Right before i went to sleep last night i was thinking, and it kind of bums me out knowing the potential for the future of technology and that it won't be around in my lifetime or when i am too old to enjoy it.

 

People's perception of the future are found in stuff like Star Wars or even the Jetsons, but i don't think that how we perceive our future is far off from what it will eventually become.

 

But doesn't it kind of bum you out knowing that you won't be around to be a part of it or be around to enjoy it?

 

Bums me out sometimes lol

Yeah, it bums me out whenever I watch Star Trek that I won't be around if we ever get something along the lines of a warp drive. The tech during Star Wars seems so far off and fictional in an entirely different way (though, I have to admit I'd kill to get my hands on a light saber).

I get a little bummed too. But what usually gets me out of that is knowing how much technology has advanced BECAUSE of ST and SW.

Bold prediction here, but i'm hoping that at least in our lifetime we find evidence of intelligent life somewhere other than our planet.

Idk.. maybe this is me just being a pessimist, but future technology seems to have so much potential for evil and destruction that I'm sort of glad I won't be around to see it.

Right before i went to sleep last night i was thinking, and it kind of bums me out knowing the potential for the future of technology and that it won't be around in my lifetime or when i am too old to enjoy it.

 

In a different way like 2 or 3 hours ago I was thinking, "Damn, those guys back in the day never had computers." So yea I'm looking for immortality like Darth Plagueis.

Edited January 15, 2012 by LordQordisz

In a different way like 2 or 3 hours ago I was thinking, "Damn, those guys back in the day never had computers." So yea I'm looking for immortality like Darth Plagueis.

 

It's kind of weird like, people back then probably didn't know the potential for advanced technology. Maybe they did, and it was our modern day technology. However now, we are fully aware of what can be, but the part that bums me out is, will we ever get to experience even the beginning of a new era of tech?

 

I know we already have begun space exploration and all that, but you know, that's reserved for higher-caliber human beings and not us everyday normal joes.

In the 100 years of 1869 to 1969 we went from a largely agricultural society with little in the way of machinery or education for the common man to walking on the moon. We may just get to participate in something amazing yet

All depends on when countries figure out that maybe space exploration is more important than killing people in other countries. If our space program in United States was funded like our military we would all be living in a completely different world or worlds. Edited January 15, 2012 by Hunterzen

It does kinda bum me out too. I'd love to live in an intergalactic society and see all the planets and such. Of course this won't happen in my lifetime but like a poster above said, I'm hoping that we will at least find evidence of life beyond our planet.

It does kinda bum me out too. I'd love to live in an intergalactic society and see all the planets and such. Of course this won't happen in my lifetime but like a poster above said, I'm hoping that we will at least find evidence of life beyond our planet.

 

You never know

 

But yeah, you'd think if there are worlds out there similar to ours, but more advanced they would have found a way to contact us by now

Edited January 16, 2012 by Tek_Coronado

You never know

 

But yeah, you'd if there are worlds out there similar to ours but more advanced they would have found a way to contact us by now

 

Why would they wanna contact a bunch of morons?(From their POV)

Why would they wanna contact a bunch of morons?(From their POV)

 

Not just morons, but hateful, bigoted and violent morons.

 

I know if I was an advanced space traveling race and came across Earth... I'd want to wait and see if we blow ourselves up before wasting the resources to civilize us.

No, because tech is moving at a breakneck speed right now.

 

I mean, seriously, they are working on a paint that you can paint on the windows of your home and will act as energy generators so you don't need to be attached to a power grid. And get this... it's environmentally friendly, will never degrade, and transparent so you can't see it.

 

Just think about the implications of that.

 

And recently, they released a television that is 4 millimeters thick. It's two one millimeter thick panes of glass with an organic compound spread in between for the image. Its from LG and is an OLED TV. Its 55 inches. Mind you, the tv costs tens of thousands of dollars.

 

Think about it.

 

Never say never. Because at this point, anything is possible, and humanity is just incredibly cool. Now if we could only stop killing each other off in stupid pointless wars. At this point, I've given up predicting what insane never-before-thought-of piece of technology is going to appear next.

Edited January 17, 2012 by moiraesfate

Not me. I am not even 20 yet, the world's got plenty of time to advance technologically for me! Plus, since a better standard of living increases age expectancy, and living standards are climbing, I will live even longer! I can't wait for my jet-car with rocket boosters and warp speed!

 

Or an iPhone 5.

I hear ya.....I often tell my son that he is lucky.....the things he will see in his lifetime because of advancements in technology...

I hear ya.....I often tell my son that he is lucky.....the things he will see in his lifetime because of advancements in technology...

 

Many people told their children they were lucky to live their lives with their Model-T Fords.

 

Your son will tell his children how lucky he is, because of the things he will see in his lifetime because of advances in technology, beyond anything he's ever seen...

Many people told their children they were lucky to live their lives with their Model-T Fords.

 

Your son will tell his children how lucky he is, because of the things he will see in his lifetime because of advances in technology, beyond anything he's ever seen...

 

I know it.....but technology advances faster and faster as time progresses.....my son will probably live to see a man on Mars....(Im only 30, so I have a chance at that), and he will probably live to see journeys into space as a leisure activity for the wealthy........not too mention having a longer life to due advances in medicine and science.........again, im only 30, so I am hoping I will live to see quite a bit also

Well, seeing as how we will all die, our species will go extinct, our star will explode and the universe will be rent apart... No, it really doesn't. I've got enough to worry about.

No, I don't plan on dying untill I'm good and ready.

 

In all seriousness though, not really, no. It would be amazing to witness, but I am okay with the fact that I probably won't, nothing like Star Wars or anything at least.

 

Deus Ex Human Revolution on the other hand, that portrayed a future that I believe is not that far off, relatively speaking. I'm pretty convinced I'll live to see something along those lines happen (By that I mean cybernetics basically, not necessarily a massive conspiracy full of murderous cyborgs) in my lifetime, assuming I don't kick the bucket early due to an accident or my many bad habits.

 

Overall though, I don't really think about it that much, I'll die when I'll die and I'll see what I'll see, that's all there is to it and I can't do anything about it.

No, because tech is moving at a breakneck speed right now.

 

I mean, seriously, they are working on a paint that you can paint on the windows of your home and will act as energy generators so you don't need to be attached to a power grid. And get this... it's environmentally friendly, will never degrade, and transparent so you can't see it.

 

Just think about the implications of that.

 

And recently, they released a television that is 4 millimeters thick. It's two one millimeter thick panes of glass with an organic compound spread in between for the image. Its from LG and is an OLED TV. Its 55 inches. Mind you, the tv costs tens of thousands of dollars.

 

Think about it.

 

Never say never. Because at this point, anything is possible, and humanity is just incredibly cool. Now if we could only stop killing each other off in stupid pointless wars. At this point, I've given up predicting what insane never-before-thought-of piece of technology is going to appear next.

 

 

If we ever met interstellar travelers. I would think Obama would feel real stupid about shutting down the shuttle program.

my son will probably live to see a man on Mars....(Im only 30, so I have a chance at that)

 

You have impressively low goals!

 

NASA's currently planning to have a manned mars mission in the mid 2030s (~20 years time). The Russians are talking about launching a manned Mars mission within a decade, though that's *very* optimistic. The Chinese are planning a manned Mars mission for around 240-2050 (~40 years time).

 

and he will probably live to see journeys into space as a leisure activity for the wealthy

There have already been 7 so far just using Soyuz, though they're currently on hold (due to Soyuz capacity & increased number of crew on the ISS) - expected to resume next year. Virgin Galactic are expected to start commercial sub-orbital spaceflights later this year or early next year (pushed back by their problems in September and delays in testing the second SS2) -- at a cost per passenger of just 1% the cost of Soyuz tourism (though the offerings are very different), and likely trebling the total number of space tourists within their first couple of months of operation (probably around 450 passengers in about 3 years assuming they sustain 1 flight every 2 weeks (and they should capabale of sustaining significantly more once they have)).

 

 

not too mention having a longer life to due advances in medicine and science

This is the real trick - you don't have to live for ever, you just have to avoid dying for long enough! The term usually used is "actuarial escape velocity" - human life expectancy increases slightly every year due to improvements in healthcare, lifestyle, etc, so even without any radical breakthroughs in gerontology specifically you'll still likely live longer than you expect to.

 

Plus there's the basic statistical point that the longer you live for the higher your life expectancy will be on account of your not dying earlier than expected skewing the stats upwards: for example - in 2010 a 30yo UK male would probably live to be about 80 (based on http://www.gad.gov.uk/Demography%20Data/Life%20Tables/). A newborn would have a life expectancy at birth of about 78 years, whereas an 80yo would have a life expectancy of 88 years.

 

So if you're 30 now, with an LE of 80, and your LE increases at the rate of (say) 1 year every 5 years, then you'll probably actually live to be about 92. Remember that actuarial tables are designed from the perspectives of insurers, hospitals and dead people - the good news is that a lot of people will live significantly longer than they might expect to; the bad news is that this will lead to the collapse of western civilisation as out pension systems will be completely unable to cope

No, because tech is moving at a breakneck speed right now.

 

I mean, seriously, they are working on a paint that you can paint on the windows of your home and will act as energy generators so you don't need to be attached to a power grid. And get this... it's environmentally friendly, will never degrade, and transparent so you can't see it.

 

Just think about the implications of that.

 

And recently, they released a television that is 4 millimeters thick. It's two one millimeter thick panes of glass with an organic compound spread in between for the image. Its from LG and is an OLED TV. Its 55 inches. Mind you, the tv costs tens of thousands of dollars.

 

Think about it.

 

Never say never. Because at this point, anything is possible, and humanity is just incredibly cool. Now if we could only stop killing each other off in stupid pointless wars. At this point, I've given up predicting what insane never-before-thought-of piece of technology is going to appear next.

 

Personally, Im looking forward to that super hydrophobic spray for clothing and shoes that repels water/staining. Should be comercial soon.

In the 100 years of 1869 to 1969 we went from a largely agricultural society with little in the way of machinery or education for the common man to walking on the moon. We may just get to participate in something amazing yet

 

I didn't read through too many of the postings, but this posting caught my eye. While we did go to the moon in the 60s, we haven't been back since. Why?

 

All of the trips to space since then have been to the ISS. If we had spent the last 40 years continuing to send people and supplies to the moon, we could have a lunar base by now. I think we could be much further progressed to what many viewed as the future when they were younger, if it weren't for government bureaucracy.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Ohnoto

I didn't read through too many of the postings, but this posting caught my eye. While we did go to the moon in the 60s, we haven't been back since. Why?

 

All of the trips to space since then have been to the ISS. If we had spent the last 40 years continuing to send people and supplies to the moon, we could have a lunar base by now. I think we could be much further progressed to what many viewed as the future when they were younger, if it weren't for government bureaucracy.

 

The moon missions ended due to public apathy after a few missions. The Cold War fueled the entire Apollo project. First it was "I can launch this **** into space before you", then it was "I can launch this animal into space before you", then "I can launch a human into space before you", then it was "I can get to the moon before you"...then they pretty much said "Now what?"

 

The biggest problem IMO, you hit on it so to speak...government control of the NASA...With the government controlling the entire program, the human "pioneering" spirit comes second to "How can this help the country?" That's why we've seen many military and civilian applications to every day products that came from NASA, but no concrete Mars mission. Memory foam and GPS are more important to the public as a whole than exploring the known universe.

 

In their eyes, at least.