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Course: Big History Project > Unit 1
Lesson 5: Other MaterialsACTIVITY: Visions of the Future
Purpose
Before really digging in the course, you’re going to identify a problem affecting the world, for example, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Then, you’ll predict a vision of the future based on this problem and your current understanding of the history of the Universe. This not only helps you think about what you know about the history of the Universe, but it also encourages you to think about how the past informs the future.
Process
You are going to identify a problem affecting the world today, and then you’ll create a vision of the future based on your chosen problem. You can choose whatever you want. Once you’ve picked out the problem, write a few sentences that address the following criteria:
1. Provide a short explanation of the problem.
2. Explain how you think this problem will affect the world in 100 years.
3. Propose a solution to this problem.
For Further Discussion
Share your response into the Questions Area for others to read. Then, read other people’s paragraphs and compare your answers with theirs for a different perspective. If someone came up with the same problem as you but had a different solution, compare your solutions (in writing). Or, if someone picked a problem and you can think of a better solution, share that!
Want to join the conversation?
1. Overpopulation of human beings on Earth - The global population has been exponentially growing in the past couple of centuries, which has led us as a species to consume more and more resources and create more and more waste. Despite growing awareness and action towards sustainable consumption practices, the rate at which we are growing will outpace our ability to survive the way we understand it today.
2. in 100 years, we may be faced with extreme rationing measures and population control restrictions (peaceful), or humankind will revert to its natural tendency to war for competition of resources.
3. A possible solution would require immediate legislation to mandate much stricter resource management practices, although this would have major economic repercussions. A limitation on number of children, while harsh, could curtail the growth factor, although I'm morally opposed to this as I'm sure many are. The increase in longevity must be considered as well.(27 votes)
I think the answer would be to increase the quality of life. As previously mentioned Europe has a decreasing population (voluntary) and so does portions of the US. Part of this is that when you do not need multiply kids to take care of you in your old age you do not need as many. Other reasons are that when the struggle to survive is lessened than the amount of leisure time to read and study goes up, more educated people tend to have less children.
The last reason is that as less time is spent for survival less man hours are needed to get past the survival threshold.(12 votes)
- Problem: Religious Fundamentalism
1. In many parts of the world, religious fundamentalism is gaining power. In areas like the Middle East, there are more and more states ruled by religious law and in the West, religious leaders and groups are creating friction and trying to pull society in their chosen direction.
2. I believe that during the next 100 years, there will be wars fought between nations as well as ongoing strife between non-state actors like terrorist organizations based mostly around distinct visions of the world formed from fundamental interpretations of religions, primarily Christianity and Islam.
3. My proposed solution to this problem is increasing education in areas like science and philosophy as well as stronger organization of secular alternatives to “spirituality” and life-cycle events that religions served.(14 votes)
I would also suggest that secular societies be mindful of enforcing secular laws and maintaining a clear division between state and religion. Laws should apply equally to all people, and religious and/or cultural laws should not be used in determining guilt in criminal cases or in the outcome of settling civil matters, including marriage, divorce, inheritance, etc.(7 votes)
1. Powerful, unaccountable corporations and governments.
2. In 100 years large institutions may very well become the reigning "life form" on earth, with humans merely being the blood stream in the body of these monoliths. Wars may begin taking place between corporations (instead of states/countries) and governments may try to control and manipulate populations so completely towards the ends of these big institutions that the concepts of "free will", liberty and human rights might once and for all be dismissed as a quaint ancient ideals.
3. Humans must take action now to separate business and governmental interests. Governments should respond to human needs, not corporate greed. Money out of politics, power back into people's hands.(17 votes)
1. Powerful, unaccountable corporations and governments.
In the United States, corporate interests commingle with the local, state, and Federal governments due to the axiom of concentrated benefits with diffuse costs. Corporate entities spend prodigious amounts of money to get their way on a particular issue. Yet, the impact of a change in the rules minimally affects 330 million U.S. consumers. Therefore, most consumers do not care about the rule change.
2. In 100 years large institutions may very well become the reigning "life form" on earth, with humans merely being the blood stream in the body of these monoliths. Wars may begin taking place between corporations (instead of states/countries) and governments may try to control and manipulate populations so completely towards the ends of these big institutions that the concepts of "free will", liberty and human rights might once and for all be dismissed as a quaint ancient ideals.
This scenario is not so far fetched, because recent free trade agreements negotiated by the United States and other countries strongly reflect corporate interests.
3. Humans must take action now to separate business and governmental interests. Governments should respond to human needs, not corporate greed. Money out of politics, power back into people's hands.
These thoughts are very noble. Nevertheless, most governments remain the best operations which money can buy.(0 votes)
- 1. The problem I've chosen to focus on is climate change. I don't know too much about the problem other than it being a hot button issue so I'd love some more education on it! My naiveness to the issue I'm sure has leaked itself into this response to the prompt. Human behavior and possibly other things not in our control are gradually shifting the climate so that in the next 50-150 years ice caps will be melted and other places due to extreme temperatures will be inhospitable. It's a domino effect of catastrophes and the melting of ice caps and temperature is just the beginning of the effects.
2. In 100 years I'm sure we'll see flooding, ridiculously high and low temperatures, and ecosystems (other than and including ours) being affected.
3. A GLOBAL effect needs to be made in changing our lifestyle and how we're using our resources. We need to find alternative resources that are just as effective and won't harm our environment. I think that we need to find a way to help people see that this really is an issue and not just another government conspiracy or something. Although we aren't experiencing the harmful effects of climate change today, that doesn't mean that our children or children's children won't.
Like I said at the beginning, I don't know too much about climate change other than it being a hot button issue. Please enlighten me or correct me if there's anything I've misunderstood!!
Happy learning!
Piper(8 votes)- I also picked Climate Change.
1: Climate change is mainly caused by the fossil fuels (Oils, gases, and coal) that we burn up. When they burn up it creates carbon dioxide which heats up the planet.
2. Different climates will become more extreme. For example a cold area will become even colder and a hotter area will become hotter making places like that impossible to live in, which will force people to move to a safer place, many plants will not be able to grow causing animals to lose availability to food which will then cause food shortage for humans. There will also be incredibly crowded places causing sickness.
3: If the world stops fighting with each other and works together to decrease the amount of fossil fuels used everywhere then we will be able to at the very least slow climate change, and humanity as well as other species will be able to survive on this planet longer. If not then we would need to pursue finding another habitable planet faster before it's too late.(6 votes)
1. Food production, distribution and consumption is spread unevenly across the world. While some parts of the world face starvation and famine, other parts of the world have high wastage.
2. In a 100 years, wars will be fought over food, not fossil fuels. Food prices will rise astronomically, driving people towards cheaper, nutritionally deficient food choices. Malnutrition and obesity will degrade quality of life and progress of humanity.
3. Use data and analytics to take a planful approach to food production and distribution. Incentivise production and consumption of locally grown foods. Educate people on making good food choices and cooking local produce. Implement measures to discourage use of processed or nutritionally deficient food. Redistribute food from high wastage zones to famine areas.(7 votes)
Another part of the solution could be to put social pressure on big companies to put programs in place to keep food from being wasted at the end of the day. For example, Panera has a program (the "Day-End Dough-Nation") where at the end of each day, they pack up all of their leftovers and donate them to local food banks and nonprofit organizations to distribute to those in need. It doesn't solve the problem completely, but if big companies around the world implemented programs like this, it would make a difference.(5 votes)
1. Industrialized animal agriculture: It consumes resources at a massive rate, pollutes and destroys the environment, is a leading producer of greenhouse gases, is a major cause of the American obesity crisis, and is the cause of horrendous animal suffering.
2. I am hopeful that through agricultural innovation we may have a solution to this problem in 100 years. With that being said, I also hope that the innovations are accompanied by a growing concern for animal rights and our public health.
3. A solution to the problem of animal agriculture and its effects would be to simply stop consuming products produced by the industry. While it is unreasonable to claim that within 100 years everyone will consume a vegan diet, I think that the popularity of the diet will increase.(7 votes)
1. Pollution: One neighbourhood can collect about a hundred full garbage bags in a week if not sooner. These bags of wastes are then carried to our local dumps which seems to be a simple solution to this problem, but it isn't ! Wastes such as plastic don"t decompose, so they just sit in the dump and cause it to overflow and eventually end up in oceans causing deaths of many marine animals.
2. In 100 years, if a change isn't made the oceans will be too dirty to swim in, garbage will wash ashore constantly and most marine animals will be either endangered or extinct.
3. Recycle your garbage. Plastic, glass and cardboard are all examples of reusable materials that belong in a recycling bin and not in a ocean. Most apartments and condo complexes nowadays have many recycling bins as well as compost bins. Also beach clean ups are very helpful and definitely appreciated, anybody willing to take some time to help with a beach clean up will be doing the nature a huge favour.(7 votes)
1. Overfishing
2. Through next 100 years our fish stock will be so low many communities will not be able to feed themselves. That will create a rise in violence and political instability in places that traditionally lived from the sea.
3. There's a point to which we can deplete our fund so we will not destroy its capability to bounce back.
Similar to how you don't eat your whole crop but save some of your seeds so you can plant your next one, if we stop fishing at a critical bounce back point our yields from the next fishing season will be much bigger than if we fished indiscriminately.
Governments are trying to do this with quotas or fishing seasons but another good step could be to also tie down fishing fleets to their own sector thus making them unable to migrate and that way they are directly responsible (by directly facing consequences) for taking care of fishing being economically possible.(6 votes)- 1. Provide a short explanation of the problem.
RAPE CULTURE. "she was asking for it" "shes my wife this is her job" "look at what she was wearing" "are you sure you said no" "were you drunk" "you were drunk" "but you said yes" "you didnt say no" The problem is there's too many ways around believing that someone was raped. Rape is easily dismissed especially in college environments where it is prominent.
2. Explain how you think this problem will affect the world in 100 years.
In the future it will be like looking at history, at a time where people especially women forget this basic sexual right. Many young women forget they have it now
3. Propose a solution to this problem.
Sit our boys down and talk about rape and how its so easy to approach the slippery slope with ladies. Talk to our girls and warn them about boys and sex and period stuff. TALK TO OUR BOYS TOO(6 votes) 
The world's societies increasing need more energy. But there are limits to renewable sources, and use of fossil fuels contributes to the greenhouse effect. This problem could be solved by development of fusion reactors.(4 votes)
