We Could Go On Forever
What I'm about to say here will be shocking to some, not so to others, and perhaps even profound; there will be no end to humanity, at least until the end of time.
No doubt that statement reeks of hubris, for who am I to say what fate lies in store for us. Surely, I could be wrong, and I readily admit that.
However, over the last few years, as the current economic mess has unfolded around us, there has again been talk that the end may indeed be nigh. History, however, has taught us better. Let's take the most common example used here in the West, the Roman Empire. When it's collapse came, around the 5th century AD/CE, many refer to it as a civilization that collapsed. The reality is that civilization did not collapse, just the Roman Empire in that form. Instead, it effectively split, becoming the Holy Roman Empire in the west and the Eastern Roman Empire in the east. Both would continue for centuries, and in the end would eventually fall, only to be fused with other nations, or "civilizations" if you will.
This is not even considering what was happening in other parts of the world. In China, for instance, the 5th century AD/CE was the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and after the Sui Dynasty annexed both, China simply grew even more. In the Americas, the people known as the Mayans were busy building their empire as well. During the same period, India was under the Gupta Dynasty and growing as well.
For the next few centuries, all of these different cultures would rise and fall, until one culture, the Europeans, would begin to take center stage. It would eventually move on to reshape the affairs of the planet. That is the era we find ourselves in right now.
But, hypothetically, what happens if, say, the United States collapsed? What of the rest of the world? What if the EU collapsed? What then? My guess, and I apologize if this steps on toes, is that the rest of the world will dust itself off and move on. No doubt that, at this time, we are seeing the ascension of a number of countries, with some areas (Africa) still on their way up and others (India, China) becoming economic powers. Just because one "civilization" falls does not mean that it all collapses.
Of course, this is barring some other catastrophe, such as a super pandemic, an extinction level event or some other total cataclysm, human-made or otherwise. And this is not to say that the civilizations that might remain after any collapse will be tolerable ones, though I feel that it is human nature to push and need those freedoms and eventually get them.
It was Edward O. Wilson who planted this notion in my head seven years ago, when at the Connecticut Forum he was asked how long did he think humanity will last. "I think we'll last forever, or at least until the end of time" was his answer; words that I have never forgotten. I also believe in the words of the late Carl Sagan; "The sky calls to us, and if we do not destroy ourselves, we will one day venture to the stars."
We should never underestimate the human desire to go on, to survive, to thrive.
No doubt that statement reeks of hubris, for who am I to say what fate lies in store for us. Surely, I could be wrong, and I readily admit that.
However, over the last few years, as the current economic mess has unfolded around us, there has again been talk that the end may indeed be nigh. History, however, has taught us better. Let's take the most common example used here in the West, the Roman Empire. When it's collapse came, around the 5th century AD/CE, many refer to it as a civilization that collapsed. The reality is that civilization did not collapse, just the Roman Empire in that form. Instead, it effectively split, becoming the Holy Roman Empire in the west and the Eastern Roman Empire in the east. Both would continue for centuries, and in the end would eventually fall, only to be fused with other nations, or "civilizations" if you will.
This is not even considering what was happening in other parts of the world. In China, for instance, the 5th century AD/CE was the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and after the Sui Dynasty annexed both, China simply grew even more. In the Americas, the people known as the Mayans were busy building their empire as well. During the same period, India was under the Gupta Dynasty and growing as well.
For the next few centuries, all of these different cultures would rise and fall, until one culture, the Europeans, would begin to take center stage. It would eventually move on to reshape the affairs of the planet. That is the era we find ourselves in right now.
But, hypothetically, what happens if, say, the United States collapsed? What of the rest of the world? What if the EU collapsed? What then? My guess, and I apologize if this steps on toes, is that the rest of the world will dust itself off and move on. No doubt that, at this time, we are seeing the ascension of a number of countries, with some areas (Africa) still on their way up and others (India, China) becoming economic powers. Just because one "civilization" falls does not mean that it all collapses.
Of course, this is barring some other catastrophe, such as a super pandemic, an extinction level event or some other total cataclysm, human-made or otherwise. And this is not to say that the civilizations that might remain after any collapse will be tolerable ones, though I feel that it is human nature to push and need those freedoms and eventually get them.
It was Edward O. Wilson who planted this notion in my head seven years ago, when at the Connecticut Forum he was asked how long did he think humanity will last. "I think we'll last forever, or at least until the end of time" was his answer; words that I have never forgotten. I also believe in the words of the late Carl Sagan; "The sky calls to us, and if we do not destroy ourselves, we will one day venture to the stars."
We should never underestimate the human desire to go on, to survive, to thrive.
posted by RRLittle at 7:06 AM
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