The Future of Humanity

[AFTT47]

There will be short-term growing pains and long-term gains. It has always been this way.

Personally, I think our short-term future is becoming an in-solar system race which builds and inhabits large, artificial space colonies - NOT planets. Our race was born on a planet but I doubt we remain tied to one. I also doubt we will remain biological-only beings for much beyond 100 years. Inevitably, we will eventually direct our own evolution. Whether or not we branch out into the stars is hard to say. It depends on what the laws of nature permit as possible and practical. It will also depend on the priorities of our descendants who are likely to be much more intelligent than we are thanks to self-directed evolution.

There may end up being two civilizations. One will evolve in space and prosper. The other will remain on Earth and stagnate - and possibly die out. Or there may be multiple offshoots of humanity. I'm optimistic about the future of those who evolve. I'm pessimistic about those who stagnate.