Re: poly: Solar system development

Damien R. Sullivan writes:
> I tried out on some friends the idea that the solar system will probably
> be fully developed in 5000 years. The responses I got were "that's not
> realistic" and "why would we want to grow that fast?". As I'd already
> mentioned my parameters, and as even the most developed countries today
> get worried if they grow less than 2% a year, I didn't know what to say.

Well, most people Just Don't Get It, and there isn't much of a way to
get them to get it.

Hell, 12-14 years ago I tried to demo the internet to nontechnical
friends and they weren't at all interested even in looking, and I
suspect they wouldn't have groked even the "very low end of the
s-curve" effects of it we've hit thus far. That isn't even something
that required a lot of imagination stretch, either. Most people are
just not neophiles and can't absorb rational thinking about future
societal and technological change.

Perry
Received on Thu Dec 11 21:35:30 1997