Is mankind suicidal?

Looking at the trends of the modern world {wars, violence which threatens peoples lives, the pollution of the planet, moral/ethical/political corruption} are you concerned about the future of the human race? Are our current ways of living going to bring harsh consequences for future generations? Such as the consumption of natural resources, the pollution of the earth?

Personally I beleive that the human race was not meant to govern itself. Evidence of this can be seen from present world conditions, from a failure to find a system which is beneficial.

What changes should the human race take to improve standards of living, to ensure future survival? Or for that matter, do you feel that the futre is threatened at all?

Yes and yes.

But suicidal? I wouldn't use that term. My definition of suicide would include intent, and I think we're going to destroy ourselves, but we're not going to *intend* to.

By the way, our future is in jeopardy no matter what--the sun has a finite lifespan. When it goes, we go, unless we've managed existence independent of the Earth by then.

So, one thing to guarantee future survival, is "be able to continue to exist without the planet Earth around."

That's a long way off, though...

More immediately, we need to figure out, systematically, what kind of society the Earth can sustain indefinitely.

I also think we should back off on the fossil fuels, because they're finite, and we are using them REALLY quickly, and we might need them for an emergency someday. Plus, they *might* be causing bad climate change.

If dying was as easy as pressing a switch, I would have been long dead, and, am sure, so would have been more than half of the world population...

We are unable to cope with the pressure. All our roles have become more demandind, whether it is being a baby, kid, teen, adult/parent... But dying doesn't solve the problem (I wish it would). Suicide is a sin, so really I don't think god will forgive me for that one.

Well, that is assuming that the human race was meant for anything in the first place. I hardly think that everything has a purpose. Does one grain of sand sitting on top of another in a beach purpose as opposed to the reverse? Even in things that we know have purpose to us -designed things, we can see side-effects that do not have purpose. (or even counterproductive)
Guess that was a bit off-topic. For the rest i agree with DChristopher; except that technology by itself governed by perfectly reasonable humans could cause issues. (but i really do not know what to say about that)
@fluxy note that the question is wether mankind is suicidal as a whole.

Yes, even if not deliberately. Some president/scientist will create a "Click me to destroy the world" button, and his cat will come and press on it. Or we could end up like the story in FreedroidRPG( Bots that suddenly kills almost all humans :P )


Extreme Coder

Sometimes, I wonder if the ultimate aim of our species is to blown up the planet, hurtling chunks of space rock (with frozen bacteria/spores) across the universe, to seed other planets.

I don't believe so, self preservation is probably the strongest instinct for most animals, including us.

No, we are probably better than we have ever been before. The world does have violence, and there are environmental issues, but overall we as a race are doing great!

Probably, but nothing that innovation and perseverance won't overcome. We a a very resilient and cunning species, that's why we rule the planet.

Personally I disagree, we have harmed other creatures in the process, but we have shaped a world where we live better than we have ever lived before. We are selfish, yes. And that in a way makes us stronger.

There are several issues we need to tackle, and are already tackling. We need new energy sources, we need to overcome petty religious differences, we need to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, we need to fight AIDS, we need to learn to live with a warming planet for at least a while, and we need to continue our quest for knowledge that will ensure our survival as long as the this universe exists, and maybe even beyond!

There are a few little issues, but nothing mayor. IMHO, we will continue to rule over this planet, gaining more and more knowledge, assuring our continued existence past the existence of planet Earth, slowly evolving into beings that to use would seem like Gods... We are doing well!

Well, the surface of our planet, perhaps.

We might be doing well, but I do not think you have summed up all the problems. What about international tensions like with China, and Iran, North Korea? What about the big corporations meddling with our democracies?

I could literally spend years elaborating our current problems and upcoming challenges. But they are no worse than they ever were in the past, and we will once again rise to the occasion and overcome them, and we will also fail and learn from those failures and carry on.

What are you trying to say you can't cope with reality?

I think that mankind isn't suicidal, but it does have a finite lifespan, and we have lasted a good 10,000 years already. We need to avoid finite things: Earth, fossil fuels, etc. if we want to survive. I don't see mankind making it through the next hundred years if we keep going the way we're going.

Are these really modern issues? I believe they have been occuring throughout history.

Why are we unable to cope with the pressure? Why are our roles more demanding? Some of my relatives fought in the 2nd world war. I'd call that pressure and a demanding role. People all over the world are starving, being blown up, ethnically cleansed or trying to come to terms with a Capitalism that has been thrust upon them by a so called democratic process. That's pressure and demanding. In the west, we have become soft and really the pressure is created by ourselves.

Or a method to convert the energy back into a useable form.

Suicidal implies some planned death wish - I think if anything man (in general) has a desire to live and thrive.

However mans history is a rather short and bloody affair - whether dying for ones god - or country - or greed - many all too ready to maim or kill others in the name of whatever.

We have reached our current pinnacle by consuming nearly half of the natural resources (coal - oil - natural gas) on this planet. Many believe we have hit the half way point on these resources or will in the next 50yrs. At which point the costs of living in a civilized manner will begin to get very expensive (supply vs. demand). China - India and other countries will consume as much if not more energy than the US.

Now lets toss in Global Warming (from use of fossil fuels) where some countries will "win" the new weather lottery and others will loose (farm land becomes desert) - and don't forget that fertilizer comes from natural gas.

I'd like to believe that we would all work this out all even-steven - but I don't think we're there yet as a species or as a race.

Man is not suicidal - but even though he controls the atom and will soon control his own DNA - he is still a tribal creature at heart and influenced by ancient religious beliefs that can conflict with the realities facing us.

Add to that the natural human state of either denial or totally self absorbed .... and the fact that no leader or politician want to be the "buzz kill" ( ah um we're running out of resources + global warming means the party is over - lets start planning). Means that mankind is heading towards a nexus of some type.

My Parents (the Greatest Generation) joined the world to defeat Hitler and split the atom.

Us Baby-Boomers have delivered advanced technology and opened the window on genetics.

We're all hoping the current generation can unite the world (at least most of it - think web) and deliver us thru the nexus