Deep Future
In this next video by John and Hank Green, “Deep Future”, I had several epiphanies about why we read speculative and science fiction. It gave me goose bumps.
Green discusses different kinds of futures including the “probable future” (2:18). This idea is defined as several possible futures that could happen with many different variables included. There would be a daunting amount of variables in this kind of scenario, however this is why we read these genres!
And then there is the “possible future” (2:43) where we will anticipate some form of technology saving us. Relating to their previous video, “Anthropocene”, we cannot act as if some form of technology will suddenly appear and save us. This seems to be a consistent warning.
Green grasps onto transhumanism and why it is a hopeful theory (3:55). With this theory we could cultivate new societies on new planets or transport to different solar systems and survive centuries long space flights. This really reminded me of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (2014). This is not all that transhumanism is about; however, the possibilities that Green brings up are rather interesting. With this kind of know-how, humanity could expand exponentially, just not forever (Withgott, 2012). If we can develop faster than light travel (like the mysterious Xlv from Delany’s novel) perhaps we can colonize anywhere in our galaxy (6:18).
All of this technology means more energy, and more energy means higher complexity (7:34). In a sense, we fuel our greed. With a posthumanistic approach we could essentially harness power from any other planet (eventually). Theoretically, we would not really even need the power of our own earth anymore. With these things in mind, I believe that it is important not to become overly greedy (embodying the concept of sustainability and perhaps even an Indigenous worldview where we are a part of our earth and do not own it). Posthumanism could lead us down the path to sustainability. We would have more capabilities. We just cannot overuse that power.
