Could Mankind evolve enough to reach "Star Trek" level?

Question

Silly question, I know...
Gene Roddenberry presented us with a positive future where wars, hunger, hatred, money, greed have been eradicated, and "Man" live only to better themselves.
This appeals to me!
But reading History does not give me the impression that we are going that way! More towards the opposite, towards self-destruction.
Do you think "we" have a chance to make good and survive for milleniums, become a "grown up" civilisation? And if so, when?

Answer 1

The funny thing is, it actually only takes one device from Star Trek to get us halfway there...

Most of the problems in the world as it is today all come about because there are people that have... and people that have not.

The ones that have... usually want more and if they dont, they are out numbered by those that do... and those that do not have.... do want more, but once they get more, there is no guarantee they will be any better.

Star Trek was very clever in the way it was designed because they took this fact and removed it... how? In the device they call a replicator. This device can replicate anything you wish it to and supplies it immediately. if this device was ever constructed, we would remove the need for many things, including money... after all, what use is money if you can simply replicate what you want.

Granted, there would still be need for such things as people to build housing and doctors etc... but the general needs of people would be met. This coupled with our on going technological advances would one day bring about a "Star Trek" scenario...

It truly would be a marvelous day when we can follow our dreams without restriction simply to see where they lead.

Now... Im not a hard core Star Trek fan, so the replicator may work differently to how I thought it did... but for the most part, what I stated still stands. Remove the road blocks between haves and have nots and we will move faster and with more balance into a brighter future.

Answer 2

Now assuming we don't die in any MDW wars, then yes we will very likely develop interstellar travel, as well as time travel (which BTW doesn't effect anyone else's reality which I will not explain on here because it's irrelevant). I am going to guess it should take us 500-800 years to develop either of those technologies.

I also believe there will still be wars, disease, poverty, etc. but they might be diminished if we continue the way we are going. The reason I say that is because we have improved tremendously on being humane. A good example is the Geneva Convention.

Now unlike on star trek it would still take anywhere from a year to a millennium to reach a destination just inside this galaxy going as fast as an electron (which is really friggin fast). It would take around a million or more to reach anything outside of the milky way. Therefore we will be effectively hindered on colonizing past the first few star systems.

One more thing, if it is biologically possible, we will develop what we currently consider ESP. If we develop that we probably will end physical suffering completely minus unavoidable things like death (unless we can cure that). You wouldn't want to hurt someone if it hurt you too.

Answer 3

If you watch Star Trek closely, you will find that the unity of the humans has only come about because, having found they are not unique in the universe, they have to engage with other species. In many episodes of Star Trek, from the early days to the present, the human race is seen in conflict with various races. Whilst we are seen to be existing in a "utopian" way within the United Federation of Planets, we are still shown as an aggressive race when confronted with others who do not share our views or who we do not understand.

In effect, Star Trek is more like the attitude of the British in Africa and India during the times of the Empire. We were living a comfortable life at home, enjoying the product of other peoples' sweat and toil and sent out our forces to maintain the status quo so that our home life was not disrupted. The leaders of that time did not live to better themselves but to benefit themselves. Star Trek is just another example of us doing this as a race rather than a nation.

By the way, although this may sound as though I am attacking Star Trek and/or Britain, that is not the intention. I am one of the biggest fans of all the Star Trek series from day one. I am also British.

Answer 4

Gene Roddenberry never counted on climate change and religious extremism (global terrorism), and political corruption.

We fix the planet, get rid of religious fanatics, and end political corruption, then we would still have to close the economic gap between rich and poor and finish off poverty.

Once we've gotten rid of all those things, then we'd still have to cure disease and make sure everyone is happy and healthy. When all of those things happen, then maybe we will see a "Star Trek" future where all mankind gets along for the common good of the species.

But do you really see that happening? I don't.

Answer 5

I think we will have to start preparing sooner rather than later.

At the moment I am watching that reality programme in the UK called Dumped. It seems we are accumulating waste by the truck lod eveery waking monet of the day.

When we have turned our plaent into a trash can totally in the near future we'll have to go elsewhere or start cleaning up our act now.

The the ice caps are melting, maybe we'll have to adapt for life under water, the UK in particular will have a problem. That'll be fun for some.

I do believe the science fiction writers will show us the way and scientists will have to come up with solutions.

We need more scientists or we'll perish!

Answer 6

Firstly it is not a silly question, it is a very deep and insightful question due to the fact that it is questioning whether there can be a utopia. The answer to that question is yes and no.

Yes,
We as humans are capable of coming together and creating things and ideals greater than ourselves. I give as example the concept of the United States. The concept was that we as humans not only have the right to lead ourselves free from the tyranny of a religious based system as in, royalty being ordained by god, but instead as a free and open society that may choose its leaders. Within such a society every man, woman and child would have their voices herd and acted upon to create the 'will of the people'.

No,
Within every perfect system there is room for humans to stuff things up by 'stuffing the box', controlling the media and influencing peoples thought and practice. Within a perfect system each person would realise that every other person is as important as themselves and as such would act in a selfless way to those around them since all others would be doing the same. However this is not that case, as in my example of the United States, who’s courts run by rule of emotion than by rule of law, whose government buys votes with promises and popularity rather than worth and whose entire system worships the almighty dollar.

If we were all to agree that we are going to live in a utopia we would also have to agree that we must do everything that we can to serve the greater good than ourselves, in effect we would have to eliminate the capital/communist systems and come up with something new.

Hope this helps.

Answer 7

As far as mankind is concerned I think it will be kill or cure.We will either destroy ourselves (and let the planet carry on without us which probably wouldn't be a bad thing for Nature in general) or we will achieve the 'Star Trek' ideal quite quickly. Unfortunately I think it will be the former.

Answer 8

As far as the technology goes, we probably already have. As far as Human nature is concerned, not a chance. The Bible says that the world is going to get worse and worse until Jesus returns. After that there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth, and everyhing will be perfect, under the reign of God.

Answer 9

What and have all the bloody equipment fail, like it does in every episode? Something always seems to go wrong. It's like used car salesmen have taken over the universe.

Answer 10

with mankind ruling himself there is only one disastrous ending. man was not designed to rule himself, take a look at history. Man has tried every type of leadership and rule, look at the results all ending so far.
As for traveling the stars we was not ment to be there