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Societal collapse predicted by MIT (in 1972)


Rip76

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Interesting read 

To me, it’s always a population problem.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3xw3x/new-research-vindicates-1972-mit-prediction-that-society-will-collapse-soon?fbclid=IwAR3ySEzYdKQJzj92v2R9toFjJXpth1zP1imQhL4LlKSsD7t61cxSeRvYRsw
 

A 1972 MIT study predicted that rapid economic growth would lead to societal collapse in the mid 21st century. A new paper shows we’re unfortunately right on schedule.

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39 minutes ago, Rip76 said:

Interesting read 

To me, it’s always a population problem.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3xw3x/new-research-vindicates-1972-mit-prediction-that-society-will-collapse-soon?fbclid=IwAR3ySEzYdKQJzj92v2R9toFjJXpth1zP1imQhL4LlKSsD7t61cxSeRvYRsw
 

A 1972 MIT study predicted that rapid economic growth would lead to societal collapse in the mid 21st century. A new paper shows we’re unfortunately right on schedule.

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 the study finds that technological progress and increased investments in public services could not just avoid the risk of collapse, but lead to a new stable and prosperous civilization operating safely within planetary boundaries. But we really have only the next decade to change course. 

We’re fucked

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12 minutes ago, Upgrayedd said:

We’re fucked

What I read was delayed new product rollouts combined with planned obsolescence and a lack of infrastructure revitalization.

I feel like we're right on track for turning this thing around. 

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That article is grade A bullshit.    I had to double check to make sure that wasn't an Onion article. 

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The best available data suggests that what we decide over the next 10 years will determine the long-term fate of human civilization. 

Inside The Nba Lol GIF by NBA on TNT

Edited by midtown
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The article didn’t go into any detail as to how the models were calculated so it’s hard to say how believable they are.  Seems like it was just projections of population and resource usage.  That ignores a lot.

The odds of a collapse-inducing war will never go down.  They will only go up or stay the same.

The last 18 months have shown us that the odds of a collapse-inducing disease (whether as the result of biological warfare, human accident, or natural evolution) are probably higher than what most experts would include in models like this.

Other factors in humanity’s medium and long term outlook are less one-sided. 

Population growth appears to be slowing, perhaps dramatically.  Population stasis (or decline) will have dramatic impacts on resource usage, economic prosperity, and technology advances.  Could be good, could be bad.

Advances in technology are exponential and although there is risk inherit in that, history indicates this will be a positive thing for humanity on balance.

The pandemic certainly took a chunk of my optimism away, but overall I am still pretty hopeful about our future.  I do think each generation will carry increasing responsibility due to technology’s exponential growth.  Life in 20 years will be far more different from now than life 20 years ago is from today; that’s hard to fathom.

Edited by Snake Diggity
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2 hours ago, Enchubben said:

We should have already died from global flooding, drought, famine and and (checks notes) ice age? by now according to other esteemed studies and predictions from around that time period. Excuse me if I take this with a grain of salt.

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3 hours ago, Herpa Derpa said:

I want my jetpack.

I believe it is in the trunk of your flying car

2 hours ago, Enchubben said:

115B7A32-A30E-4482-85EE-FFF328E7336C.jpeg.901c4ca1e7f6b66da516d13973454797.jpeg

 

1 hour ago, Armybrat said:

 

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In retirement, because I will need something to do with my time, one of my projects is to create a collage or timeline of articles that predict when we get the flying car. I think that they have been predicted to be 5-7 years in the future since the late 1950's (maybe earlier)

11 hours ago, Rip76 said:

Interesting read 

To me, it’s always a population problem.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3xw3x/new-research-vindicates-1972-mit-prediction-that-society-will-collapse-soon?fbclid=IwAR3ySEzYdKQJzj92v2R9toFjJXpth1zP1imQhL4LlKSsD7t61cxSeRvYRsw
 

A 1972 MIT study predicted that rapid economic growth would lead to societal collapse in the mid 21st century. A new paper shows we’re unfortunately right on schedule.

These guys remind me of economists that have correctly predicted 27 of the last 2 recessions 

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6 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

The oceans are rising because global warming is causing the ice cap to melt.  Meanwhile we are starting to have freshwater shortages because of drought.  As soon as we come up with the technology to easily and cheaply convert seawater to freshwater both problems are solved.

Humans are too busy racing to lower earth orbit. Desalination is not important, yo!

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36 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

The oceans are rising because global warming is causing the ice cap to melt.  Meanwhile we are starting to have freshwater shortages because of drought.  As soon as we come up with the technology to easily and cheaply convert seawater to freshwater both problems are solved.

… So if you don't mind my sayin' 
I can see you're out of aces 
For a taste of your whiskey 
I'll give you some advice"…

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14 minutes ago, smuggs said:

The economic boon of the sugar baby industry is not accounted for anywhere on these ridiculous MIT graphs.

 

 

Uncle Boobs mouth will provide energy for generations. 
 

The new “study”/paper seems more political than data-driven, suggesting humanity’s only hope is radical changes in pollution, social benefits/welfare, and food production that must occur in the next 10 years. The article doesn’t make it clear that this is about the world, not the US only. Are we going to impose radical pollution and manufacturing regulations on China and India? At the same time we will feed and give free healthcare to the world by 2030! Hey Harvard consultant, go ahead and put a bullet in humanity’s head. 

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4 hours ago, Enchubben said:

We should have already died from global flooding, drought, famine and and (checks notes) ice age? by now according to other esteemed studies and predictions from around that time period. Excuse me if I take this with a grain of salt.

"Peak Oil" was invented in 1954 and was supposed to occur in 1970. It's now been pushed out to 2040.

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