Do you have any real hope for the future, or is it basically gone?

[Lord Frieza]

As 2016 has been a hard and crushing year for many reasons, I was curious how people are feeling about the future. I can kind of tell from frequenting OT the answer I'll get from most people, but I wanted to make the topic just to see people's views.

For me, I've lost a lot of hope this year. I've never been starry-eyed about the future, but in general, I felt like we were stepping on the right stones for the future, even if we were stepping on them a little too slowly and a little too cautiously (particularly in relation to climate change), and there was obviously huge issues going on in the world. But after this year, I'm a lot less certain than I once was. I'm not going to say I'm 100% hopeless now, but I definitely feel it slowing draining out of me. It seems almost unreal to see everything going on from Brexit to the election of Trump to the sweeping amount of right-wing movements cropping up in the world. It's like any and all good steps we took over the last several years are about to violently and viciously be retreaded back. I feel like the country I live in, the US, is headed very quickly for fascism, and that really breaks my heart.

I try hard to grasp to any kind of hope, that this idea of accelerationism has some warrant (though the general idea seems pretty lop-sided to me), but I really don't know. I've found that a lot of the joy I got from life is mostly gone now thinking of the future. I'm looking to get an overseas ESL teaching job, not necessarily to flee the US or anything like that, but maybe just to find something to revitalize myself, but I really don't know if it'll help. I use to write, too, but I don't know if I find any point to it anymore.

It's defeatist and I know I'm still processing it all, but it's like I've got no will to really do anything anymore after this year. Not in a suicidal way exactly, but it's like the wind got knocked right out of me and I'm not sure if I can catch my breath again.

 

[Team Alucard]

I do not have any hope, but that's due to a personal health issue for which there is no cure for.

But in regards to greater society, I still feel that there is tremendous potential for the future and I wouldn't want to live during any other time period in history.

 

[yanipheonu]

Pendulums swing both ways. Even World War II ended. There's always hope.

The progress and people who have tasted freedom and civility don't just disappear.

Regardless of our problems, we are still living in one of the most peaceful times in history. im still glad to alive now. Take some historical perspective, there are far worse times to be alive.

 

[blame space]

none whatsoever

 

[SuperOrez]

The world keeps spinning.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

I don't believe in a thing called hope. That word is too mixed up with the otherworldly. We make our world and we'll either prosper or suffer in it.

 

[Complistic]

You are in the best time to be alive since time began, and you're still complaining.

 

[ClosingADoor]

We are living in the most peaceful and wealthiest time in history. Massive amounts of people can be lifted to a better life within our generation in Africa and Asia. We see things like electric vehicles, solar power and other green energy taking off in greater speeds every year.

I'm not going to let some setbacks in a few countries thinking the world will end. If we get climate change under control, we have absolutely massive potential to built greater societies then ever before.

 

[Lothar]

Hope for what? Everything seems pretty good right now other than the usual shitty stuff like disease and death. I don't have hope for that disappearing but it's about as good as it's ever been.

 

[cress2000]

An asteroid isn't likely break the world any time soon, so therefore I will continue to do what I can to fight.

 

[John Kowalski]

I am very hopeful and happy, things will be great

 

[Lord Frieza]

You are in the best time to be alive since time began, and you're still complaining.

We are living in the most peaceful and wealthiest time in history. Massive amounts of people can be lifted to a better life within our generation in Africa and Asia. We see things like electric vehicles, solar power and other green energy taking off in greater speeds every year.

I don't disagree with these statements, but I'm talking about the future, near and far, not the now. That's why I was asked about hope for the future, not the thought of where we are now.

 

[Tall4Life]

Yep. I have a lot of hope. My generation (the millennial generation) is statistically the most liberal age cohort ever. Trump's victory is quite likely to be the fire under our asses that we need. Once the baby boomer population considerably shrinks, and it will soon, I know there's going to be positive change coming. Especially with demographics shifting towards minorities , they'll have a greater influence over the US for the better.

Not to mention, music is also going to be amazing because of all this

 

[grumble]

Giving up is complete cowardice. It's even worse than complaining on the internet but not actually doing anything about it.

 

[Reverend Funk]

The good guys can't win all the time

 

[Lothar]

I don't disagree with these statements, but I'm talking about the future, near and far, not the now. That's why I was asked about hope for the future, not the thought of where we are now.

What do you think needs to be better?

 

[mere_immortal]

It's been hard not to get disenfranchised with politics especially this year.

I'm a left leaning person who lives in the UK, Labour is a lost cause under Jeremy Corbyn, Lib Dems are looking ok but no chance they'll be popular any time soon so it looks like the Tories are in for the forseeable future. This in in spite of them being completely incompetent and bringing in some of the worst surveillance measures in history. No one seems to be bothered, so I've found myself asking what can I really do?

Brexit was a horrible choice but becuase of bullshit tribalism you can't engage anyone in a real way about it. It's just "we won" and then some mention of immigrants.

I'm 30 next year, both me and my girlfriend have good jobs but we're still miles away from owning a house because of the enormous deposits you need these days.

Then you look abroad and see Trump, Duterte, Putin, Syria, the horrible shit seems to have been turned up to 11 this year. Yeah, it's difficult to look on the bright side.

But I'm alive and healthy and I have friends, family and food. Could always be worse.

 

[Pamplemousse]

For me, I have none. For humanity, yes, I have some hope.

 

[BriGuy]

There's a sliver of hope. With Trump and Republicans in power now, there's a good chance they'll see a backlash in 2020 and Democrats will be in charge of redistricting like the GOP wave in 2010. That's when they need to snap the olive branch in half and bury the Republican party. Gerrymander the fuck out of everything. Changing demographics will hopefully lock the Republicans out of power for a good long time.

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

You could be alive in a lot worse times in history. Unbelievable.

 

[wild wild rice]

The future will be fine. Humans? Well, we'll see.

 

[adj_noun]

There is going to be some absolutely dynamite dystopian fiction in the years ahead.

 

[ClosingADoor]

I don't disagree with these statements, but I'm talking about the future, near and far, not the now. That's why I was asked about hope for the future, not the thought of where we are now.

I don't think the progress we made in those areas will be majorly reversed in the future, but instead built upon. There are always setbacks, but the line is upwards when looking at the big picture.

 

[Shig]

In the cosmic game of Chutes & Ladders, we definitely just hit a chute.

We'll hit ladders again, but we're gonna have to retread ground we thought we were done with.

 

[Rentahamster]

I have lots of hope for the future. The world is getting healthier. It is getting wealthier. Technology continues to improve, and there is a strong correlation between tech and humanity's well being. Violence is lower than it has been historically.

Apocalypse fantasies are very appealing to humans, for some reason. Try not to let fiction overcome your future or it may turn out to be self fulfilling.

 

[LegendofLex]

I've got hope.

The world is safer and more peaceful now than it has been at any point during any of our lifetimes.

Standards of living are rising in many places around the world.

Renewable energy is still growing and developing at a great pace.

Literacy and education rates generally continue to rise.

We can instantly communicate with and learn about and learn from people and places all over the world thanks to the power of the internet.

There are lots of great things happening. Don't listen to the people telling you they're not happening, or that they're not great things. Be vigilant about threats to progress, but don't forget that this is what's happening.

Spoiler

Climate change and crony governments and the aging population are going to fuck us up, though.

 

[Neuromancer]

Nope, we're all fucked.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Yep. I have a lot of hope. My generation (the millennial generation) is statistically the most liberal age cohort ever. Trump's victory is quite likely to be the fire under our asses that we need. Once the baby boomer population considerably shrinks, and it will soon, I know there's going to be positive change coming. Especially with demographics shifting towards minorities , they'll have a greater influence over the US for the better.

I like this idea, but my fear with this is if the US government goes full out authoritarian, it may not matter much what fire is lit if there's no chance of winning an election, or there is no more elections, or if your fire is quickly quelled by a militarized police force that serves the purpose of only one party. Maybe sounds sensationalized, but thinking about the people now running our government, it's not as far-fetched as it should be.

 

[chaosblade]

Not in the short term. Trump is probably going to cause a worldwide depression after starting a trade war with China. And Republicans are probably going to use this opportunity to fight even harder against climate change efforts, things like eliminating subsidies and tacking on extra taxes and penalties to dissuade transition to and research for renewable energy.

Maybe long term will be better after the short term fuck ups.

 

[adj_noun]

A kid and or a wild eyed scientist may show up asking about a sports almanac. If they succeed we'll all get booted back to the real timeline.

 

[Lagamorph]

Things might be bad but they're not that bad.

 

[Kayo Police]

I have no hope whatsoever. Humanity is the worst thing to happen to this planet and everything or most of it was preventable at some point.

 

[Lord Frieza]

I have lots of hope for the future. The world is getting healthier. It is getting wealthier. Technology continues to improve, and there is a strong correlation between tech and humanity's well being. Violence is lower than it has been historically.

Apocalypse fantasies are very appealing to humans, for some reason. Try not to let fiction overcome your future or it may turn out to be self fulfilling.

I would love if Trump, his cabinet picks, the GOP having full control of Congress, Brexit, the rise of pseudo-fascists throughout the world, and climate change were fiction but they aren't.

 

[capitalCORN]

Plunderers will enter the White House.

 

[sleverfunk]

It all keeps tumbling down,tumbling down.

 

[SgtCobra]

Humanity has had worse times, we will overcome it.

 

[SmackAttack]

Always have hope.

 

[Beartruck]

The next few years are going to be a real shitburger politically, but we'll get through it. Im more worried about the next few decades, which as a result of automaton and AI, are likely to completely change if not dissolve what we think of as a traditional society.

 

[torre_avenue]

I don't know about my dreams
I don't know about my dreaming anymore
All that I know is
I'm falling, falling, falling, falling
Might as well fall in

I don't know about my love
I don't know about my loving anymore
All that I know is
I'm falling, falling, falling, falling
Might as well fall in

 

[Ban Puncher]

I hope that Knack 2 isn't big pile of poop like Knack 1.

 

[kmfdmpig]

I like this idea, but my fear with this is if the US government goes full out authoritarian, it may not matter much what fire is lit if there's no chance of winning an election, or there is no more elections, or if your fire is quickly quelled by a militarized police force that serves the purpose of only one party. Maybe sounds sensationalized, but thinking about the people now running our government, it's not as far-fetched as it should be.

Trump is a fool and will almost certainly be a disastrous president, but this seems hyperbolic. The chance that we will not have elections in the future is as close to absolute zero as possible.

 

[ezrarh]

With the failure of nation states, if we can safely return to the era of city-states without putting the world under nuclear winter, then yeah, I'd be a little more optimistic.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Trump is a fool and will almost certainly be a disastrous president, but this seems hyperbolic. The chance that we will not have elections in the future is as close to absolute zero as possible.

Maybe, maybe not. It is out there, but I can envision a possibility that something happens and voting is 'temporarily' suspended to never return. Of course, that probably won't happen, but I think it's highly likely that elections will be rigged in various ways to where the GOP can no longer lose, or at least lose to a significant degree (we already see this in a lot of regions with gerrymandering as is).

 

[chaosblade]

The next few years are going to be a real shitburger politically, but we'll get through it. Im more worried about the next few decades, which as a result of automaton and AI, are likely to completely change if not dissolve what we think of as a traditional society.

I wouldn't even be surprised if Republicans tried to push through anti-automation legislation to protect jobs and job culture. It would look good politically in the short term but totally fuck the country and put us behind in the long term. Something they are demonstrably perfectly fine with.

 

[Veins]

People are so melodramatic these days

 

[BorkBork]

 

[parrotbeak]

How about we fight for a rational government for at least a few years before you give up.

Other governments are slaughtering their own citizens right now, and Americans get depressed our politicians are threatening to make our national policies worse. This is still our government. We haven't lost anything yet.

 

[Mathieran]

I mostly worry about the climate. Action needs to be taken yesterday. I expected setbacks with lots of progressive movements but I was hoping climate change action would keep forward at least.

Io I am definitely worried for my children and for myself in old age. I haven't completely lost hope. I think with our backs against the wall someone will invent a solution. Until then I will just keep doing my best.

 

[jay]

No, but if it makes you feel better I had none before the election.

How about we fight for a rational government for at least a few years before you give up.

Other governments are slaughtering their own citizens right now, and Americans get depressed our politicians are threatening to make our national policies worse. This is still our government. We haven't lost anything yet.

At what point does this approach lift the billions of people in the world out of poverty?

 

[Lord Frieza]

How about we fight for a rational government for at least a few years before you give up.

Other governments are slaughtering their own citizens right now, and Americans get depressed our politicians are threatening to make our national policies worse. This is still our government. We haven't lost anything yet.

If you read all of my OP, you'll see this isn't just about Trump's win here, or his cabinet. It is the one that affects me the most, yes (outside climate change, which affects everyone), but I'm talking about everything going on right now and how my state of mind is for the future based on that. Not just America.