Are we really more technologically advanced?

Question

For example: We create a better means to increase crop yield; this results in successfully feeding more people; more people survive; a growth in population eventually occurs; this inevitably leads to a need to feed yet more people; and, therefore, an even greater onus on the need to further increase crop yield. Are we not simply going around in circles?

Answer 1

I think you've nailed it on the head. The only way out of this cycle, is the long run, that I can see is a population reduction, but that seems to be so politically unpopular that it will likely never happen. It's true that we in the West have managed to achieve zero or near zero population growth, but to get out of the cycle that you have described, we really need a massive reduction in worldwide population and I'm afraid that if we don't come up with ways to achieve this, Mother Nature will do it for us.

Normally I'm cheerier than this!

Answer 2

Yes we are technologically more advanced. Only these advances have allowed our population to increase as it has without rampant starvation and famine.

Obviously if our population increases exponentially then no food stocks will be able to keep up but I hardly think you can conclude we're worse off due to increased technology. If you'd ever had an injection or been given an antibiotic we'd have to call you a hypocrite wouldnt we? What is it you're really suggesting? We go live in a field?

Answer 3

Yes the geniuses have made great advances in technology. This with everyones, and indeed everythings best interest at heart. However human nature being mankind,s biggest drawback, safely manages to set progress further back, so far back the geniuses are astounded as to how did that happen? Yes bring on new technology, just make sure the real geniuses, are keeping an eye on us.

Answer 4

No we are headed for disaster,
By my calculations by the year 2239 there will be enough humans on the planet to stand shoulder to shoulder and completely cover the surface of the earth, and think about the power consumption, at the rate that our ( human race) power needs increase yearly ( they nearly double every year ) not only will we be standing elbow to elbow, but the power that will be required ( if we are still going the way we are ) would make the surface of the earth nearly 600 degrees.

You can do the calculations, .... I did over the course of 3 years.

Answer 5

The population has always increased since the beginning of the human race. That population needs to eat so we need to continue to advance our technology to feed it. We could feed the whole world if they would let us. Unfortunately the corrupt regimes of the impoverished nations won't let us in. North Korea, Somalia, etc.

Answer 6

The same is true for medicine. We allow more ill kids and adults to survive... etc..
We are doing exactly the opposite than the survival of the fittest did for our evolution.
Let's hope that Genetics and food production will progress at a necessary pace.
At the same time, let's start looking for new worlds to colonize.
This spaceship called Earth is becoming too crowded!

Answer 7

Definitely. Our control and use of the rules of the universe are growing exponentially. We are lucky to live in such a time. In spite of what many say, life now is better than in the past generally. Our control of illness and the like is much better than in the past. Many died in child birth and from bacteria infections. Happily this is not the case now. Some example of what I believe is coming based upon R & D my company is doing: climate control through the ability to strip vast amount of carbon from the atmosphere (this will reverse climate change and will stop the cause of 99.999% of species deaths in the past), cheap low energy large scale desalination to allow irrigation of large tracts of desert (we are talking very large scale, affordable desalination). This is good technology. Things are getting better!

Answer 8

Of course we are. But that's the way that we work. It's so easy for us to think, hey, if I can just come up with a way to feed these people we've got now so that their families do not suffer starvation, that'd be great. But we don't really think about the future. We're not very good at planning ahead. We think about our children of now, not about their children, or their children's children.

Answer 9

You could say we are going is circles, but you cannot deny we are doing it in a very high tech way! So we are definitely technologically advanced.

Answer 10

Went to a restaurant yesterday, went to the restroom. Got up from the toilet and it flushed itself, went to wash my hands and the water came on automatically, went to dry my hands and the paper towel dispenser spit out paper towel automatically.... I think we are more technologically advanced... However this technology does have side affects as you have mentioned.