# Is 2011 One of the Most Important Years In This Century **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 21, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707 "2011-05-21T19:13:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/1 "2011-05-21T19:13:53Z")
At least in the top ten or so. Because we’ve seen in less than half a year the massive Japanese earthquake, the killing of Osama Bin Laden, and the fall of many governments in the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/2 "2011-05-21T19:25:33Z")
Other: who could know? We’ve only seen 10.4% of the century, if by century you mean 2000-2099. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/3 "2011-05-21T19:33:02Z")
There have only been 11 years in this century, so for it to make the top 10 wouldn’t be saying much. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/4 "2011-05-21T19:35:56Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > There have only been 11 years in this century, so for it to make the top 10 wouldn’t be saying much. QFT ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/5 "2011-05-21T19:47:36Z")
If the world ends before midnight, I’ll change my vote, but so far I don’t think 2011 has exceeded 2004 in importance as far as natural disasters (Indian Ocean tsunami) or geopolitics (the expansion of the EU by 10 new members.) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/6 "2011-05-21T19:48:12Z")
Tell you in 89 years’ time. ETA: please name the ‘many’ governments that have fallen in the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/7 "2011-05-21T19:57:49Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/8 "2011-05-21T23:00:37Z")
I’m not really allowed to discuss this, but 2034 is going to blow your mind. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/9 "2011-05-21T23:03:53Z")
What a silly question. It’s only 2011. Odds are, yes, it’s in the top 10. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/10 "2011-05-21T23:08:49Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > I’m not really allowed to discuss this, but 2034 is going to blow your mind. First rule of 2034 club and all. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/11 "2011-05-21T23:09:12Z")
I think so, yes. Mostly it’s the Arab Spring, though. I think that’ll have lasting effects on the rest of the century. The quake/meltdown help boost it up, though they’re not that important in the long run. UBL’s killing isn’t that big of a deal. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/12 "2011-05-22T00:41:54Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > I think so, yes. Mostly it’s the Arab Spring, though. I think that’ll have lasting effects on the rest of the century. The quake/meltdown help boost it up, though they’re not that important in the long run. UBL’s killing isn’t that big of a deal. Except as a propaganda victory. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/13 "2011-05-22T01:39:08Z")
Other Impossible to know. World War 3 could occur next year. The future could be wild. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-2011-one-of-the-most-important-years-in-this-century/582707/14 "2011-05-22T02:52:40Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > I think so, yes. Mostly it’s the Arab Spring, though. I think that’ll have lasting effects on the rest of the century. The quake/meltdown help boost it up, though they’re not that important in the long run. UBL’s killing isn’t that big of a deal. I voted no, but it occurs to me that the Arab Spring might have huge repercussions. So I’d change my vote to maybe.