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Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

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Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#11

Post by [deleted] »

arethuza wrote: post #7
zacharypinter wrote: post #2

Not exactly inspiring, but an alien enemy would be a pretty good way of uniting the planet towards a common goal.

If we have to invent an enemy alien civilization can I suggest we decide to go to war with the Culture? Think of it: godless, drug-using communists in space!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culture [NB I've always suspected that Iain M. Banks is a Special Circumstances agent - installing an author to write "fiction" about themselves is exactly the kind of sneaky thing the Culture would do]. ;-)

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#12

Post by retube »

scrrr wrote: post #6

The Internet will provided it stays free and open. Through freely available information eventually we will resolve our petty differences, overcome destructive behavior and start fixing big problems like illness and space flight. Perhaps.

Ha. I get the feeling your comment is a little tongue in cheek. I have a pet theory that precisely the opposite will happen. That the internet will give rise to increased differences and destructive behaviour. Why? Because the internet allows people to be exposed to widely opposing views, to trolling by groups with opposing views, allows people to "meet" and argue, allows even the most extreme of viewpoints to build an audience, and allows disparate groups to rally together. E.g just look at Atheism vs Religion. I could see that coming to blows at some point.

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#13

Post by borism »

zacharypinter wrote: post #2

Not exactly inspiring, but an alien enemy would be a pretty good way of uniting the planet towards a common goal.

the problem is that aliens who would be able to reach Earth to threaten it will be so much more technologically advanced that any resistance will be quite futile.

what I think should unite us is the understanding that this tiny blue dot in the middle of Milky Way is the only thing that keps us alive, so we need to strive to keep it so for as long as possible while searching for other ways to survive in space on a large scale.

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#15

Post by scrrr »

retube wrote: post #12
scrrr wrote: post #6

The Internet will provided it stays free and open. Through freely available information eventually we will resolve our petty differences, overcome destructive behavior and start fixing big problems like illness and space flight. Perhaps.

Ha. I get the feeling your comment is a little tongue in cheek. I have a pet theory that precisely the opposite will happen. That the internet will give rise to increased differences and destructive behaviour. Why? Because the internet allows people to be exposed to widely opposing views, to trolling by groups with opposing views, allows people to "meet" and argue, allows even the most extreme of viewpoints to build…

So you say less/more difficult communication and perhaps even censorship is better in order to prevent conflict?

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#16

Post by arethuza »

suprgeek wrote: post #10

A Killer Asteroid (one that is big enough to wipe out all humanity) on a guaranteed course to collide with Earth within the next 10 years unless we do something about it. If basic self preservation against a visible and quantifiable threat will not unite humanity - I have very little hope for anything else.

The problem with a Killer Asteroid for the purposes of this discussion is that the solution would have to be extremely high tech (presumably large H-bombs on large rockets). Apart from paying larger taxes I'm not sure what most of us could do to contribute to such a project, so as far as "uniting humanity" goes I suspect we would see fracturing along lines of:

- It's a government plot to get us to pay more taxes and remove personal freedoms

- It is God's will and trying to do anything to stop it is evil

- I'll be OK if I dig a deep enough hole and take enough food, guns and ammo

- Who cares, I'm going to make sure I enjoy the next ten years

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#17

Post by scrrr »

zacharypinter wrote: post #2

Not exactly inspiring, but an alien enemy would be a pretty good way of uniting the planet towards a common goal.

I suppose that is because of the evolutionary mechanism to keep the species alive. There's something in place that will unite us when extinction is a possibility (I believe this could be part of reason why wars eventually end..).

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#18

Post by z92 »

As history is witness, "united towards" doesn't work in large scale. It should be "united against". Human need an enemy to get united against. Alien invasion, asteroid collusion might be such thing. Otherwise no matter what, humanity will find one reason or another to form groups to fight one another.

Therefore humans are unlikely to get united to colonize a new planet few light years away. That's not in human nature.

Also check Monkey Sphere: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbars_number

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#19

Post by retube »

scrrr wrote: post #15
retube wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ha. I get the feeling your comment is a little tongue in cheek. I have a pet theory that precisely the opposite will happen. That the internet will give rise to increased differences and destructive behaviour. Why? Because the internet allows people to be exposed to widely opposing views, to trolling by groups with opposing views, allows people to "meet" and argue, allows even the most extreme of viewpoints to build…

So you say less/more difficult communication and perhaps even censorship is better in order to prevent conflict?

I don't know what the solution is, or if there is one, or even if I'm right. But as an example, look at the Pastor who was going to burn the Koran. 30 years ago before cable and internet news this guy would have never been heard of. But today, thanks to cable TV and the internet a huge amount of animosity has been generated, there's been demonstrations, reinforcement of cultural biases etc etc. Is this a good thing?

Re: Ask HN: What super projects could unite humanity?

#20

Post by borism »

scrrr wrote: post #15
retube wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ha. I get the feeling your comment is a little tongue in cheek. I have a pet theory that precisely the opposite will happen. That the internet will give rise to increased differences and destructive behaviour. Why? Because the internet allows people to be exposed to widely opposing views, to trolling by groups with opposing views, allows people to "meet" and argue, allows even the most extreme of viewpoints to build…

So you say less/more difficult communication and perhaps even censorship is better in order to prevent conflict?

why are you inverting his argument to the most extreme opposite?
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