The world has changed--NOT!

[snowman]

Just watching the history channel. More on German monstrosity during WW2. The dead slaves, the concentration camps. What has changed between then and now? NOTHING! The world and the people in it are the same kind of people that committed these crimes. Pol Pot is more recent proof. Current proof is to be seen almost anywhere in Africa.

Given this FACT, exactly how do we intend to survive?

If we do not act, someone, somewhere will inflict this upon us, if we do not do it to ourselves.

These are the FACTS of life. What is the left to do? What is their answer to world peace?

The only thing certain, it that this will be repeated on a larger scale, somewhere, someday. Cheers

[dd74]

Hmmm...I won't say you're incorrect. The one thing that's changed since the historical times you've mentioned is that there are now nuclear weapons and a world economy. When I was an undergrad taking IR classes, it was determined with some validity that nukes were actually peacemakers. Go figure. The world economy - possibly that's another peacemaker.

So maybe it's through nuclear weapons and a vibrant world economy that we survive. But that's survival out of fear (nukes) and fear of loss (economy).

More so than a nuclear attack or a country like China taking over as a world economic leader, in the U.S. I think the loss of the middle class will eventually spell our demise/inability to survive.

[Sonic dB]

There is no such thing as "world peace" never has been never will be.
Atrocities will be occuring forever, on the major scale such as the holocaust
and on a smaller scale such as the insane murders that our society commits upon each other. We live in a fked up world, and many of the people are becoming increasingly sociopathic and psycopathic. Our generation will be the last one that has any recognization for traditional decency. Our best bet is to carve out our own piece of 'security' by surrounding ourselves with trusted loved ones and earn a decent and honest living. Anything that we can give back to others in the form of charity of time and money is always a great thing...but lets not kid ourselves into thinking that the world is going to change into a beautiful place, cause its not. It is all downhill from here.

[JCF]

We are not very evolved creatures.

[stuartj]

Perhaps you could put them all in Guantanamo Bay or the other facilites in Eastern Europe?

[DARISC]

We are not club wielding troglodytes.
We have evolved.
We are now nuke wielding troglodytes sans caves.

[rammstein]

I agree about the World Economy being a platform for stability. I don't agree that it is due to a fear of loss though.

Nukes, IMO, have undoubtedly prevented major loss of life. So far. Without the fear of ultimate nuclear destruction, I am pretty sure there would have been an atrocious war between Soviets and the United States. Even with them, we came up with creative ways to have skirmishes through other nations. But it never came to all out war. The trouble with the nukes is, you only have to have one major incident to undo all of the good they have brought. So until infinity, we won't know if they truly were the savior of mankind, or the undoing of mankind.

[JCF]

Originally Posted by DARISC

We are not club wielding troglodytes.
We have evolved.
We are now nuke wielding troglodytes sans caves.

Yes, our tools have evolved - our brains - not so much

[Seric]

Human nature. Yin-Yang. There will always be evil people, not much we can do about it.

[livi]

No reason to believe our species is any different than all the other organisms on this planet. When push comes to shove it is every individual for himself, resulting in cruelty, war and a complete lack of care for the next man. Sad but true.

[M.D. Holloway]

watch 300. If that is any indication of what we were like I would say we have been pretty good considering all the fantastic ways we could kill each other if we wanted to.

At least we are not dragging the enemy through the streets. What ever did happen to the neutron bomb concept anyway?

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by livi

No reason to believe our species is any different than all the other organisms on this planet. When push comes to shove it is every individual for himself, resulting in cruelty, war and a complete lack of care for the next man. Sad but true.

Have to agree; we're big brained mammals w/alpha males leading their packs in perpetual territorial disputes. By that definition, pushing and shoving will never abate and resultant warfare at one level or another will inevitably remain a constant in the human condition.

I believe our only hope lies in our abilities, unique in the animal world, to use language and to reason at a high level of abstraction. Wars of words/ideas are not lethal. Lethality results when words fail, opposing ideas are held to be immutable and primitive physical agression is employed to dominate.

Unfortunately, to dominate is not to "win". True victory is only achievable when differences are resolved to the reasoned and humane satisfaction of all parties involved.

More unfortunate still, it's not the nature of fanatics to communicate with the goal of peacefully resolving differences, but only to communicate that they shall "win" at all costs. The world had Atilla, Hitler and numerous others and now has suicidal true believers who must be murdered before they murder us.

Soooo...lets all have a pleasant evening .

[snowman]

Wow! I thought I was being a bit to negative, but now I am REALLY depressed. I expected at least, some vain attempt to show how the world will somehow survive the people on it.

[livi]

Maybe homo sapience needs a new common enemy that we need to fight together to survive.

Or maybe we just need something new that everyone can agree to believe in.

In summary: We may need either a new God or a new Enemy.

[Moneyguy1]

The earth would probably be better of without homo sapiens. Or at least with far fewer.

Too many people, too little in renewable resources.

"Make Room! Make Room!"

[Seric]

I blame anti-septics and modern medicine.

Where is Darwin when you need him.

[snowman]

Originally Posted by Moneyguy1

The earth would probably be better of without homo sapiens. Or at least with far fewer.

Too many people, too little in renewable resources.

"Make Room! Make Room!"

Without homo sapiens, earth is worthless. There are ample resources for many more people, all that needs changing is politicians. What you are saying is that earth would be better off with more homos,-- curious.

[Superman]

One of the most stunning and remarkable characteristics of homo sapiens is the unbelievable range of behavior. They can commit the cruelest and most horrifying and obscene acts of violence and torture and pure hatred upon each other. And they can also commit the most sublime, beautiful, charitable and self-sacrificing acts. The range is incomprehensible.

But yeah, we know humans cannot be relied upon to act responsibly. If I thought they could, I would be 150% against gubmit regulation.

[Nostril Cheese]

The real problem is the thought patterns of people like snowman. constantly negative and close-minded.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Superman

One of the most stunning and remarkable characteristics of homo sapiens is the unbelievable range of behavior. They can commit the cruelest and most horrifying and obscene acts of violence and torture and pure hatred upon each other. And they can also commit the most sublime, beautiful, charitable and self-sacrificing acts. The range is incomprehensible.

Seems like a 60/40 split these days, going in favor of gruesome behavior.

Anyway, I always thought the most interesting characteristic of humans is their ability to adapt to non-favorable conditions and environments.