March 9, 2001

4:03 AM

A word from the future."At the turn of the second millennium, humanity seemed set on a steady upward course. How did it all go wrong in just 200 years? This is a memo on the fall of homo sapiens, 2000-2200 CE, written for the crew of the third interstellar colonising mission, 2759 CE, by Anatol Lieven, as a record and a warning." Science-fiction? Dire warning? Anyway this is an enjoyable read.
posted by talos (4 comments total)

Isn't that supposed to be the third millenium?
posted by lagado at 4:37 AM on March 9, 2001

I suppose it is in the nature of powerful countries to view themselves as the crux of the way the world develops - to view the future as a place that will depend upon their influence and power and potential catastrophes to be as a result of their machinations or cultural excesses. I'd bring up the case of the European Empires at this point - the great colonial powers giving up power for a plethora of new countries. If anything, the Tiger economies will grow and develop in excess of the Western ones, and at a certain point escalate past both the US and Europe in terms of power and influence. Any potential large-scale world catastrope is likely to be completely unpredictable from our current position - although I personally am putting money on rogue Nanotech causing a planet of grey mush.
posted by barbelith at 4:58 AM on March 9, 2001

Hmph. The only messages I ever get from the future are decidedly mango-oriented.
posted by youhas at 4:01 PM on March 9, 2001

Interesting blurb, but no reference is made to the upcoming energy shortage. If that were taken into account this would read altogether different. But what the hey! Good Si-fi anyhow.
You might want to check out a couple of URL's www.runningonempty.org and www.dieoff.com


Boletus Joe
posted by boletus joe at 8:34 PM on March 14, 2001