.

We are not limited to any one goal. After we complete one, we could try for another.

[FireJack]

Colonizing space is one of the things we must ultimatly achieve. Otherwise we go with the sun, though billions of years from now it will happen. I think we are jumping the gun right now with space travel though, the technology is not there that would allow us to do anything signifigant yet.
I think there is a good chance that we have wasted our chance for space, we will probably lose a lot of our technology in the coming years and colonizing other bodies or living is self-sustainble space stations will likely never happen.

Actually the number one thing I would like too see achieved is the ability to make ourselfs immortal using cyborg technolgy.

[Sencha]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')ntergalactic Space Travel

[MrBean]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('stupid_monkeys', 'T')he way I see it, humans have great potential but also great stupidity. And at this point, due to major exponential population growth which is causing resource depletion and mass extinction of supporting species, humans have two options: we can work together as a species towards a common goal, or we can continue fighting amongst ourselves. What I would like to discuss here is which goal(s) would be best suited to our species and the best use of our potential, rather than the chances of actually agreeing as a species to accomplish a clear goal.

Below are some examples of common goals that the human species could agree to achieve. Feel free to add to this list, or comment on what I have here.

Total Destruction of Earth
There are many potential ways to achieve this goal and therefore not challenging enough for our species. Although I list it here because we might choose to do this as a last resort.

Intergalactic Space Travel
If this is physically possible, I see no reason why humans with enough mental and physical flexibility couldn’t at least make it out of the solar system. It might require genetic modification of the human species. Somehow we would need to enhance our physical support system while maintaining our mental capacity, a system that would require less food, water, and energy. We would at least need to be smaller, maybe even the size of howler monkeys.

Sustainable Organic Agriculture
With 6.5 billion people on the planet, achieving a state of balance with Ma Earth would be tough to say the least. We would have to simultaneously lower the birth-rate, increase the death-rate, and maintain a much lower consumption of resources (we could still use electricity and fossil fuels if we maintain minimal consumption and use renewables for most of our energy needs). This would be a colossal challenge physically and mentally but it can be done.

We are not limited to any one goal. After we complete one, we could try for another.

[evilmonkeyspanker]

Okay, after reading this post I now know the people in the forum do way to many drugs

[Cola-Is-Petroleum]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sencha', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')ntergalactic Space Travel

[MicroHydro]

Baseline humans will never be any better than they are now, superstitious tribes ruled by alpha males fighting for territory. So engineer a replacement species for baseline humans.

1) Eliminate the religiosity gene!

2) Eliminate gender ( See book, "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. LeGuin)

3) Exterminate baseline humans.

The replacement species of atheist hermaphrodites couldn't do worse than baseline humans have done.

[Z]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MicroHydro', '
')1) Eliminate the religiosity gene!

2) Eliminate gender ( See book, "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. LeGuin)

3) Exterminate baseline humans.

[turmoil]

You guys think a little guy this size could travel the universe?



Why the hell not?

[aldente]

Timothy Leary has always been a big proponent of space travel. He's dead now and who knows if his vision in that regard has been an internal one in the first place anyway...

[MrBean]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('auctionmonster', 'O')kay, after reading this post I now know the people in the forum do way to many drugs

[MicroHydro]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Z', 'S')ound a lot like nazi eugenism bullshit.

[skyemoor]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('stupid_monkeys', '
')Intergalactic Space Travel
If this is physically possible,

[turmoil]

skyemoor,

First off, thank you for your sense of humor. It really helps.

I did mean intergalactic space travel and in order to do it, it would basically have to be a lone goal or a last resort (maybe the galaxy that we are in is going to collide with another, or something like that). I like your depiction of what life would be like traveling between galaxies. I think that it would only be mentally (and maybe physically) possible if we found a way to get there really quickly (worm holes, etc). I agree, at this point it's a hypothetic goal because it's not possible yet. But I listed it because (I agree) if it is physically possible, I think we could figure it out if we put our energy towards it.

All in all, sustainable agriculture is obviously a much more appropriate first goal. First things first.

[breast_milk]

Extend our moral circle
We are not that different from each other.

Develop sustainable economy/energy
I hope this happens before the world is destroyed by pollution, and war.

It would also help if weren't so selfish, but what can you do about human nature?