Skeleton Cure

Hi, i've 'lurked' on these boards for a while now and it's pretty clear tht the majority of you guys are pretty intelligent and very conscious of social politics and stuff (i'm hoping flattery will get me everywhere!), so with that in mind i was hoping i could get some advice on a story i'm going to write.

The basic plot is that one of the main characters will discover a cure for all disease (I'm sure it's absurd but i dont care) which will initially be heralded as the greatest moment in mankind's history. However, i want to take the story in the opposite direction and make it cause the end of civilised existence. I figure that overpopulation is the best way to go as it could cause massive problems on such a major scale, i'm thinking that eventually it would cause a full on World War as countries battle for terrritory and resources.

I was hoping that you guys could help me out with some theories on how long it might take for overpopulation to cause such problems and maybe give me your thoughts on what would happen if people stopped dying and lived longer?

Thanks :)

kind of a rip off of I Am Legend

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Barney Trouble

kind of a rip off of I Am Legend

---

Wasn't that about a cure for cancer that went wrong and turned people into Vampire Zombies? And it's about the last man on earth whereas mine is the opposite? I don't see how it's a rip-off, it has a couple of similar elements but most stories do nowadays

That is an interesting idea for a story! If it's written well it could turn into a really good read!

Your idea makes sense (no disease = high population). If it were to actually happen, I think China would be either the first country to start conquesting for more territory or the first to collapse (as their population right now is pretty high). After that, the countries with the most space would become the super powers.

I think abit more on this next time I get baked, maybe I can come up with some more stuff :P

Good luck writing!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by excitebike

If it were to actually happen, I think China would be either the first country to start conquesting for more territory or the first to collapse (as their population right now is pretty high). After that, the countries with the most space would become the super powers.

Good luck writing!

---

That's good, they already have pretty drastic measures for population control so i could see them as one of the first countries to really react to the crisis.

I like your thinking mate :thumbsup:

Africa would be a high density place too, lol if that made sense...I was reading today and Africa is becoming over populated already due to modern medicine, I can't imagine what would happen if ALL diseases were diminished...would that mean you wouldn't die of old age or what? No death ever? I'm so curious... this is gonna be a really great book!

That's exactly the plot of the movie ' I Am Legend, ' except they cured cancer instead of all diseases and the disease turned people into some subhuman creatures who couldn't be exposed to light.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by babyfaceisLEGAL

Africa would be a high density place too, lol if that made sense...I was reading today and Africa is becoming over populated already due to modern medicine, I can't imagine what would happen if ALL diseases were diminished...would that mean you wouldn't die of old age or what? No death ever? I'm so curious... this is gonna be a really great book!

---

Thanks, you're very kind. :) That's interesting about Africa, i didn't know that they already had that problem! The cure would be for all disease, and would probably raise life-expectancy as a result, but i think it would be better if the life-cycle continues, only a lot slower. I'm not sure why but i feel it's more 'real' that way.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thcbongman

That's exactly the plot of the movie ' I Am Legend, ' except they cured cancer instead of all diseases and the disease turned people into some subhuman creatures who couldn't be exposed to light.

---

I really don't get how it's anything like 'exactly' the plot of I Am Legend, for a start the cure works perfectly, and rather than the world dying off, it does the complete opposite and thrives. Then the positive turns into a negative by causing massive ovrpopulation, which surely is the exact opposite of a book about the last man on earth!!

Ah, I see, sorry man!

When I read it the first time around, it reminded me of I Am Legend!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thcbongman

Ah, I see, sorry man!

When I read it the first time around, it reminded me of I Am Legend!

---

No worries,I can sort of see why it would seem similar in parts, but i really didn't like that film at all so i dont like the thought of it being like that!!

They'd eat Soylent Green.

put THC as the main ingredient for the cure too leave a part of us stoners in there :stoned:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chufty

Thanks, you're very kind. :) That's interesting about Africa, i didn't know that they already had that problem! The cure would be for all disease, and would probably raise life-expectancy as a result, but i think it would be better if the life-cycle continues, only a lot slower. I'm not sure why but i feel it's more 'real' that way.

---

Yesss, they have higher birth rates and longer life expectancy because modern medicine is taking over and ensuring good health.

kinda just reiterating myself there but anyway, I hope to see some excerpts :)

Good idea for a story. Are you thinking about a short story or a novel-length book?

If the life expectancy were to rise suddenly, it would not take long at all for some very serious population problems to begin happening. The planet is already very overpopulated. We are already running low on fresh water, and water will be a big problem before food is. The oceans are overfished, so any more stress on those ocean ecosystems, and the major fisheries will completely collapse as they have already done in some areas.

Some other ideas: We already have some social problems because of longer life expectancies. In the US, when the Social Security system was estabilshed, most people didn't live to 65, and those who did, didn't live much longer than that. So setting 65 as the age when you could start collecting benefits did not put much of a burden on those working to support the system. And it just meant that the very oldest people did not have to work into their very last days. Now the life expectancy is over 80, and it goes up something like 3 months every year. People go on Social Security and live on it for years. It is beginining to cost huge amounts of money to support people on this porgam for so many years. If life expectancy suddenly jumped to 100, there would be some major disruption to programs of this sort.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chufty

Hi, i've 'lurked' on these boards for a while now and it's pretty clear tht the majority of you guys are pretty intelligent and very conscious of social politics and stuff (i'm hoping flattery will get me everywhere!), so with that in mind i was hoping i could get some advice on a story i'm going to write.

The basic plot is that one of the main characters will discover a cure for all disease (I'm sure it's absurd but i dont care) which will initially be heralded as the greatest moment in mankind's history. However, i want to take the story in the opposite direction and make it cause the end of civilised existence. I figure that overpopulation is the best way to go as it could cause massive problems on such a major scale, i'm thinking that eventually it would cause a full on World War as countries battle for terrritory and resources.

I was hoping that you guys could help me out with some theories on how long it might take for overpopulation to cause such problems and maybe give me your thoughts on what would happen if people stopped dying and lived longer?

Thanks :)

---

sounds like resident evil or one of those zombie movies.

no wait...

It sounds like I am Legend....

The ONLY thing that his idea has in common is that their plots both have a cure in them. In I Am Legend it is a cure for cancer. In his story, it is a cure for everything. In I Am Legend, the cure turns into a virus that causes everyone to turn into a zombie. In his story everyone remains cured and ends up living a lot longer. This increase in life expectancy makes for overpopulation. The 'cure' that kills in his story kills indirectly. As opposed to I Am Legend, where the cure is the direct cause of the death of civilisation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by excitebike

The ONLY thing that his idea has in common is that their plots both have a cure in them. In I Am Legend it is a cure for cancer. In his story, it is a cure for everything. In I Am Legend, the cure turns into a virus that causes everyone to turn into a zombie. In his story everyone remains cured and ends up living a lot longer. This increase in life expectancy makes for overpopulation. The 'cure' that kills in his story kills indirectly. As opposed to I Am Legend, where the cure is the direct cause of the death of civilisation.

---

So this is just like I Am Legend, right?





Ha ha! Just joking! I was thinking exactly the same thing. Why do people keep bringing it up? The only common factor is a cure gone wrong, but everything else is a completely different idea. The idea that something we hope for, a cure for all diseases, would lead directly to what we want, a long life without sickness, but also lead INDIRECTLY to overpopulation and disaster is a good idea. There's always something interesting about unintended consequences. And it plays on and exagerates the unintended consequences we already face with our success --- the already high population we have and all the problems that come with it.

Of course, to really make a success out of this, it'll need to be adapted for a Hollywood movie. Maybe we can get Will Smith! Maybe we can add some zombies!!!

i feel that overpopulation would lead to a "mad max" type of setting where oil would be fought over by the worlds superpowers, it would also lead to increased stress on the animal populations specifically that in which humans consume. more humans equals more demand for food which equals higher prices for goods which will in the end result in a renegade population loyal to no government similar to what the current situation is like in places like Somolia....:stoned:

thats kind of like how long shore man throw back smaller fish for the next season but the fish are getting smaller due to evolution and fish not wanting to get caught or the fish being smaller cuase ther sickly so only sickly fish survive and produce more sickly fish and then they all die anyway

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thcbongman

That's exactly the plot of the movie ' I Am Legend, ' except they cured cancer instead of all diseases and the disease turned people into some subhuman creatures who couldn't be exposed to light.

---

That sounds like our nightcrew LOL

NCM

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dragonrider

Good idea for a story. Are you thinking about a short story or a novel-length book?

If the life expectancy were to rise suddenly, it would not take long at all for some very serious population problems to begin happening. The planet is already very overpopulated. We are already running low on fresh water, and water will be a big problem before food is. The oceans are overfished, so any more stress on those ocean ecosystems, and the major fisheries will completely collapse as they have already done in some areas.

Some other ideas: We already have some social problems because of longer life expectancies. In the US, when the Social Security system was estabilshed, most people didn't live to 65, and those who did, didn't live much longer than that. So setting 65 as the age when you could start collecting benefits did not put much of a burden on those working to support the system. And it just meant that the very oldest people did not have to work into their very last days. Now the life expectancy is over 80, and it goes up something like 3 months every year. People go on Social Security and live on it for years. It is beginining to cost huge amounts of money to support people on this porgam for so many years. If life expectancy suddenly jumped to 100, there would be some major disruption to programs of this sort.

---

It started out as a short story, basically i always used to have a bit of a talent for writing, but i could never think of what to write, i just seemed to have no knack for the ideas side of it. I decided a few weeks ago to force myself to come up with something as i just wanted to write again. I started off with a terrible idea and evetually i turned it into the current one, but as that's happened the story just seems to keep growing!! So i'm going to write it with no expectations and see where it takes me.

I like the social security idea, maybe the government could retract all benefits to the over 65's as an emergency measure, effectively leaving the 'golden generation' to die.

See what i mean about the story just growing? There are so many possible stories within the story!

Well If we got that big of a population where we ran outa food, im pretty sure we would have to start eating sea weeds. You know there is a lot of sea weeds down there. I hope you like your greens.:D

That does sound kind of like a story or movie ive seen before...
But you should still go for it bro :thumbsup:

i can imagine that the life expectancy being extended to like 125 years old sometime soon our entire society will change who knows we will be gettin married in late 30s or 40s bc we have chance to experience life. im sure the elders will be revered for their wisdom and im sure some young'uns will be gettin laid at early age due to vast knowledge and education being instilled to kids. i dont know what else. maybe lower divorce rate? because nobody wants to get married knowin that they can live longer and live the life to fullest. be safe and stay high...:jointsmile:

Maybe a formula for the fountain of youth is found. People will begin running out of space and then some of the population begins to migrate to another planet. Everything seems all good until a massive war breaks out between the two planets ultimately causeing destruction to both planets. That wold seem kinda cool to me:)