Why the future gives us hope

“For any possible population of at least ten billion people, all with a very high quality of life, there must be some much larger imaginable population whose existence, if other things are equal, would be better even though its members have lives that are barely worth living.”–Derek Parfit

I think we're presently at around 8 billion. There must be something about just being in the future that suggests being better than now. Or maybe something about just being in the present that suggests anything is better than this. Is pessimism hardwired into the contemporary itself? Is possibility innately better than actuality regardless of its content? Perhaps nobody likes a static done deal. Finality is so depressing.

It is mildly interesting to imagine everyone on the planet being asked to write down what they want and what they didn't want. Then file them as 'maybe', 'probably not' and 'no way'. And a similar exercise for politicians and those who aspire to power.

Other things to look at .. the US national debt is currently about $40 trillion .. Elon Musk and a relatively small group have personal wealth which is collectively greater than the entire national debt.. how does that work.. ?

For 'the future' .. fossil fuels will run out .. they're only a short term problem .. after that the planet will have to run like a spaceship .. pretty much closed loop.

(Oct 19, 2026 02:13 AM)confused2 Wrote: Other things to look at .. the US national debt is currently about $40 trillion .. Elon Musk and a relatively small group have personal wealth which is collectively greater than the entire national debt.. how does that work.. ?

It's not liquid wealth. It's tied up in investments, properties, factories, jobs, etc..

Quote:For 'the future' .. fossil fuels will run out .. they're only a short term problem .. after that the planet will have to run like a spaceship .. pretty much closed loop.

They've been fearmongering about "peak oil" for decades. Then we innovated fracking and shale.