We Will Never See An Advanced Civilization In Our Lifetime
Updated: Apr 29, 2023
Photo Credits: By AndreyС on Pixabay.com
Let's Get An Understanding First
It is quite the debate on whether we will ever see an advanced civilization in our lifetime. Of course, "advanced" is quite subjective, therefore it is important to lay down the guidelines for what is considered a civilization to be advanced:
Advanced technology: a highly developed level of technology and infrastructure, including space exploration and exploitation of natural resources.
High level of scientific understanding: deep knowledge of the natural world, including physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics.
Cultural and intellectual development: a rich cultural and intellectual heritage, including art, music, literature, philosophy, and history.
Advanced governance systems: effective and efficient systems of governance, including political stability, rule of law, and protection of individual rights.
Economic prosperity: a thriving and diversified economy, with low unemployment and a high standard of living.
Social and environmental responsibility: a strong sense of social and environmental responsibility, including initiatives for sustainability, protection of natural resources, and equitable distribution of wealth.
Global cooperation: a willingness to engage in international cooperation and collaboration, including multilateral agreements, peacekeeping operations, and humanitarian aid.
Exploration and discovery: a strong drive for exploration and discovery, both within their own civilization and beyond, through space travel, scientific research, and other endeavors.
For more, see this article on the Kardashev Scale or this video.
With the guidelines mentioned and the understanding of the Kardashev Scale, it is fairly easy to pick a side for where our civilization will be within the next 100 years. Through discussions with others, a large majority believe that we will reach a Type I Civilization in no time( especially with the success of nuclear fusion). I, however, have a very polarizing stance on this.
My Stance
I believe that we will struggle to reach an advanced civilization, not because of our intelligence, but the ignorance of policy and human demand(i.e. politics). I also consider the neglectful habits of humans toward Earth; these habits will have to change if we ever want to travel to space and create clean futuristic cities like the photo above. There must be a shift in human mentality and the way we treat our Earth before dabbling into any technologies that may help us advance. Of course, we have a step in the right direction with EV and solar energy, but that is only a small piece of what will make us get to that next step.
Allow me to break down a few points from the guidelines & why it is highly unlikely we will reach this point. I will only highlight a few of the guidelines and discuss the rest in another article.
Space Travel, Flying Cars & Technological Advancements In Travel
In the guidelines for an advanced civilization, it mentions:
"Exploration and discovery: a strong drive for exploration and discovery, both within their own civilization and beyond, through space travel, scientific research, and other endeavors."
I am disappointed that I must share with you that we are nowhere near this, specifically in space travel. On Earth alone, we have not fully harnessed the knowledge of the oceans, lands, and even our own backyards. We have not fully seen our galaxy and have not achieved 100% completion of exploration within the tiny piece of real estate we have in the universe. In order for us to be at the level of space exploration, we must first take control of all the natural energy on Earth and provide clean use of it. This is important since we will be trying to mirror the same strategies on the moon and other neighboring planets in space.
The following must be considered when taking the step into space travel:
Noise pollution(i.e. flying cars and large spacecraft that we have yet to make silent. They require massive amounts of fuel, and produce smoke and noise).
Space debris; can we make effective spacecraft that do not have fragments that fall off?
Capital & Funding for these projects. Will this create a battle in ethics? Will the advancement of civilization be justified over other global projects that need funding?
We simply are just no there yet. We would need to have a perfect Earth before we reach this next step. As mentioned before, it will take extreme collaboration from global governments and the people to initiate a strong plan for the most safe and clean space travel.
High Level Of Scientific Understanding
I hate to sound so pessimistic in this, but we are not even close to having a high-level understanding of science(biology, physics, mathematics, chemistry). I blame the human ego for thinking that we do have a high level of understanding. I do not discredit the great milestones we've made in science, but we are lying to ourselves if we say that we are at the highest level. Of course, this is all subjective, but a high level of understanding constitutes knowing almost all parts of scientific inquiry......**almost all**
Some of the most simple, yet complex mysteries in science we have yet to find an answer to. I often joke about how aliens have visited our planet many times, but get bored with just how not advanced we are. They probably say, "These guys haven't figured out the origin of life yet? Nor have they figured out how to make life on their own? I guess we'll come back in another 10 years". The minute we have a solid understanding of how life and the universe work, then we can be considered to have a high-level understanding. From there, we can have all the talks about harnessing the energy of a star, space travels through wormholes, and so on. Until then, let's see if I and others are proven wrong.
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