A quick poll about the future of American Civilization.

[Rain Man]

The Gen Y thread got me wondering.

Where do you think America is in its life cycle? Are we ascending? Are we on the downside? What is our long-term trajectory as a civilization?

Poll to follow unless the Visigoths storm the walls before I can post it.

[TimeForWasp]

I'm just glad your stick man can do jumping jacks.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I'd guess our peak was somewhere in the 60's as far as "empires" go...

Disagree. But that was the beginning of our ascent.

[Hammock Parties]

I'm guessing the next 50 years are going to be badass. About 2050 everything is going to be super ****ing awesome.

From 2050-2125 or so we will have reached the height of our success as a nation.

Then something really bad will happen. Probably some asshole with a super weapon or something, plunging us back into a dark age (relatively speaking).

I plan to die about 2075 so all good with me.

[Hammock Parties]

That's assuming we can't transfer human brains into robot bodies by then. If that happens I'm sticking around as a cyborg.

[Mrs. Loopner]

Originally Posted by Fish

Yet we don't stop and think about what a good thing it is that Americans don't have to bitch about having unclean drinking water, or moldy and rotten food, or lack of electricity, or no health care at all, or actual real government oppression.

Nope, we sit here on our thrones, and type into our smartphones that have internet access nearly everywhere we go, while enjoying a diversity of cheap food, clean water, organized infrastructure, etc. While bitching about poor people getting a couple hundred dollars worth of free food.

America has become a nation of selfish unappreciative assholes who bitch all day while never realizing how easy of a life they live compared with much of the rest of the world.

Don't forget lazy and fat. Too lazy to turn on car blinkers or they're selfishly holding their cell phone.
Fat because they're too lazy to cook a healthy meal so they eat the cheap, horribly unhealthy fast food.

Lazy, fat and selfish will get you zero military defense. It'll be easy overtaking those attractive bunch of individuals. Just show them a McDonald's menu.

"Mission: Readiness' report, "Too Fat to Fight," said that 75 percent of young Americans between the ages of 17 to 24 do not qualify for the military because of failure to graduate [from high school], criminal records or physical problems. The study cited Department of Defense and health data."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/20...ary.fat.fight/ sorry if Q

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Loopner

Don't forget lazy and fat. Too lazy to turn on car blinkers or they're selfishly holding their cell phone.
Fat because they're too lazy to cook a healthy meal so they eat the cheap, horribly unhealthy fast food.

Lazy, fat and selfish will get you zero military defense. It'll be easy overtaking those attractive bunch of individuals. Just show them a McDonald's menu.

"Mission: Readiness' report, "Too Fat to Fight," said that 75 percent of young Americans between the ages of 17 to 24 do not qualify for the military because of failure to graduate [from high school], criminal records or physical problems. The study cited Department of Defense and health data."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/20...ary.fat.fight/ sorry if Q

Eventually technology and the health care industry will invent a simple, cheap way for everyone to be really fit all the time.

Depending on how the political landscape changes, liberals may legislate fast food out of existence.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by teedubya

The bread is running out... and the circuses bore me.

Definitely nearing the end.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by MahiMike

We are #70 in healthcare in the world. We are way past descending.

That doesn't mean shit. Survival of the fittest.

Frankly, the herd needs culling.

[Mrs. Loopner]

Originally Posted by Douche Baggins

Eventually technology and the health care industry will invent a simple, cheap way for everyone to be really fit all the time.

Depending on how the political landscape changes, liberals may legislate fast food out of existence.

Soylent Green then eh?

[Hammock Parties]

I'm guessing eventually we'll have things like 10-calorie slices of chocolate cake.

Going to be an awesome time to be alive.

[Mrs. Loopner]

Originally Posted by Douche Baggins

I'm guessing eventually we'll have things like 10-calorie slices of chocolate cake.

Going to be an awesome time to be alive.

You forgot magically delicious.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Douche Baggins

I'm guessing eventually we'll have things like 10-calorie slices of chocolate cake.

Going to be an awesome time to be alive.

Or a negative-calorie cake. That way you can eat a burger and fries and then neutralize it with cake. We need to work on that.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Loopner

You forgot magically delicious.

So far society has aped Star Trek technology decades before it was actually supposed to be realized.

I'm pretty confident before I die a computer will be materializing 10-calorie slices of chocolate cake before me.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Or a negative-calorie cake. That way you can eat a burger and fries and then neutralize it with cake. We need to work on that.

Of course, because people won't eat every meal from the replicators. Restaurants offering "traditional" food will be incredibly popularized during this golden age. They'll be very trendy, with hipsters claiming "it just tastes better," or "I have replicator food allergies," or "**** THE FAKE FOOD INDUSTRY."

[Hammock Parties]

A burger and fries "like your mom made" in 2099 will cost $500.