# Who will we become? Who we were - Who we are- Who will we be **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 18, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624 "2015-09-18T01:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sticksandstones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sticksandstones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sticksandstones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/1 "2015-09-18T01:33:16Z")
The adjustment of perspective within our aperture shutters at the speed of instant gratification with the intent of designing our life. What began as a point to connect with one another over a broad band spectrum, has dissolved our ethical nature into the glamour of fame or fortune. Clicking the cliché of the self-imposed desire for over exposure has presented a disposition within our modern society as the evolution of human nature. Where were we, where are we, and where are we going? The cards stacking upon our deck pull us further away from ethical, moral, and just behaviour – to present an image of hollowness, greed, and the desire to be something gratified in exchange for a dollar. The value of life doesn’t start or end with a $ sign, but our current social and economical format dictates that it does. Does the current action of the developed world boldly dictate the direction civilization is headed? We have access to more technological based communication than any society in history. Why does it seem that this advancement has provided exposure which resulted in nothing more than glorified water cooler talk? The “broad-band” access was focused on the broad span of people able to “band” together and unite for global reform, not just languish within the communication of discontent. Between 1900 and 2000, modifications in machinery, medicine, social structure, social acceptance, and social self-worth has never gone through such admirable progression. Yet, in less than twenty years, we’ve reverted from maturity and progress. Social forms of communication, networking, and media outlets were intended to be sources of information with drastic improvements, yet we have perverted this system for glorification of corporate marketing. There was a recent period in time when innocence was respected, and overtly censored by the governing bodies. Dollars were then exchanged for censorships to be lifted, exposure granted, and as a result of this, socially acceptable barriers started to dissolve. A greater populace was enabled access to everything and anything that could be broadcast - starting with television. Media and entertainment sources embraced the markets nature and performed a lobotomy on what should be considered morally acceptable. Did the marginal changes to media exposure and entertainment improve or detract from its intended direction? Or did it hit the mark dead centre. Did the individuals and corporations who profited from the easily influenced market, sleep well knowing that the teetering of unethical business practices projected upon us, actually changed society? Mental health has become one of the fastest growing corporate industries. An average 101 debate concludes this is a result of a population increase, but is that truly the ratio dictating the disease of our mind. Did our brain suddenly evolve into a Prozac deficiency? Our desire to be socially accepted has increased its torment. Children committing suicide after publicizing their story on-line; share the shimmer of tragedy by reflecting upon their experience as a result of environmental factors. There comes a point in a person’s life where they can’t sit any longer watching from the bleachers as the game being played is corrupting its viewers - because we’re in this game together. There were many activating points of change during the last century. If there is one significant aspect that I absorbed; it only takes a few to start the ball rolling. My message isn’t independent from another person, we can collectively progress our current global structure to benefit us equally. Continuing to move forward in society requires drastic improvement, otherwise we’re destined to pill-pop our intellect out of existence. And follow our gravy train 40+ hours a week until we’re on our death bed wishing we’ve spent more time with our loved ones. Stuff is great, stuff is comfortable, stuff is shiny, and stuff appears to be what we need because it can be exchanged for $$$ and makes us feel good. What we can’t buy is time, but we race through the majority of our adult life chasing $$$, way’s to make it, and we hope, pray, and scheme that we can stash enough of it away so we can “retire” and not become destitute. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/2 "2015-09-18T01:45:03Z")
What, in one sentence or less, are we debating here? ---
**Author:** ![sticksandstones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sticksandstones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sticksandstones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/3 "2015-09-18T01:50:45Z")
Society, rapidly dissolving - globally. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/4 "2015-09-18T01:58:34Z")
That’d explain why the Mad Max reboot made so much money. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/5 "2015-09-18T02:01:27Z")
I’m not certain that OP passes the Turing test. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/6 "2015-09-18T02:07:40Z")
> [@sticksandstones](#): > > Society, rapidly dissolving - globally. Care to be a little more specific there? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/7 "2015-09-18T02:11:10Z")
> [@sticksandstones](#): > > Society, rapidly dissolving - globally. Let me put it this way-Can you put it in the form of a question that involves a single topic? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/8 "2015-09-18T02:14:38Z")
So the question posed: Is society disintegrating rapidly around the globe, and what are we going to do about it? And the answer is, no society is not disintegrating around the globe. Violent crime and war are in decline. Global wealth is on the increase. Population growth is stabilizing. Society is better off than it has ever been, at least since the Neolithic Era. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/9 "2015-09-18T02:34:09Z")
Q. Are we not men? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/10 "2015-09-18T02:39:56Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Q. Are we not men? [QUOTE=Mutated Mark Mothersbaugh in Futurama] I’m forty percent potato, but close enough… [/QUOTE] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sticksandstones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sticksandstones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sticksandstones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/11 "2015-09-18T02:46:42Z")
Sorry… wait…what? better than ever? how? ---
**Author:** ![sticksandstones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sticksandstones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sticksandstones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/12 "2015-09-18T02:47:51Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > So the question posed: Is society disintegrating rapidly around the globe, and what are we going to do about it? > > And the answer is, no society is not disintegrating around the globe. Violent crime and war are in decline. Global wealth is on the increase. Population growth is stabilizing. Society is better off than it has ever been, at least since the Neolithic Era. Neo what era? is that the era we evolved from a micro organism ? or didn’t know how to start a fire? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/13 "2015-09-18T02:48:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Let me put it this way-Can you put it in the form of a question that involves a single topic? Kids these days? ---
**Author:** ![sticksandstones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sticksandstones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sticksandstones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/14 "2015-09-18T02:49:41Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Q. Are we not men? we’re HU-MANS \>\>\> destroying our habitat, which based on a shortening timeline will be so dirty we will have to live indoors until we go extinct. ---
**Author:** ![sticksandstones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sticksandstones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sticksandstones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/15 "2015-09-18T02:51:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Kids these days? Kids? Ya - I could be a toddler and have more sense than the old farts running the world. ---
**Author:** ![sticksandstones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sticksandstones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sticksandstones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/16 "2015-09-18T02:52:27Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > So the question posed: Is society disintegrating rapidly around the globe, and what are we going to do about it? > > And the answer is, no society is not disintegrating around the globe. Violent crime and war are in decline. Global wealth is on the increase. Population growth is stabilizing. Society is better off than it has ever been, at least since the Neolithic Era. Do you work for the government or CNN because you broadcast bullsh!t with a straight face and grace? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/17 "2015-09-18T02:56:05Z")
We really need a disclaimer or footnote about the word “Dope” ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/18 "2015-09-18T03:39:11Z")
> [@sticksandstones](#): > > Do you work for the government or CNN because you broadcast bullsh!t with a straight face and grace? Violent crime and war are in decline. Global wealth is on the increase. Population growth is stabilizing. None of those statements are bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/19 "2015-09-18T04:14:51Z")
[it’s a nice painting, though](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_Do_We_Come_From%3F_What_Are_We%3F_Where_Are_We_Going%3F#/media/File:Paul_Gauguin_-_D'ou_venons-nous.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624/20 "2015-09-18T06:09:51Z")
What’s your view on mechanical suicide booths? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-become-who-we-were-who-we-are-who-will-we-be/731624.md?page=2)