Discussion
Some interesting posts have been started the last couple of days/weeks reg broken britain, homelessness, how fragile is your life etc, which makes me wonder if we are in a steep decline from some 'golden years'.
There's a visible change in almost every area since ten or so years, empty or struggling businesses (or the umpteenth barber/nail/Asian food shop), more beggars, the cost of living takes its toll, a general decline of quality or service in almost everything.
On the other hand, as mankind we've never been healthier, more educated, alive longer, and wealthier than ever before.
It may be ambitious to impossible to determine anything that came before as we can't possibly know, but did we achieve peak mankind already?
For example the palazzo ducale in Venice has the largest unsupported hall in Europe, about 55 m long, and this was in the 15th century.
Notre-Dame was around 200 years earlier, and don't get me started on some pyramids...
Ancient Greece, Egypt or the Roman Empire had a functional society system with relative security, 2000 years ago.
Things sped up a bit in the industrial age, to the point where we are today, we lost a lot of skills on the way, not many proper mechanics/builders/whatever requres a certain amount of capability around anymore.
Overcomplexication in so many areas, but not that many able to fulfill the needs...
It seems we have it all but are not able or willing to get the best out of it for the sake of all, or do we still have some great things in the waiting and still are in a positive progression? Or worse, we achieved peak some 500 years ago?
BTW, it's not supposed to sound like an old man yelling at clouds rant, just my observation.
There's a visible change in almost every area since ten or so years, empty or struggling businesses (or the umpteenth barber/nail/Asian food shop), more beggars, the cost of living takes its toll, a general decline of quality or service in almost everything.
On the other hand, as mankind we've never been healthier, more educated, alive longer, and wealthier than ever before.
It may be ambitious to impossible to determine anything that came before as we can't possibly know, but did we achieve peak mankind already?
For example the palazzo ducale in Venice has the largest unsupported hall in Europe, about 55 m long, and this was in the 15th century.
Notre-Dame was around 200 years earlier, and don't get me started on some pyramids...
Ancient Greece, Egypt or the Roman Empire had a functional society system with relative security, 2000 years ago.
Things sped up a bit in the industrial age, to the point where we are today, we lost a lot of skills on the way, not many proper mechanics/builders/whatever requres a certain amount of capability around anymore.
Overcomplexication in so many areas, but not that many able to fulfill the needs...
It seems we have it all but are not able or willing to get the best out of it for the sake of all, or do we still have some great things in the waiting and still are in a positive progression? Or worse, we achieved peak some 500 years ago?
BTW, it's not supposed to sound like an old man yelling at clouds rant, just my observation.
bobtail4x4 said:
when AI kicks in we are all doomed,
I don't know if this was a tongue in cheek post or not, but I agree. We're going to get to the point where unless you actually see something with your own eyes, you're not going to be able to believe anything you hear/see by any other means.Unless you're incapable of independent thought and then you'll be influenced by everything you see and lap it up 100%.
Going to be some interesting times ahead. Surprised there hasn't already been some high profile 'deep faking' incidents.
And that's before you even consider every other aspect of our lives that AI could influence.
sidewinder500 said:
Some interesting posts have been started the last couple of days/weeks reg broken britain, homelessness, how fragile is your life etc, which makes me wonder if we are in a steep decline from some 'golden years'.
There's a visible change in almost every area since ten or so years, empty or struggling businesses (or the umpteenth barber/nail/Asian food shop), more beggars, the cost of living takes its toll, a general decline of quality or service in almost everything.
On the other hand, as mankind we've never been healthier, more educated, alive longer, and wealthier than ever before.
It may be ambitious to impossible to determine anything that came before as we can't possibly know, but did we achieve peak mankind already?
For example the palazzo ducale in Venice has the largest unsupported hall in Europe, about 55 m long, and this was in the 15th century.
Notre-Dame was around 200 years earlier, and don't get me started on some pyramids...
Ancient Greece, Egypt or the Roman Empire had a functional society system with relative security, 2000 years ago.
Things sped up a bit in the industrial age, to the point where we are today, we lost a lot of skills on the way, not many proper mechanics/builders/whatever requres a certain amount of capability around anymore.
Overcomplexication in so many areas, but not that many able to fulfill the needs...
It seems we have it all but are not able or willing to get the best out of it for the sake of all, or do we still have some great things in the waiting and still are in a positive progression? Or worse, we achieved peak some 500 years ago?
BTW, it's not supposed to sound like an old man yelling at clouds rant, just my observation.
I don't agree with any of that. We've never been fatter, schooling has been dumbed down and pared back to the bone, life expectancy has fallen since Covid and only a few are wealthier, most are poorer.There's a visible change in almost every area since ten or so years, empty or struggling businesses (or the umpteenth barber/nail/Asian food shop), more beggars, the cost of living takes its toll, a general decline of quality or service in almost everything.
On the other hand, as mankind we've never been healthier, more educated, alive longer, and wealthier than ever before.
It may be ambitious to impossible to determine anything that came before as we can't possibly know, but did we achieve peak mankind already?
For example the palazzo ducale in Venice has the largest unsupported hall in Europe, about 55 m long, and this was in the 15th century.
Notre-Dame was around 200 years earlier, and don't get me started on some pyramids...
Ancient Greece, Egypt or the Roman Empire had a functional society system with relative security, 2000 years ago.
Things sped up a bit in the industrial age, to the point where we are today, we lost a lot of skills on the way, not many proper mechanics/builders/whatever requres a certain amount of capability around anymore.
Overcomplexication in so many areas, but not that many able to fulfill the needs...
It seems we have it all but are not able or willing to get the best out of it for the sake of all, or do we still have some great things in the waiting and still are in a positive progression? Or worse, we achieved peak some 500 years ago?
BTW, it's not supposed to sound like an old man yelling at clouds rant, just my observation.
missing the VR6 said:
I'd argue we're certainly not healthier and only living longer because of pharmaceutical intervention to make up for the poor diet and sedentary lifestyle the majority live.
I would agree, there is a lot of pointless maintenance of life for those who have very little quality of life, it would be good if euthanasia could be considered properly in the UK as it is in other countries. Keeping dementia sufferers alive in care homes when they have no idea of who they are and who their families are just seems cruel to me.missing the VR6 said:
I'd argue we're certainly not healthier and only living longer because of pharmaceutical intervention to make up for the poor diet and sedentary lifestyle the majority live.
I once had someone express surprise that I had walked a whopping .9 of a mile to the pub instead of driving!This is close to a subject I've been discussing with some mates recently.
I think in terms of our existence and quality of life, we have peaked. Since the covid era everything has gone up in price. Customer service in virtually every sector has dropped, schools and hospitals have their budgets slashed, businesses are closing left and right etc..
I'm finding mobile phone signal and internet quality is dropping, even the keyboard and voice dictation on my phone, don't work as well as they used to.
People are more reluctant to commit to days out/events, so organising things is more difficult.
Obviously these are all little things, but I'm definitely seeing a decline in many factors which contribute to my quality of life.
This is before we get on to the various geopolitical issues going in the world and the general levels of animosity that seem to be breeding.
I think in terms of our existence and quality of life, we have peaked. Since the covid era everything has gone up in price. Customer service in virtually every sector has dropped, schools and hospitals have their budgets slashed, businesses are closing left and right etc..
I'm finding mobile phone signal and internet quality is dropping, even the keyboard and voice dictation on my phone, don't work as well as they used to.
People are more reluctant to commit to days out/events, so organising things is more difficult.
Obviously these are all little things, but I'm definitely seeing a decline in many factors which contribute to my quality of life.
This is before we get on to the various geopolitical issues going in the world and the general levels of animosity that seem to be breeding.
Dog Star said:
From my own perspective things seemed so much better in the 1990s. Everything seemed to be “on the up”.
I realise that nowadays we have so much information being fired at us - and misinformation too! - that perhaps we aren’t getting a correct picture.
And from.my own perspective (Although I loved.the 90s) the 90s offered zero optimism for the future.I realise that nowadays we have so much information being fired at us - and misinformation too! - that perhaps we aren’t getting a correct picture.
I recall an economist on the TV say that the UK couldn't survive without manufacturing and exports and that long term we couldn't just keep selling services to each other.
Although, 30 years later it seems we could!
Maybe we're biologically disposed to see a bleak future?
And yes. Peak Human was reached when Concorde stopped flying. The decline started there, before that it was continual improvement since the end of the Dark Ages.
Edited by BikeBikeBIke on Tuesday 2nd July 18:13
tumble dryer said:
CountyAFC said:
I've noticed now that everything I do is pretty much typed, that my hand writing, when I occasionally use it, has turned to s
t.
Used to be really neat. Bloody awful now.
I'm ashamed sometimes, when I try to get something written down in a hurry, and then look at it. t. Used to be really neat. Bloody awful now.
BikeBikeBIke said:
And yes. Peak Human was reached when Concorde stopped flying. The decline started there, before that it was continual improvement since the end of the Dark Ages.
i would argue, that that stage was reached when concorde was built, and after the moon landings, what have we acheived since that ground breaking, apart from the internet, and that is fueling the race to the bottom.Edited by BikeBikeBIke on Tuesday 2nd July 18:13
Nobody seems to try harder, just good enough.
CountyAFC said:
tumble dryer said:
CountyAFC said:
I've noticed now that everything I do is pretty much typed, that my hand writing, when I occasionally use it, has turned to st.
Used to be really neat. Bloody awful now.
I'm ashamed sometimes, when I try to get something written down in a hurry, and then look at it. t. Used to be really neat. Bloody awful now.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff