What is the human race end game?

[Angilion]

When the sun goes supernova and takes all of us with it. (if we haven't figure out how to get off this rock by then)

We're OK on that one as the sun can't go supernova. It doesn't have enough mass. Not even close.

What will happen is that the sun will bloat into a red giant and then shrink into a red dwarf. All life on Earth will be killed, but in a slower way than a supernova. It would be worse than a supernova for any life that might still exist on Earth at that point in time.

As for humanity having an end game, I think we'll continue to have fragmented ad hoc responses to events, ideologies and changes in technology, without any coherent game plan. Humans just winging it in a partially organised way, as has been the case since humans existed.

My guess for the end of human civilisation is disease. Covid-19 has exposed the fragility of modern civilisation. There is vast scope for things to be far worse, a disease that's more contagious and far deadlier. Or maybe it'll be triggered by the failing of antibiotics. Antibiotics are far more important to human civilisation than many people realise and bacteria are evolving resistance to antibiotics faster than humans can devise new antibiotics.

But there are many options, especially when there isn't a self-sustaining human colony on another world. There have been five known major extinction level events on Earth before humans existed. Earth is remarkably stable, but it's not completely stable. Anything on that level will eradicate human civilisation and possibly make humans extinct. Lesser disasters might bring down human civilisation too.

 

[GreatAuk]

I don't think there is really anything that all humans are working towards, so for me I guess different questions get different answers...

Individually, what is a human's endgame: generally to ensure survival, and self actualise in whatever way seems best to the individual - for some people this will leave a net positive impact on others, for others it won't.

What do influential bodies such as governments and multinational corporations see as the endgame: ensure continued survival and success for themselves in the short to medium term.

If I could pick an optimistic endgame for where humanity could end up: a galaxy spanning spacefaring civilisation where physical and mental ailments have been eradicated and people can basically live for ever if they want. We would have got the social sciences down to an actual science so that society is ordered in a way that gives people a good and rewarding life within an ordered social environment, but people would also have the option of living in a different way if they wanted - eg some space habitats would be massive nature reserves where people could live as hunter gatherer tribes if they chose to. Artificial intelligences have surpassed humans and make civilisation possible, but they remain benevolent for [insert clever reason here].

Pessimistic take on our actual endgame: moderate technological advancement for a few decades followed by a long stagnation and decline, exacerbated by environmental factors, society fracturing, and war. Eventually ending up back at a sort of iron age level of technology a few millennia from now, lasting until we get wiped out by something like a giant asteroid.

 

[dave28]

That's a lot of words to say you farted.

lol, good one.

 

[Efour]

In the grim darkness of the far future there is only covid

 

[Scougar]

Endgame? We become space travellers that exist for thousands of years between worlds in attempt to colonize and extend the species.

I doubt intergalactic travel will ever be possible in any meaningful timescale, unless we discover some wormhole tech or something.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Endgame? We become space travellers that exist for thousands of years between worlds in attempt to colonize and extend the species.

Are you thinking of Red Dwarf?

 

[Scougar]

Are you thinking of Red Dwarf?

I wasn't, but I see the connection

More like travelling/nomadic armada's/colonies sent in all different directions, knowing that many generations will pass away before ever seeing anything but the void. Potentially never reaching a goal if in-fighting over thousands of years takes them out. Other things are just accidents, damage, lack of repair equipment, genetic failures, food/supplies issues etc, radiation.

We'll eventually leave earth, there is no doubt to that.

(The other version, is that we just kill ourselves and the planet because that's just what humans do).

 

[marc2003]

I watch Futurama a lot and I seriously doubt we'll make it to the year 3000.

 

[Nasher]

Survive long enough to evolve (or devolve) in to something else and not be human anymore.

 

[mrk]

There's only one realistic endgame, and OcUK offer it.

 

[Thekwango]

Nothing. We are a selfish, self-serviant species and we all deserve to be wiped out.

I've no issues with that.

i'm always curious when people post statements like this. i struggle to believe that they believe that. surely if ones view point of life and humanity was so negative the individual would have ended their own life - and just to be very clear i am not suggesting you do. i just find it hard to fathom how someone could genuinely think so little of life and the human species and continue on.
it cannot be a healthy mindset to have though. i don't disagree we are in general a selfish species but deserving to be wiped out, bit extreme no?

 

[200sols]

i'm always curious when people post statements like this. i struggle to believe that they believe that. surely if ones view point of life and humanity was so negative the individual would have ended their own life

He already answered that, humans are selfish and self serving...

 

[glenimp617]

i'm always curious when people post statements like this. i struggle to believe that they believe that. surely if ones view point of life and humanity was so negative the individual would have ended their own life - and just to be very clear i am not suggesting you do. i just find it hard to fathom how someone could genuinely think so little of life and the human species and continue on.
it cannot be a healthy mindset to have though. i don't disagree we are in general a selfish species but deserving to be wiped out, bit extreme no?

Earth > Humans

If Humans ever reach intelligence before destroying the only habitable environment they know, fair enough. If not, I'd prefer something to take us all out....so long as it doesn't take the earth and the rest of the animal kingdom with it of course

It's probably the only truly selfless act there is.

 

[Secret_Window]

To merge with AI.

 

[Lysander]

i'm always curious when people post statements like this. i struggle to believe that they believe that. surely if ones view point of life and humanity was so negative the individual would have ended their own life - and just to be very clear i am not suggesting you do. i just find it hard to fathom how someone could genuinely think so little of life and the human species and continue on.
it cannot be a healthy mindset to have though. i don't disagree we are in general a selfish species but deserving to be wiped out, bit extreme no?

I have mental health issues so maybe that answers your question. But I also see the human race as nothing special, nothing but a parasitic virus.

 

[Mr Badger]

Nothing. We are a selfish, self-serviant species and we all deserve to be wiped out.

Nonsense. I see us ultimately ending up like the aliens in Independence Day, moving from world to world and stripping their resources like a plague of locusts.

 

[!bluetonic!]

We have to colonize other planets.

But it's so elitist that only those with money could leave Earth. There is no SPeasyJet.

And yes, with that selfish streak, you can't imagine we'd get only the purest humans along for the ride.

A new planet won't want people with diseases, flatulence or no ambition.

 

[jaybee]

The end game is that humans die out forever. That is the only logical end game. We have already demonstrated our lack of future preservation of earth due to the flaw in our make up where by we only care enough for our time on earth. Advance in tech will not come to levels where we can live on Mars or seek out new possible liveable earth planets. We will all die out from a virus similar to covid.

I really am a miserable old ****

 

[Tefal]

Collect together the total mass of several galaxies combined into a giant black hole surrounded by a giant Dyson sphere.


Live in the ever expanding darkness for a few extra trillion years ?

 

[Tefal]

We have to colonize other planets.

But it's so elitist that only those with money could leave Earth. There is no SPeasyJet.

And yes, with that selfish streak, you can't imagine we'd get only the purest humans along for the ride.

A new planet won't want people with diseases, flatulence or no ambition.

Historically we have not sent our "finest" to the colonies.....