Will life get better in the future?

Question

Or is it all gloom and doom?

What are the good things that we have to look forward to, if any? Cures for diseases, hiv/aids, cancer, aging, etc?

Better improvements in the system?

Better president? Honestly this one is the only positive thing I see as happening, because I don't see how we can do any worse than Bush.

Everyone keeps saying it's over, religious people are saying it's the end times, and people are fierce and mean and ridiculous, that it sure feels like it's all ending.

So is there anyone out there that holds any hope for the future?

OR, have you all given up?


Let's hear it from both sides. The optimists and the pessimists.

Answer 1

A small group of determined indivduals can change the world, infact it is the only thing that ever does.
Things can get better, but only if you and others around you refuse to accept that things can't and fight to make it better.
The problem is often who or what is defined as better.
Increase in GDP is considered good, if the average salary increases it is considered good,but if that is accompanied by an increase in perecentage of very rich and a serious drop in percent middle class means the rich have gotten richer at the expense of the middle class, if the modal salary goes down it means the greatest number of people who make the same amount of money, their salary goes down, if the median salary goes down, it means that 50% make more and 50% make less, if that goes down it means more are making less.
Do not allow anyone to tell you things are getting better if your life is not getting better.
Is your life less stressful, does it have more joy, does it have fufillment.
These while related to economics, are not entirely dependent on it.
So it can get better, but you need to refuse to accept to give up hope and if someone tell you must, or we have no choice, the market dicated, then refuse to believe you have no choice, those who are directing you will want you to feel helpless, to accept, to see problems as too big.
I was at an antistress class provided by my employer to help with the stress of layoff.
We were told stress is caused by having a circle of concerns larger than a circle of influence, so we were told that these things were too big so we should make our circle of concerns smaller, think less, dream less, hope less.
I stood up and said that we should increase our influence, we sholud think bigger, dream more and hope and demand more, not less.
When the instructor said that was causing destress and we should go back to the reduction of concerns someone else stood up and shouted that he was tired of being told to be less and told me to take over the class.
This is what will make a better future.
Those who stand up against injustice, who sit at the counter, who walk and boycott the bus, who went Seattle and Quebec City and braved tear gas and riot cops, those who stayed peaceful in the face of violence, those who take a stand.
These are the people who will make the world a better place.
All that needs to be determined is who will you stand with.

Answer 2

I consider myself a realist, even though my friends characterize me as cynical.

Ok, first technology, including medical advances will get better. That's obviously a bonus.

However, it is my opinion that there are several problems which are "unsolvable" and can only be slowed.

First is the limited resources. Population is always increasing, and our resources, aside from possibly energy (thru renewable sources) are limited. Eventually, resources will be spread too thin. One of the biggest issues today is the limit of drinkable water. With more and more people, it will be more and more difficult to make this available. This is obviously a negative

Religious fundamentalism, both Christian and Islam seems to be on the rise again. I was hoping there would be an age of reason and logic, but people are embracing radical idealogies now. This definitely a negative

Answer 3

I belong to Camp Optimism; things do get better over time--just think about what life was like in the Middle Ages (If you don't have any idea what it was like, read "A World Lit Only By Fire."--the author is William Manchester. That will give you hope for the future.)

As for End Times, BAH! They've been predicting that since time began.

Answer 4

I do think that of we keep going the direction mankind is going in right now, then it will get worse and eventually be over.

But I think that there is to be a turning point somewhere down the line. If we choose the right way, and if mankind isnt ignorant and willing to change their current lifestyle, then things will get better. If we, as a whole, can come together and try to reverse this path we're on, then we can do it. But, I don't know how likely that is.

Good thing ill be long dead by then.

Answer 5

Instead of worrying if life will get better or worse I generally try to make life better.

I work in education and do my best to make students (of all ages and backgrounds better and more knowlegable).

I try to learn as much as I can, help people, speak the truth in a quiet voice.

I help those I can, maybe it is not much, but maybe I can make the life of people around me better.

So stop complaining and go out and make the world a little bit better (not try to fix the whole mess, just some things you can touch).

Now imagine if 7 Billion people did that.

Answer 6

Things usually have to hit bottom before they begin to get better and I don't think we've quite found our bottom - yet. Before things can get better in this country (USA), we'll have to change our economic system, decrease consumerism, stop developing every inch of land in sight, switch our value system from paying sports figures insanely high salaries for chasing a ball around and improve the salary of this nation's teachers instead. We need to become united as one nation and not fractions of many other cultures/traditions/languages etc., and we need to get the guns out of our youths hands.

All this would be a good start IMO.

Answer 7

The World will only be as GOOD- as the people in it. When WE decide that we want to become better people, then the World will become a better place- & the Future -a Time to look forward to... ... .

Answer 8

We are going to be just fine. Good times and bad times. Scary events and grand events. We will continue. The earth is not going anywhere, the human race is not going anywhere for a long while.

Answer 9

I have no idea...I dont know what to believe honestly. All I know is I hope it isnt the end of times because I want my family to continue on!!