Is it possible for the world to ever become worse than it is today?

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

I don't mean it in a pessimistic or cynical sort of way, I mean in the sense that as time goes by the world generally gets better. As people become more educated, and technology improves, the world trends upward in terms of quality of life (or at the least, in some places, it stays stagnant). Anyway, this means that the worst times are always in the past. Do you think there will ever be a time where that isn't the case? Is it possible for us to regress? Basically, is it possible for the dark ages to occur on a worldwide scale sometime in the future?

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

I dont know but this is my fear too. I sometimes think the current world is itching to regress and gone back to the dark ages before it gets anywhere better

 

[Hackworth]

Yes. eg, climate change making water and food significantly less available leading to wars etc.

 

[John Kowalski]

i will die one day you know

and who will take up my place? it will be a void unlike any that's been seen by human eyes

 

[Admiral Bone to Pick]

Do you mean worse for people? Yes, absolutely. The extinction of humanity will happen at some point in the future. That's impossible to argue against.

 

[Manmademan]

Didn't live through the 80s, did you? World War 3 turning the world into an apocalyptic wasteland was a very real threat, and almost happened at least once.

 

[Makai]

It's happened before.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

i will die one day you know

and who will take up my place? it will be a void unlike any that's been seen by human eyes

That kind of void will cause the universe to implode on itself :<

So, pls. Try not to die >:O Invent a time machine if you must! Thx.

 

[Visceir]

All it takes is one supervolcano eruption.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

Do you mean worse for people? Yes, absolutely. The extinction of humanity will happen at some point in the future. That's impossible to argue against.

What

Didn't live through the 80s, did you? World War 3 turning the world into an apocalyptic wasteland was a very real threat, and almost happened at least once.

There were most definitely times before the 80s that were much worse

 

[BPoole]

If World War 3 were to happen, ity would be pretty horrific considering the type of weaponry we have today compared to the last World War

 

[Admiral Bone to Pick]

What

What's hard to understand about that? Are you stupid?

 

[Woorloog]

What

Well, technically he may well be right.
Homo Sapiens Sapiens will be extinct... but there is probably various Homo Sapiens [Insert type here]s around qutie a lot.

 

[B.K.]

It can always get worse.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

The era of the Black Death probably wasn't fun.

 

[Kezen]

A low point can always get lower.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

What's hard to understand about that? Are you stupid?

What is this based on? The end of the universe? Do you have anything to back it up? You say it like it's some generally agreed to inevitability

 

[Aureon]

What

Given enough time, and time is functionally infinite, anything will happen.

Also your answer, OP.

 

[John Kowalski]

That kind of void will cause the universe to implode on itself :<

So, pls. Try not to die >:O Invent a time machine if you must! Thx.

i am devising a most curious contraption that can provide the most eternal of lifes! fear not dear playfellah this is a journey that does not end

 

[Azull]

What's hard to understand about that? Are you stupid?

Off to a great start there buddy boy.

 

[S-Wind]

Yes.

It is very very very possible.

There are multitudes of way it can happen.

Enjoy these times while they last...

 

[Stereogatari]

What

Evolution guarantees it either way.

 

[Wyndstryker]

History repeats itself, or so they say. Things get forgotten after a few generations only to be repeated again

 

[Coriolanus]

What

Heat death of the universe, prolly.

Thats a best case scenario, obv.

Tbh if we even make it that far, ill doubt wed still be calling ourselves human.

 

[Ahasverus]

World War III will never happen. The loonies will get assassinated quickly and no one will give their lives for them, Hitler ain't happening again.

 

[Higgy]

I would say there has never been a safer time to live then right now. But we do live in perpetual fear because scary media sells just like sex sells. I mean if you only checked Gaf for your news you'd be scared to walk out your front door. Not many positive stories posted.

 

[Cow Mengde]

What is this based on? The end of the universe? Do you have anything to back it up? You say it like it's some generally agreed to inevitability

Everything goes extinct at some point.

 

[Puppet Shadow]

What's hard to understand about that? Are you stupid?

Jesus, nice attitude. Why not just expand on your post?

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

What is this based on? The end of the universe? Do you have anything to back it up? You say it like it's some generally agreed to inevitability

Well, given enough time.... kind of thing? Maybe?

IDK

I think current world is pretty bleak, but then sometimes ... maybe it just seems worse than it really is? Not sure. All I can say is that I'm grateful for the little things I have. Including GAF <3

But yeah. Some days, man, I think the world is in a scary tipping point place >___<

 

[J-Rod]

It seems very possible.

 

[Retro]

Quite a bit depends on who wins the 2016 elections. If a Republican takes the presidency, they'll be able to appoint at least two conservative judges to the Supreme Court. That will result in more regressive movement on social issues (women's rights, reproductive rights, LGBT rights), economic issues, Net Neutrality, healthcare (Repeal Obamacare), immigration, environmental issues (fracking, etc.), political issues (Citizens United, etc.)... the list goes on and on. Some of those things (gutting the EPA especially) can cause significant, long-term damage.

Since Supreme Court appointments are for life, if the judges selected are young enough and in good health, it could basically mean that all forward progress will cease for the rest of this generation. The children of Millenials might get a shot, if we're still around that long.

 

[ClayKavalier]

I dont know but this is my fear too. I sometimes think the current world is itching to regress and gone back to the dark ages before it gets anywhere better

Your post is the exact opposite of the OP.

 

[JdFoX187]

There's always a chance. Nuclear war, natural disasters, plagues, etc. Just about any "doomsday scenario" could send humanity back to the "dark ages" and there's nothing we'd be able to do about it. What would be interesting -- from a pure outsider point of view -- would be how long it would take the species to recover.

 

[Regiruler]

Depends on what you define as worse.

 

[Higgins113]

Quite a bit depends on who wins the 2016 elections. If a Republican takes the presidency, they'll be able to appoint at least two conservative judges to the Supreme Court. That will result in more regressive movement on social issues (women's rights, reproductive rights, LGBT rights), economic issues, Net Neutrality, healthcare (Repeal Obamacare), immigration, environmental issues (fracking, etc.), political issues (Citizens United, etc.)... the list goes on and on.

Since Supreme Court appointments are for life, if the judges selected are young enough and in good health, it could basically mean that all forward progress will cease for the rest of this generation. The children of Millenials might get a shot, if we're still around that long.

This is what neogaf actually believes

 

[Admiral Bone to Pick]

What is this based on? The end of the universe? Do you have anything to back it up? You say it like it's some generally agreed to inevitability

Jesus, nice attitude. Why not just expand on your post?

I have no patience for one-word responses. He should have provided a proper response first.

You're asking if the world will ever become worse than it is today, specifically for humans. Given that civilization has only been around for about 10,000 years, and we have several billion more years before the Earth is gone, I'd say it's a definite.

 

[Blargonaut]

i will die one day you know

and who will take up my place? it will be a void unlike any that's been seen by human eyes

I will assume the position

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

Your post is the exact opposite of the OP.

Oh sorry. I guess I went straight for the emotionality content

I do that, sometimes :x

 

[Extra Sauce]

The extinction of humanity will happen at some point in the future. That's impossible to argue against.

We know everything Time is capable of, but we don't yet know everything Humanity is capable of.

 

[Woffls]

I think humanity will trend upwards until it runs out of habitable areas on Earth. If we're not on other planets by then, we'll be in a bit of a pickle.

 

[Angelus Errare]

No, because the number of people who want progress will always outnumber the number of people who want to regress to the 'good ol days'.

Those for regression only delay the inevitable.

I don't think the 'history repeats itself' line is completely true. Only because when it did there wasn't a worldwide network of information. Atrocities committed in one place were often slow to be known in other places.

Because of technology and how interconnected we all are, I doubt we'll see something like slavery reintroduced in the US, or internment camps. Other countries would quickly check the US. Much like the US and other countries would quickly check any country that is committing similar atrocities (for the most part...if said country has a resource the other countries want...well..yea).

 

[Stereogatari]

Well, given enough time.... kind of thing? Maybe?

IDK

I think current world is pretty bleak, but then sometimes ... maybe it just seems worse than it really is? Not sure. All I can say is that I'm grateful for the little things I have. Including GAF <3

But yeah. Some days, man, I think the world is in a scary tipping point place >___<

Watch this whole series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9

You'll realise the world as it is now is less bleak than ever before.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

I guess a better question is is it likely for the world to regress at some point in the future? Yes, in the world of infinite possibilities ANYTHING is possible, I'm asking is it likely?

Given what our civilization has gone through, how information can now be spread on a worldwide basis, is it something we should fear happening at some point in the distant future?

 

[pestul]

World War III will never happen. The loonies will get assassinated quickly and no one will give their lives for them, Hitler ain't happening again.

Nuclear weapons have changed that landscape. You don't even need a Hitler anymore.

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

The world doesn't work in straight, flat lines, there are peaks and valleys. Things may get better over time, but they always get worse temporarily along the way.

There wouldn't really be improvement of society without the falls that remind us of the direction we're going anyways. Existence without conflict is stagnation.

 

[Manmademan]

What



There were most definitely times before the 80s that were much worse

You're missing the point. The world could certainly get much, much worse than it is, but the peak of the cold war in the 80s was a time when everyone was concerned that nuclear war would break out any second.

A question like the OP would never have been asked back then, because the answer would have been "of course it can, Russia could nuke us and the rest of the planet back to the stone age."

Nuclear war isn't really a looming threat since the USSR collapsed, so this kind of reasoning doesn't really occur to anyone who didn't live through that. Most young people think the worst that can happen is another 9/11.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

Watch this whole series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9

You'll realise the world as it is now is less bleak than ever before.

:>

I will ! Thankie for link o7

Always appreciate sobering information :>

 

[King Tubby]

Climate change, nuclear winter, genetically engineered supervirus, massive global cataclysm like supervolcano or meteor strike...

It's more likely than you think!

 

[RangerX]

I'm not being dismissive but it really is literally impossible to tell whats going to happen in the mid to long term future. Anything that is within the realm of possibility could happen. So yes, it could become much worse.

 

[Eusis]

Even in a best case situation eventually the heat death of the universe will reduce everything to nothing.

But if we exist as long as we can then that's fine, it's more like living to a healthy old age rather than having everything collapse on you when you're middle aged due to poor health that could've been avoided.