From: lemon@unssun.nevada.edu (Captain Caveman!!)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
Subject: Re: new thread: what will the world look like?
Keywords: your views of the future
Date: 6 Apr 92 18:44:53 GMT
Reply-To: lemon@unssun.UUCP (Captain Caveman!!)
Organization: University of Nevada-Reno

In article <0LVkiB2w164w@tradent.wimsey.bc.ca> jason@tradent.wimsey.bc.ca (Jason Rasku) writes:
>cascio@garnet.berkeley.edu () writes:
>
>> 
>> Okay, folks. We've all read the books; many of us have played
>> the games. Now I want to know what we _really_ think the
>> world will look like in the near future (for sake of 
>> argument, let's say one generation-- about 30 years-- making 
>> it about 2020-2025).
>>  [.....] 
>
>Well I personaly don't specialise in anything.  Well not officialy.  I seem 
>to specialize in reading messages on the net though.  I think that VR will 
>be a reality in aproximatly 30 years.  Now nation wide VR situations?  Well 
>that's hard to say.  Not sure if the technology would be able to suport 
>that.  Probably would but I can't say for sure.  But the way computers 

I would like to point out that while I believe technology _might_ be able
to support a national interactive VR situation, I believe that it will be
other extenuating circumstances that will inhibit it's widespread use and/or
growth.  For instance, if we indeed are able to create a nationally accessible
common VR cyberspace type network, what we will have accomplished is quite
simply, _The creation of a new and different society_.  This will in and
of itself give rise to all sorts of problems.  Should we just open up the
new cyberspace to the masses, these societal problems may be compounded by
certain members of society (Real) that will undoubtedly view VR as "evil"
or "too fake" or "etc..."  Something that I was thinking about the other
day was:  On those fateful days when the mass-media sensationalists 
flooded the boob-toob (and it still happens...) with news about "wacked
out D&D enthusiasts killing each other" whole portions of society claimed
that *D&D* was the *source* of the problem (ie noone blamed the _people
involved, they blamed the game).  Now, I wonder, the moment that something
happens in cyberspace has a direct, long-lasting, and detrimental effect
on a human being (ie the effect continues in RL after VR exit) will this
created the same sort of vehement outcry from the masses that occurred
with the D&D thangs?  Just asking questions....

>advance we will be thinking that a 486/50 is a TOY only.  We would probably 
>have that kind of power in our WATCHES that far in the future.  

I agree, but in a watch....?  Why?  Actually, why not? *grin*
And I suppose we could even have Cray Y-MP/2's in our belt-buckles.... 

>
>  As far as the rest of the world?  Hm.  Don't think much would have 
>changed.  We will probably have it cleaned up a little but the physical 
>structure probably wouldn't change that much.  We will have taller buildings 
>larger citys etc.  That's about all.  Maybe the political situation will 
>change.  But I can't say for sure.  Not sure how long it would take.
> 
>                                                Jason Rasku

Overall, I'm personally amazed about how when you question the "man on the
street" most of them have a negative outlook on the future.  Everyone seems
to think that some catastrophe will occur in the near future and destroy
life as we know it.  Who started this ugly rumor?

  John A. LeMon

      John A. LeMon           "Good my Lord, put your discourse in some frame  
     U. Nevada, Reno              and start not so wildly from my affair."     
       "Wolf Pack"                             --Shakespeare              
 lemon@unssun.nevada.edu        YAFer@GooLand, YAMud Version 2745237571989.1 
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