The future of Mankind...

thousands of years of evolution allowed us to adapt to our environment and surroundings. dark skin for sun soaked countries, stockier body types for the colder climates etc.

and then we stopped adapting and started creating the environment around us to suit our needs. buliding skyscrapers, inventing air conditioners etc. interracial relationships have spawned children with the best of both worlds...

but now with technology quickly advancing exponetially, will we start to play god and change our genetic make up so that we are suited to different environments? evolution in a needle perhaps? humans with gills to live and breathe underwater... humans that don't need oxygen to live...

i wish i could be around to see what happens in the next few hundred years.

maybe you will be around in the next couple 100 years to see it happen(refearing to some sort of drug that will extend your life for a few centurays, yet we still wont have a cure for AIDS, and pot will still be ieleagle...

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The future of Mankind...

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...is bleak

i saw a documentary once about a tribe in indonesia that thay can see clear underwater. For thousands of years those people were diving underwater to catch their fish. In the beggining they were seeing everithing blurry but when the years passed their eyes adapted in water and now those people have genetically improved eyes, much better than ours with modified eye-lences that give them the ability to see clear underwater... amazing...

that is amazing.

isn't it weird how evolving even works in the first place? because i mean the people who originally started diving under the water for their fish, were long long long, gone by the time the rest started adapting.... just weird to think how it works....

i think by following the guidelines of our society and doing what is expected of us (get a job, go to work, retire), we're essentially boxing ouselves into a perpetual loop. we need to break the boundaries that are forced on us. only then will our minds and bodies evolve.

There's a whole website dedicated to answering this question.

Future Human Evolution

unfortunatly man will be it's own downfall. Our own ego's and beliefs will cause us to war ourselfs into extinction. Unless evryone and i mean EVRYONE comes to an understanding that THERE IS NO GOD, just humanity, we are god, we are existance. were given a life to live, and a wonderfull world to live it in, and what do we do with it? deforest the land, fight over property, and leave a mess, then move on. we are all the same, wether you live in a castle in paris, or a shack in some ghetto. were people, we love, we hate, we cry, we all want to live life, and be happy.

i find it hard to believe that mankind will drive itself to extinction. it's a cliche line that narrow minded people with no comprehension of the big picture say because well, they can't actually decide for themselves what they think will happen, but rather relay other peoples thoughts and tired "bleak future" predictions.

why do i say that? because it is in every living things nature to fight for survival. and what that boils down to is that even if there is a "nuclear war", or a "killer virus" is unleashed, those who survive and have been warned will find measures to protect themselves and the ones they love.

some people like to bitch and whine about the deforestation of the land, fighting over property, leaving a mess etc, because they think it's harmful to the environment. well heres some food for thought...

this world has been through alot worse than what we're dishing out on it now. but you know what? the environment changes, adapts, just like humans do, just like animals do. as time passes the world continually adapts.

Just because the earth's not the way it was 100 years ago doesn't necessarily mean that it's dying, no matter how many facts and figures they throw out to the public.

what's ironic though is that the lifegiver in our solar system, the sun, will be the one to ultimately destroy earth. as it is dying and we all know what happens when a star dies. expansion, fizz.... there goes earth.

if our society is nearing the height of greed and debauchery, what happens when we can't sink any lower? people will come to realise the futility of war, because if this 'bleak' future is going to happen then we're all going to be affected by war in one way or another on a personal level. if everyone on earth lost a loved one due to war, will we continue fighting? or stop because the pain of loss becomes too much to have to overcome again.

god is about peace. everyone knows that. no matter what god you believe in, what religion you're apart of. it's when our beliefs are pissed on that these wars start. (ain't that the truth). even non religious people have their own faith, they believe there is no god. that's their religion. and they continually torment those who are religious, (and then wonder why there is violence when people defend their beliefs.). they ask religious peopl to prove that there is a god, well, why don't they prove that god doesn't exist?

i was born into a buddhist family, yet i don't think i am religious, although i believe that there is a higher power. something tells me somewhere down the line there will be a convergence between science and religion...

are we capable of destroying our species? yes, but will it happen? no, because even the dumbest individuals have survival hardwired into their brain.

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Originally Posted by TokinAsianGuy

i find it hard to believe that mankind will drive itself to extinction. it's a cliche line that narrow minded people with no comprehension of the big picture say because well, they can't actually decide for themselves what they think will happen, but rather relay other peoples thoughts and tired "bleak future" predictions.

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The last World Wars were fought using weapons that were top-notch at the time. Weapons that are top-notch now are at the very minimum nuclear capable, not to mention germ warfare. You think with all the tension and hate these nuclear-equipped countries have is just going to cool off?

In my opinion it takes "narrow minded people with no comprehension of the big picture" to say that these weapons that could destroy the world 10 times over are never going to be used and those who own these weapons also are just going to let them sit underground and rot away. Billions of dollars have been spent for a reason, not because Country A wants to be best friends with Country B. Ever study history? All it takes is a spark to set this all off, and the way the Middle East, Americas, Koreas, etc are all intertwined it very much reminds me of the tensions between countries 90 and 70 years ago


People don't say "history always repeats itself" just because they think weed being illegal is a replica of the Alcohol Prohibition years ago, you know

oh i never said they wouldn't be used. but i tell you now grasshopper, these weapons cannot destroy earth 10 times over. you don't have to trust me to believe me, just have some common sense.

boo hoo, nuclear war is going to be the end of us all. not likely, it'll kill alot of humans and damage the earth, but take a look at how much japan has prospered since they were attacked... and you're definitely right, history will repeat itself. we will keep fighting, and people will keep dying, kamikaze style... but eventually, like i said, the "big picture", when the armed forces of the world are exhausted, they will eventually turn their focus onto other things. for example, better filtration technology to filter out the radioactive particles that is in water... (after the nuclear weapons have blown a few pock mocks on the earths surface)

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

. You think with all the tension and hate these nuclear-equipped countries have is just going to cool off?

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Yes. everything "cools off" eventually. it's a fact.

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

Ever study history?

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Yes, and English, and that was a very weak attempt at being condescending.

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

People don't say "history always repeats itself" just because they think weed being illegal is a replica of the Alcohol Prohibition years ago, you know

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people say alot of things don't they? :p

if you want to believe that every event that's occuring right now is building up to bring on the "end of the world", "judgement day", "the dawn of the dead", whatever, be a drama queen. but when you realise that it's just another anti climactic battle, i hope you remember what i've said on christmas eve 2006, and smile because you know what? everything is gonna be alright even though we have to go through some rough ass shit first.

Mark Twain's novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is fairly relevant to this topic, and it's a good read either way.

In the book, Twainy boy called out contemporary society for depending too heavily on the machines/technology everyone went nuts for.

And if you know the story, things all come to a crashing end in Camelot, symbolic of OUR society. And this was the late 1800s.

Things eventually come to a head. It's only a matter of time, and really, how the people use their power. ~

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Originally Posted by TokinAsianGuy

oh i never said they wouldn't be used. but i tell you now grasshopper, these weapons cannot destroy earth 10 times over. you don't have to trust me to believe me, just have some common sense.

You seriously don't think anyone on this planet has a weapon capable of taking out a chunk of a country? Because if that weapon does exist, then most likely there are more than 1 of it exist.


boo hoo, nuclear war is going to be the end of us all. not likely, it'll kill alot of humans and damage the earth, but take a look at how much japan has prospered since they were attacked... and you're definitely right, history will repeat itself. we will keep fighting, and people will keep dying, kamikaze style... but eventually, like i said, the "big picture", when the armed forces of the world are exhausted, they will eventually turn their focus onto other things. for example, better filtration technology to filter out the radioactive particles that is in water... (after the nuclear weapons have blown a few pock mocks on the earths surface)

I don't think you see what I'm getting at...history repeats itself, yes. 1000 years ago history repeated itself as wars were fought using swords and sheilds. 100 years ago they were fought using (weak) firearms. Not too long ago they were fought using a bomb that could take out a small country (which you mentioned with Japan). You see what's happening? Weapons are getting more deadly -- and quickly.

I refuse to believe if even half the warheads on the earth were detonated right now that this planet would be able to withstand it. You are counting on the armed forces becoming exhausted while the rest of us are counting on the armed forces to keep bettering their weapons. You think they will find a good weapon and say "meh, this is pretty good, I say we stick with this forever now." Unlikely


Yes. everything "cools off" eventually. it's a fact.

More often than not on a global scale involving religion, weapons, and freedom, it cools off by boiling over, if you know what I mean.

Yes, and English, and that was a very weak attempt at being condescending.

Well that was a very weak attempt at picking up condescention, because there was none of it coming from me.

people say alot of things don't they? :p

I suppose :stoned:

if you want to believe that every event that's occuring right now is building up to bring on the "end of the world", "judgement day", "the dawn of the dead", whatever, be a drama queen. but when you realise that it's just another anti climactic battle, i hope you remember what i've said on christmas eve 2006, and smile because you know what? everything is gonna be alright even though we have to go through some rough ass shit first.

Ah yes, I am a drama queen for seeing reality clearly. Here it is for you, and this time I will you some condescention:

- weapons blow things up
- weapons that already existed and are proven to be deadly have obviously been refined over the last 50 years
- therefore, a weapon that will blow LARGER amounts up
- also, most likely more than 1 country are the proud owner of this weapon, some maybe even enemies

If it's not the this war that is fatal to this planet, it will be the next one, or the one after that. I cannot envision a war in the future that would lead to those being bombed becoming more prosperous like Japan as you mentioned. I just don't see it happening.

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blah

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

You seriously don't think anyone on this planet has a weapon capable of taking out a chunk of a country?

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Did i ever say that i "seriously" didn't think that there was a weapon capable of taking out a chunk of a country? nope. don't recall ever saying that or alluding to it. and so what, let em blow chunks. some will survive, thats all that matters. it's the ones who survive that will stop the fighting.

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

I don't think you see what I'm getting at...history repeats itself, yes. 1000 years ago history repeated itself as wars were fought using swords and sheilds. 100 years ago they were fought using (weak) firearms. Not too long ago they were fought using a bomb that could take out a small country (which you mentioned with Japan). You see what's happening? Weapons are getting more deadly -- and quickly.

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oh, i get you. i see where you're coming from. and you're right, history does repeat itself, but if i have to start quoting myself to you (which i feel i almost have to do), then what do you think that says about your capabilities to read and comprehend text?

also weapons seem to be getting friendlier by the minute. do some research. you'll find out what i mean. what weapons are you talking about?

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

I refuse to believe if even half the warheads on the earth were detonated right now that this planet would be able to withstand it. You are counting on the armed forces becoming exhausted while the rest of us are counting on the armed forces to keep bettering their weapons. You think they will find a good weapon and say "meh, this is pretty good, I say we stick with this forever now." Unlikely

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well, I refuse to believe that every nuclear weapon on the planet would be detonated at the exact same time. i don't think that the governments of the world will stop trying to create that "ultimate weapon", but they will, mark my words, stop fighting eventually. According to you, i'm the only one who wants peace. but peace isn't the right word to describe it is it? how about a truce? that seems more like it. An eye for an eye will make the world blind grasshopper.

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

More often than not on a global scale involving religion, weapons, and freedom, it cools off by boiling over, if you know what I mean.

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i know what you mean. and you just drove my point further home. lotsa bombs go boom boom, people die, nuclear fallout affects farms, crops, water, and then everyone begins to die slowly, energy needs to be re focused on the more important things like just staying alive. you can't fight a war if you're dead. you're children can't fight a war if you can't have them. i repeat, truce.

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

Ah yes, I am a drama queen for seeing reality clearly. Here it is for you, and this time I will you some condescention:

- weapons blow things up
- weapons that already existed and are proven to be deadly have obviously been refined over the last 50 years
- therefore, a weapon that will blow LARGER amounts up
- also, most likely more than 1 country are the proud owner of this weapon, some maybe even enemies

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tell me something i don't know. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

If it's not the this war that is fatal to this planet, it will be the next one, or the one after that. I cannot envision a war in the future that would lead to those being bombed becoming more prosperous like Japan as you mentioned. I just don't see it happening.

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yeah that's because you're narrowminded. you should definitely try thinking outside the box instead of just regurgitating what the media tells you.

you reckon? if the world was to end abruptly i'd say that it'd be a huge cataclysmic event, perhaps a military experiment gone wrong under the irresponsible eye of General Zodiyish. Then Jordan Elwood will send his newborn child, Kallan Elwood in a space ship to a distant galaxy somewhere with all the knowledge of the 28 known galaxies, where he will be raised by a race not unlike our own, only more primitive by a few hundred years. Kallan Elwood will be the last son of Earth. but there, where their sun is blue, he will possess abilities that no other being on that planet does, he will be virtually invulnerable. sometimes he will feel like an outcast... but he will never be alone.

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Originally Posted by TokinAsianGuy

you reckon? if the world was to end abruptly i'd say that it'd be a huge cataclysmic event, perhaps a military experiment gone wrong under the irresponsible eye of General Zodiyish. Then Jordan Elwood will send his newborn child, Kallan Elwood in a space ship to a distant galaxy somewhere with all the knowledge of the 28 known galaxies, where he will be raised by a race not unlike our own, only more primitive by a few hundred years. Kallan Elwood will be the last son of Earth. but there, where their sun is blue, he will possess abilities that no other being on that planet does, he will be virtually invulnerable. sometimes he will feel like an outcast... but he will never be alone.

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ahahah nice


but okay back to our little discussion..

what i'm trying to say is that in my opinion I think that nuclear/germ weapons will have evolved enough by now (or soon) that the next world war will be the last this earth will see, due to so many nations having access to these devastating powers with (from what I see) most of their leaders being stupid enough to all use them against the enemy when the time deems fit

what i understand from your argument is that you think (or pretty much guarantee ;)) that either before the next global-scaled war or after the next one we will focus all of our attention on becoming friends with each of the other nations and for some reason accept (or at least tolerate) each other's religions and the world will live in harmony trying to purify the water again


did i get what you're saying right? :jointsmile:

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

ahahah nice

but okay back to our little discussion..

what i'm trying to say is that in my opinion I think that nuclear/germ weapons will have evolved enough by now (or soon) that the next world war will be the last this earth will see, due to so many nations having access to these devastating powers with (from what I see) most of their leaders being stupid enough to all use them against the enemy when the time deems fit.

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perhaps the next world war will be the last physical war. we like to think of war as men in the shit, with rifles slung over their shoulders, because traditionally, this is the way wars are fought. but just like everything else, especially the media, circumstances change and things evolve. technically, we could fight a war without sending any soldiers overseas. could a future war be virtual instead of physical? shutting down internet access across a nation, would seriously cripple their communications. but the world will not end. it will not blow up and not everyone will die. there will be survivors.

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

what i understand from your argument is that you think (or pretty much guarantee ;)) that either before the next global-scaled war or after the next one we will focus all of our attention on becoming friends with each of the other nations and for some reason accept (or at least tolerate) each other's religions and the world will live in harmony trying to purify the water again

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oh no, not friends. a truce. if you can imagine a world war, that involve regular nuclear attacks on major cities, on every continent, then you will begin to see the devastating effects it has on the land, the crops, the water. we may have the technology to attack other countries thousands of kilometres away, but they have that ability too. so in actuality, the war is no longer on 'the enemies' home turf, the war is wherever you live. so even the innocent civilians cop the full brunt of the attacks. it may seem like i'm stating the obvious here, but most people (not neccssarily you) just don't understand how much war can fuck everything in your life up. it's this mass loss of life that eventually wears down the "fighting" spirit, that consumes most leaders. it's like a game of tennis, that just seems to go on too long. the players will tire. just hittin that hydrogen bomb back and forth, the bounce of a ball equals the destruction of a city. bang. bang. bang. bang. deuce.

What do you think the people of canada would do if they were continually being bombed by nuclear weapons? what do you think the people of the world would do if they were continually being bombed by nuclear weapons? they'd be fairly pissed off wouldn't they? because no matter what the media feeds us. Actions speak louder than words. and if our leaders, who are supposed to protect us, and keep the peace, are provoking attacks from other nations, then that government should and will be disbanded.

Have you ever gotten into a heated argument with someone and then 10 minutes later mid yell, you completely forgot what you were arguing about? and then you just think "oh whatever, i got better things to do...". i believe the same thing will happen, but in this world war scenario, the more important thing you have to do is keep yourself alive and your family safe and fed. survival is hardwired into everything.

How can we rebuild our own society, let alone try and westernise another, when we don't have clean water to drink? last time i checked H2O is one of the most essential things to sustain life. nuclear fallout will affect our bodies too. slowly killing us, preventing most people from conceiving. when that happens, most people will just want to stop fighting because, if they started fighting to preserve their 'way of life' and this is where their lives have ended up, then what were they truly fighting for? a question that alot of people are asking the american government. religious wars become trivial, although strength in unity and strength in community, will become much more prominent.

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Originally Posted by lagstronaut

did i get what you're saying right? :jointsmile:

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not quite, but you got the gist of it, although you are still a grasshopper. ;) it's the mentality and understanding of it that will make you think... shit, nuclear war is truly devastating. but we'll get through it. planet earth will get through it.

convincing argument...the part about communications and internet struck me a bit, I never realised that.....i've got no rebuttal!

merry christmas aussie boy :D

Merry Christmas to you too mate. This was probably the most interesting discussion i've had on this forum. :)

Billionfold's post, shown here...

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Originally Posted by Billionfold

ROFL like that will ever work. They'll start a war over that shit. Same thing with the gambling law trying to make it illegal for banks to let you gamble online. That shit is going to fail.

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from this thread...

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=96209

...got me thinking.

in relation to my comment about how perhaps a future war would no longer be physical, i think the events that is being discussed in above mentioned thread is more relevant then ever. Hackers have always been about freedom of information (and fucking shit up), but freedom nonetheless. When will they lose their label of "hackers" and become "terrorists" in the eyes of the government? when information that concerns the well being of all citizens is kept from us, therefore blinding us from the truth, keeping us in the dark, we fear what we don't know or cannot see. which leads to the issue of control through fear, which at the moment has most americans by the balls and ovaries.

Bill gates said in an interview about Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, "Understand that this is the last physical format there will ever be. Everything's going to be streamed directly or on a hard disk". We all know the influence Gates potentially has on this funny little thing called The Internet, so if this is the last gen to have a physical format, how soon until everything goes online? and i'm talking Television, magazines, newspapers, movies, music, everything. Yes, these are all readily availiable now online, but it harks back to the days of bootlegging, with a few legitimate files floating around. but they are not essential. you can view or purchase this on other formats.

If the internet becomes the cradle to our society, then it would be the most valuable thing to us all, thereby making it the most damaging asset to lose...

just a few thoughts, thats all.

please, if anyone else has anything at all they'd like to share on the future of mankind, put in your 2 cents. we need more than one opinion.

I don't want a digital world...it sounds cool and futuristic and blah blah blah, but it allows your life to be hinged upon something you have no control over, and that is scary to me. I get mad enough when my computer fucks up and I have to do something worthwhile instead, I've already started depending on this crap, and I don't like it

In the year 2525
If man is still alive
If woman can survive
They may find........

In the year 3535
Ain't gonna need to tell the truth, tell no lies
Everything you think, do, or say
Is in the pill you took today

In the year 4545
Ain't gonna need your teeth, won't need your eyes
You won't find a thing to chew
Nobody's gonna look at you

In the year 5555
Your arms are hanging limp at your sides
Your legs got nothing to do
Some machine, doing that for you

In the year 6565
Ain't gonna need no husband, won't need no wife
You'll pick your son, pick your daughter too
From the bottom of a long glass tube

In the year 7510
If God's a comin' he ought to make it by then
Maybe he'll look around himself and say
``Guess it's time for the Judgement day''

In the year 8510
God's gonna shake his mighty head
He'll either say ``I'm pleased where man has been''
Or tear it down and start again

In the year 9595
I'm kinda wondering if man's gonna be alive
He's taken everything this old earth can give
And he ain't put back nothing...

Now it's been 10,000 years
Man has cried a billion tears
For what he never knew
Now man's reign is through
But through the eternal night
The twinkling of starlight
So very far away
Maybe it's only yesterday...

In the year 2525
If man is still alive
If woman can survive
They may find.......


good ol' zager and evans 1969

i completely agree with you. computers were suppose to make life easier, more convenient, and although they have done that successsfully to a certain extent, computers all come with a whole new set of problems of their own. adware, spyware, trojans, viruses, upgrades, code. i just want to use ms paint dammit!

i used to believe in evolution--
then i WOKE UP.
Darwinism is SEVERLY FLAWED,
and NO I AM NOT RELIGOUS...

what you see now in this world is what "THEY" want you to see,
and unless there's a revolution in the most dominated countries (usa, england, spain, etc) it will continue that way for the next 100 years or when "THEY" decide to destroy the earth, whichever comes sooner

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Originally Posted by xblackdogx

i used to believe in evolution--
then i WOKE UP.
Darwinism is SEVERLY FLAWED,
and NO I AM NOT RELIGOUS...

what you see now in this world is what "THEY" want you to see,
and unless there's a revolution in the most dominated countries (usa, england, spain, etc) it will continue that way for the next 100 years or when "THEY" decide to destroy the earth, whichever comes sooner

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interesting... can you elaborate? tell us about your vision, what you see in your mind.

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Originally Posted by TokinAsianGuy

interesting... can you elaborate? tell us about your vision, what you see in your mind.

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Well, I need to research much more (because I know how much I do not know) about evolution, but from what I have found so far, it just doesn't add up and is being FORCEDLY TAUGHT unto the youth of our country.

if you want to know more about who THEY are and whatnot, I can provide some info... but you may not be able to handle the truth

i'm all about truth, justice and all that other crap.

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Originally Posted by TokinAsianGuy

i completely agree with you. computers were suppose to make life easier, more convenient, and although they have done that successsfully to a certain extent, computers all come with a whole new set of problems of their own. adware, spyware, trojans, viruses, upgrades, code. i just want to use ms paint dammit!

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Not only that, but computers make people lazy. You show me an obese person and I will show you a person whose life has been made too easy by technology. More than half the population of the United States is overweight. That's what we are evolving into. I don't blame fast food or ice cream. Hell, I eat that shit too. I blame the fat guy for never getting out of his comfortable chair and doing some real work!

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Originally Posted by Its a Plant

Mark Twain's novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is fairly relevant to this topic, and it's a good read either way.

In the book, Twainy boy called out contemporary society for depending too heavily on the machines/technology everyone went nuts for.

And if you know the story, things all come to a crashing end in Camelot, symbolic of OUR society. And this was the late 1800s.

Things eventually come to a head. It's only a matter of time, and really, how the people use their power. ~

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I agree, as technology gets more advanced, people naturally want.People are naturally materialistic, and it's this ignorant ,closed-minded perception that we have on ourselves that will mean the end ;whether it's 200 years from now I don't know. I do know that genocide has been made possible with evolution,and with this power,on top of current society (dont get me started), man is going to create his own end. Revelation is a joke, we are going to reign over ourselves until there is no more..