Comments on: Energy and the future – space based power and cognitive dissonance http://www.futurist.com/2009/06/15/energy-and-the-future-space-based-power-and-cognitive-dissonance/ This is the blog of Glen Hiemstra, futurist speaker, keynote speaker, futurist consultant, and founder of futurist.com Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:46:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Glen Hiemstra http://www.futurist.com/2009/06/15/energy-and-the-future-space-based-power-and-cognitive-dissonance/comment-page-1/#comment-158099 Glen Hiemstra Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:44:29 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/?p=1749#comment-158099 Michael, thanks for a thoughtful reply. There is something which is not right, in my opinion, about those who seem to hunger for the demise or drastic reduction of humans on planet earth, and I do see this in blogs and from audiences and in correspondence. It is one thing to think the situation is hopeless and regret that, but quite another to hope that it is hopeless. I am hearing more about the need to become space-faring as a human civilization. Yes, the costs are great and it is not clear how to pay in today's situation, but if we can pay the cost then many things become possible in terms of access to energy and more. Michael, thanks for a thoughtful reply. There is something which is not right, in my opinion, about those who seem to hunger for the demise or drastic reduction of humans on planet earth, and I do see this in blogs and from audiences and in correspondence. It is one thing to think the situation is hopeless and regret that, but quite another to hope that it is hopeless.

I am hearing more about the need to become space-faring as a human civilization. Yes, the costs are great and it is not clear how to pay in today’s situation, but if we can pay the cost then many things become possible in terms of access to energy and more.

]]> By: Michael Martin-Smith http://www.futurist.com/2009/06/15/energy-and-the-future-space-based-power-and-cognitive-dissonance/comment-page-1/#comment-157380 Michael Martin-Smith Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:21:33 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/?p=1749#comment-157380 I would point out that I was moved to give my Paper at the BIS day symposium on Mar 25 2009 (see Google " Can Space Save the Planet?") by an interview in the London Transport Times in Dec 2007, where a respected UK Green campaigner refused to reject the idea of a global Police State to abrogate basic freedoms of Press and Democracy , in order to "Save the Planet" by anti-human coercions and restrictions. These would be unlikely to win votes- ergo, abolish the Vote... Police States are without exception more toxic than any problem they claim to address, and are invariably mendacious, venal, rapacious and murderous . "Dark Greens" - those who would see a dieback of Humans as desirable or at any rate not deserving of prevention, Heaven help us, by any exercise of human ingenuity or imagination - would have no need of gas or bullet in a homicidal drive to Save the Planet at Humanity's expense. Artifical Famine backed by deliberately rundown health care services would do a far better job, and could be blamed on mere incompetence . Yesterday's Reds are today's Dark Greens...and could ReGreen the Earth as easily as one can convert a garden into a desert ( No People, No Problem--- J.V.Stalin) The result would not be a pretty sight, and, devoid of Mind and Civilisation, Mother Earth would essentially suffer a stillbirth. Barren cosmic rockpiles abound, and await the hands of human gardeners - the ultimate act of Gaian procreation! "Dark Greens" are liable to forget this in their desire to demote the radical value of the Human Mind in an embryonic Universe.. Meanwhile, we should remember that ALL shortages of Energy and Resources become irrelevant to a dispersed space dwelling civilsation, which would also, become immune to mass extinction by cosmic impact, supervolcanism or extreme climatic change. Many of the same anti-humans do not wish to prevent a astrroid/cosmic impact by technology, preferring instead to let Nature weed us out. To them I say that, while suicide for oneself can , sometimes, be honourable, it has no place in the life or aspirations of a Mindful species! If there is a name for a crime more pejorative than mere Genocide, please tell- we are going to need it... " The Future for Man is All the Universe- or Nothing!" -HG Wells Michael Martin-Smith I would point out that I was moved to give my Paper at the BIS day symposium on Mar 25 2009 (see Google ” Can Space Save the Planet?”) by an interview in the London Transport Times in Dec 2007, where a respected UK Green campaigner refused to reject the idea of a global Police State to abrogate basic freedoms of Press and Democracy , in order to “Save the Planet” by anti-human coercions and restrictions. These would be unlikely to win votes- ergo, abolish the Vote…

Police States are without exception more toxic than any problem they claim to address, and are invariably mendacious, venal, rapacious and murderous .

“Dark Greens” – those who would see a dieback of Humans as desirable or at any rate not deserving of prevention, Heaven help us, by any exercise of human ingenuity or imagination – would have no need of gas or bullet in a homicidal drive to Save the Planet at Humanity’s expense. Artifical Famine backed by deliberately rundown health care services would do a far better job, and could be blamed on mere incompetence .

Yesterday’s Reds are today’s Dark Greens…and could ReGreen the Earth as easily as one can convert a garden into a desert ( No People, No Problem— J.V.Stalin)

The result would not be a pretty sight, and, devoid of Mind and Civilisation, Mother Earth would essentially suffer a stillbirth.
Barren cosmic rockpiles abound, and await the hands of human gardeners – the ultimate act of Gaian procreation!

“Dark Greens” are liable to forget this in their desire to demote the radical value of the Human Mind in an embryonic Universe..

Meanwhile, we should remember that ALL shortages of Energy and Resources become irrelevant to a dispersed space dwelling civilsation, which would also, become immune to mass extinction by cosmic impact, supervolcanism or extreme climatic change.
Many of the same anti-humans do not wish to prevent a astrroid/cosmic impact by technology, preferring instead to let Nature weed us out.

To them I say that, while suicide for oneself can , sometimes, be honourable, it has no place in the life or aspirations of a Mindful species!

If there is a name for a crime more pejorative than mere Genocide, please tell- we are going to need it…

” The Future for Man is All the Universe- or Nothing!” -HG Wells
Michael Martin-Smith

]]> By: Richard Leyland http://www.futurist.com/2009/06/15/energy-and-the-future-space-based-power-and-cognitive-dissonance/comment-page-1/#comment-153895 Richard Leyland Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:15:05 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/?p=1749#comment-153895 Sorry - Forgot the link! http://richardleyland.com/?p=271 Sorry – Forgot the link!

http://richardleyland.com/?p=271

]]> By: Richard Leyland http://www.futurist.com/2009/06/15/energy-and-the-future-space-based-power-and-cognitive-dissonance/comment-page-1/#comment-153892 Richard Leyland Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:06:28 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/?p=1749#comment-153892 Hi Glen Interesting thoughts which chime with my own. I've taken up your theme and run with it a little, linking it to my own dissonance in trying to balance futurism with campaigning, science with moral position. Would be interested to hear your thoughts. Thanks Richard Hi Glen

Interesting thoughts which chime with my own. I’ve taken up your theme and run with it a little, linking it to my own dissonance in trying to balance futurism with campaigning, science with moral position.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts.

Thanks
Richard

]]> By: Futurism & Dissonance | Richard Leyland http://www.futurist.com/2009/06/15/energy-and-the-future-space-based-power-and-cognitive-dissonance/comment-page-1/#comment-153891 Futurism & Dissonance | Richard Leyland Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:02:58 +0000 http://www.futurist.com/?p=1749#comment-153891 [...] Hiemstra is a Futurist whose writing I often enjoy. In his latest blog post he writes about a cognitive dissonance which I recognise [...] [...] Hiemstra is a Futurist whose writing I often enjoy. In his latest blog post he writes about a cognitive dissonance which I recognise [...]

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