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Comment by lr | Hacker News Reader

People can’t seem to get enough of science fiction, but every time something is presented that would move the needle in that direction, the detractors line up in droves. With attitudes like this, it really will be the 25th century before humanity does do anything of significance (if we even live that long).

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Maybe people are hoping more for 'Star trek' than 'Judge dredd'.

I sure hope not. We know that the future of Star Trek only becomes possible after our current society totally collapses, culminating in World War III. TBF, razing everything to the ground and rebuilding society with modern tech in mind is probably a lot faster and more efficient, but I still wouldn't want to live in the "transition" phase.

Just because the Star Trek universe had WWIII doesn’t mean we have to. I would like to live in Star Trek via the path of least suffering, but whatever path, it is the future I wish for generations to come regardless the struggle I personally have to endure.

To wish the current system upon children and children’s children is selfish and cruel beyond imagination.

If people wanted, we could all wake up tomorrow and begin building that better future. It is literally a state of mind at this point — the technology and intelligence necessary is within our current evolutionary form.

That's easy to say if the bombs are not falling on your head. And I'm also not so sure that the current system can save itself from within. Evolution has navigated us into a dead by favouring immediate benefits over long term ones, now that our influence on the planet transcends our own lifetime. Getting out of that will require something pretty radical.

It’s easy to think of things as a dead end but the optimization landscape is huge, so there is usually some options open. Take say retirement incomes, love it or hate it Social Security was supposed to provide a minimal benefit for elderly workers who already had the option for private savings.

But soon enough we added Medicare, 401k, IRA, etc as independent systems for similar reasons. While I doubt anyone would have ever created the current system from scratch, it’s just one of seemingly endless possibilities.

I served in war time in Iraq and live a very different life than most. A hot world war would not change my quality of life by much; it may even improve it (less rules in the wild).

I understand the weight of what I say. The trillions of thriving future lives spread throughout our solar system and galaxy are easily worth our suffering.

I agree that the current system has little hope of saving anyone from anything, save a small minority from discomfort for the short term future at the cost of oblivion for everything else in the long term.

Megacities and a brutal legal system are not inexorably paired.

Saudi Arabia and a brutal legal system, however.

You know what is significant? Building social housing for your entire population.

I've traveled a bit in my life and at the end of the day for the average untalented non rich person there's nowhere better than Northwestern Europe.

This really wouldn't move the needle in that direction, it's a complete waste of resources. The only thing we'll learn from this thing is what a bad idea it is.

Which science fiction are you referring to? Neom is the manic fantasy of an extraordinarily depraved trillionaire.

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