Our Historical Future

[LovelyLadyLux]

How do you think we're going to be seen by future generations? What history are we making now and how do you think we'll be viewed?

I kinda have a notion that the ancient Egyptians were, at least, a bit worried about how future generations would view them. I'm not so sure how 'we' and this 'day and age' is going to be viewed in the future.

What was Egypt IS what IS Egypt but what is us IS what is going to be remembered? What is the legacy that we're leaving? Since we're now into 'cyber world' what do you think we'll leave for future generations to find? (particularly other than plastics that will never deteriorate - can you imagine future archeologists coming across Tupperware? and some of the Tupperware gadgets that are out there?

[Jayway]

Well, as its raining I am not a happy bunny - THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH - for me today is doom and gloom prophecy reading - -if the rain doesnt knock the web off same as the tv - - -HUH -

[LovelyLadyLux]

Awwww it will stop raining sooner or later Jayway (I truly hope it WILL stop raining SOON).....

We looked back on ancestors as hard working people who tamed wild lands, explored, conquered nature..........how do you think future generations will see us - we conquered a keyboard so we could type to the world? Grew extra thumb muscles cause we text......??

[Grandad]

I don't have a crystal ball LLL but I can see the possibility of some kind of major evolution or global catastrophe that would change the earth and its inhabitants for such a long time that it might be eons before archaeology investigates our world as we know it.

Not wishing to sound like a prophet of doom, but our dependence on fossil fuel must end at some time soon and I am not convinced that alternative energy sources from sun, sea or wind will ever be sufficient to replace it. This could progressively return us to a kind of middle age or even earlier form of existence. I don't think all the technology in the world would have any effect on reversing that decline.

A catastrophic possibility hinges on the use, or misuse, of nuclear energy. I can envisage two extremes. Firstly the total annihilation of mankind by some power crazed nation which has developed some kind of crude nuclear weapon.

Another nuclear possibility is the misuse of nuclear power resulting in chain reactions which remove all the water from our planet.

Scary innit?

[Horus]

One thing that strikes me about our modern society is do we really make anything that will last or survive to indicate our progress? We may have amassed huge amounts of information about our world, but is it all recorded in such a way that it could survive, or is it all digital information that dies with the loss of electrical power? Our building materials will hardly last the lifetime of a well built castle of the middle ages and our throwaway plastic and glass and steel will not outlast a good piece of Bronze or Copper, so what will actually remain after say one thousand years that could demonstrate our technology?

[jewel]

But in a way that is for the best don't you think? What does it really matter in the end as everything disappears eventually or will do, best to make the most of the present moment and just let go of everything else..............

[Horus]

Oh I agree in a general sense but I do like history, so I would like to think that there was still something remaining for others to find out about the way that we lived.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Do you think that what is left of some of the great and now gone civilizations (i.e. Aztec, Inca, Mayan etc) were more advanced than we think and/or are discovering now?

[Horus]

Not really, I have always been of the opinion that mans intelligence remains about the same, it is just the technology of the age that differs. So with our electronic technology we may appear to be more intelligent, but if we were to put it into the context of surviving in a different time and culture then I suppose we would look pretty dim.

[JOJO]

What will the future look back at us and think? Gosh that is hard. I don't think intellectually we have advanced at all, I don't think more technology automatically means more intelligence.As centuries move on humans seem to loose a lot of natural abilities.I don't think that much as changed in the last 5,000 years really, it's like an ongoing cycle there is always a conquering, more affluent nation/country/civilisation and there is always the other extreme of oppression and poverty.The big player throughout history as it's day and the next one takes the reigns.
I do think the future will look back and smile at what religious beliefs we had and what we believed in - like we look back fascinated by the Egyptian,Greek and Roman Gods.

[Horus]

Well put JoJo

[LovelyLadyLux]

My theory only - but I think as we technologically advance we are using more and more cyber language in that what we are writing is captured in cyberspace. If we advance another 100 years, more or less, into the future I'm sure children will no longer even know HOW to write and or HOW to use a pencil. As cyberworld and the technology associated with it gets faster and faster more modern symbols are developed to take the place of words. What is one day, again couple hundred years into the future there is a sudden catastrophic something that causes 'cyberworld' to permanently crash. How will 'language' be captured and retained?

If nobody 'remembers' how to write, pencils and pens are now objects of antiquity found only in a few museums and all words are written in air and this 'air' that embodies all known 'knowledge' collapses how will our thoughts be re-created?

I've often thought this is why Egyptians were so keen on hyroglyphics. A highly civilized society based on technology crashes. HOW do you try and preserve language with people who can no longer write and pens/pencils are obsolete? Do you start chiseling symbols, that are highly representative to the time you live in, into stone so as to try and retain a language for those still to follow you?

Just a theory...............

[Horus]

Food for thought

[LovelyLadyLux]

Many of the ancient languages used symbols that we can't figure out however 'we' are now starting to use symbols that jive with our own terminology in line with our own languages. Language is a living changing thing so hard to say if we continue with cyber technology how it will keep changing. I also think there will be a time when people stop learning to print and write. I hardly ever actually 'write' any more and my spelling has become abyssmal (if that is even spelled correctly) over the years as I rely on spell checker and rather absent-mindedly just allow the machine to make corrections for me.

Going to be interesting. We'll have to have this conversation again in a couple hundred to see if my theory was right. ;) I count on you H to put it onto your reminder list so we're sure to bring it up again.....

[JOJO]

I wonder if we will eventually loose all use and ability of spoken language and instead use telepathy, an ability that once upon a time all human ancestors may of used.

[LovelyLadyLux]

We could - I often wonder how 'instinct' developed, where it went and how it again comes to the fore......

Do you think instinct = telepathy?

[JOJO]

We could - I often wonder how 'instinct' developed, where it went and how it again comes to the fore......

Do you think instinct = telepathy?

I think instinct= telepathy, the rest of the animal kingdom uses it all the time?

[LovelyLadyLux]

I do too and I think once we 'have' to use it again we (as a species) will start developing it again until it become innate. Am sure there is lots of instinctual things inside us that we've lost the ability to tap.

Kinda like when they only come out under extreme circumstances.

[JOJO]

Am sure there is lots of instinctual things inside us that we've lost the ability to tap.

Totally agree, including mind over matter.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Jojo - do you think there was a time when our minds could move or shape matter? (Is that what you mean?) And if so, when do you think we had this ability??

Am curious.......