Poll

For the next 100 years...

Pessimist34%34% - 16
Optimist21%21% - 10
A bit of both30%30% - 14
Neither, I take things day by day8%8% - 4
Other4%4% - 2
Total: 46
Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6957|Long Island, New York
Was thinking about this before...a lot of people know me to be to be very optimistic about the future. I've got my life planned out very, VERY far ahead and I'm simply quite optimistic about my life.

So, what about you? On both a personal and worldly stance, which way do you lean? I'm optimist on both parts. While I do predict WWIII to happen, I think that generally, the future will be a lot brighter. We'll discover the cures for all cancers in the next 15-20 years, AIDS will be wiped out, public space travel will be quite cheap (5K per passenger) as compared to what it is today, the Orion/Aries program will be EXTREME successes and we'll have colonies on the moon and mars that can house 10K people each by 2050.

As for myself, I'm quite optimistic. I'm expecting to get my PPL (private pilot's license) through a school/state sponsored program this year, get accepted into Embry-Riddle, get my bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Science, join the AF as an officer and fly for like 10-15 years, and then possibly because either a 1) Social Studies teacher or 2) Commercial pilot (2nd one seems more likely).
God Save the Queen
Banned
+628|6763|tropical regions of london
but youre a jew
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6825|North Carolina
I'm kind of a pessimist.  I'm more apathetic than pessimistic though.

The way I see it, global warming will take its toll, as will the resources crunch that will be caused by uncontrollable population growth in places like India, Pakistan, and much of Africa.  Also, America will likely become 2nd world in about 20 to 30 years due to unmitigated debt.

I'm less pessimistic about my own future, because I'm not aiming that high.  I just want to become an accountant, have a decent house, and maybe have a wife (but no kids).  I figure it shouldn't be that hard to accomplish these things.
jord
Member
+2,382|7098|The North, beyond the wall.
For myself. I'll hope I get in the Army regiment I want if I can get my fitness up to scratch by November.

In the general scheme of things. The tiny, minute dot of time that humans existed will be forever wiped out within 100 years. Maybe less, maybe more. Humans are doomed, it's in our nature. Hopefully not for the next 40 years, after that, fuck it I don't care.
tuckergustav
...
+1,590|6333|...

I am realistic about the fact that humankind will always recycle the same stupidity over and over again...so i am a realist...
...
Brasso
member
+1,549|7050

both/realist
"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"
Marinejuana
local
+415|7005|Seattle

tuckergustav wrote:

I am realistic about the fact that humankind will always recycle the same stupidity over and over again...so i am a realist...
Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6957|Long Island, New York

God Save the Queen wrote:

but youre a jew
I think I was talking to Hurricane about how, when I'm in the AF, we go to war with Iran...they'll start spreading leaflets around warning of "flying jews, the worst type of americans".
Spark
liquid fluoride thorium reactor
+874|7094|Canberra, AUS
Optimist. Facing many challenges (terrorism, environmental issues, poverty etc) but as long as the political landscape doesn't get dominated by reactionaries we should be fine.
The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
~ Richard Feynman
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6890
Poseidon you say you have your life planned out "very far" ahead... it never works out that way, it's naïve to believe life can be that concrete and set. Nevertheless I do wish you all the best of luck in your aspirations and ambitions- could never say anything else to a driven and motivated individual .

Personally I am also optimistic but that's just because at the moment things are going my way. It's all entirely subjective; sometimes I can be feeling optimistic when life hasn't presented any problems for a while, but just as quickly things can turn real shitty and pessimism takes over.

On the 'general scheme of things': who cares? It's not as if our attitude will make the slightest difference... other people way over our head's are in control of that show!

Last edited by Uzique (2008-08-25 18:21:27)

libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
KEN-JENNINGS
I am all that is MOD!
+2,991|7052|949

Uzique wrote:

On the 'general scheme of things': who cares? It's not as if our attitude will make the slightest difference... other people way over our head's are in control of that show!
It will make a difference in your life, which will affect your worldview. I'm reminded of a quote that I can't seem to remember at the moment that basically echoes that sentiment.
Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6957|Long Island, New York

Uzique wrote:

Poseidon you say you have your life planned out "very far" ahead... it never works out that way, it's naïve to believe life can be that concrete and set. Nevertheless I do wish you all the best of luck in your aspirations and ambitions- could never say anything else to a driven and motivated individual .
Indeed I do, but I wouldn't have it planned out that far unless I truly thought the goals were achievable. Otherwise, I'd just call them "aspirations", not "plans".

Everything I have planned can be achieved. Not easily, but if I work hard enough, they can be achieved.

The only thing I'd say is more of an aspiration than a plan is wanting to work for NASA and possibly fly the Orion/Aries program ships.
ATG
Banned
+5,233|6949|Global Command
Please explain how space travel will be accomplished for 5k.
KEN-JENNINGS
I am all that is MOD!
+2,991|7052|949

ATG wrote:

Please explain how space travel will be accomplished for 5k.
I thought it costs less than that to send ashes into space?
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6890

ATG wrote:

Please explain how space travel will be accomplished for 5k.
Presumably by putting about 1,000 passengers on each shuttle

I'm also a little sketchy about the AIDS / cancer cures but can't possibly criticize such a token of good-faith and well-meaning, haha!
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6957|Long Island, New York

Uzique wrote:

ATG wrote:

Please explain how space travel will be accomplished for 5k.
Presumably by putting about 1,000 passengers on each shuttle

I'm also a little sketchy about the AIDS / cancer cures but can't possibly criticize such a token of good-faith and well-meaning, haha!
Exactly. Plus, if it can run on alternative energy (nuclear power), there goes the cost of rocket fuel.

I can definitely imagine a company like Virgin (hell, they're already doing it...it's called Virgin Galactic) making public space travel very easy to do.

Perhaps 5K is a bit too generous...10K? 20K?
DesertFox-
The very model of a modern major general
+796|7104|United States of America
I'm cautiously optimistic regarding my own future. I have little to no idea of how the world is going to change because there are about six billion people that I have no idea what kind of change they are capable of. As far as my future, I'm realizing it is quite possible for me to fulfill my goal of going to medical school and graduating, but there are many obstacles and there is also some chance that it won't happen. Even my backup major of chemical engineering might not even work out. The major task at hand is getting through the university level of education, but there's always more beyond that.
Pug
UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate
+652|6962|Texas - Bigger than France
Everything is great.  TYVM

Friction causes beneficial changes if you have the long view.  And in the short view, everything is groovy.  Compare the current problems to some in the past.  Most are imagined.
jord
Member
+2,382|7098|The North, beyond the wall.

Poseidon wrote:

Uzique wrote:

ATG wrote:

Please explain how space travel will be accomplished for 5k.
Presumably by putting about 1,000 passengers on each shuttle

I'm also a little sketchy about the AIDS / cancer cures but can't possibly criticize such a token of good-faith and well-meaning, haha!
Exactly. Plus, if it can run on alternative energy (nuclear power), there goes the cost of rocket fuel.

I can definitely imagine a company like Virgin (hell, they're already doing it...it's called Virgin Galactic) making public space travel very easy to do.

Perhaps 5K is a bit too generous...10K? 20K?
100K
M.O.A.B
'Light 'em up!'
+1,220|6643|Escea

There's a lot of stuff I'll be pessimistic about, that way I'm not as disappointed if it doesn't work out, but on another level I can be pretty optimistic, just hate when someone tries to sink you by saying 'its never gonna happen.'
tuckergustav
...
+1,590|6333|...

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