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'''[[Life]] is wonderful.'''
[[Image:GreatArch.png]]
We all hope that our children enjoy a good life. And their children, too...  
We all hope that our children enjoy a good life. And their children, too...  


Our [[civilization|civilizations]] have achieved amazing feats: close to 7 billion humans on this planet, on average living more peaceful, longer and easier lives than any generation before us.  
Our [[civilization|civilizations]] have achieved amazing feats: about 7 billion humans on this planet, on average living more peaceful, longer and easier lives than any generation before us. Because we [[information|know]] more than we did in the past.  




: Imagine that civilization in some form or other will continue on this planet for as long as the sun shines.
'''What if''' useful [[information|knowledge]] could be passed on for as long as life existed?


[[Image:GreatArch.png]]


The thought might require a leap of faith. A lot of people see our ways of life (and thus the achievement of having so many of us) at risk. So there are [[Related topics |many]] initiatives and organizations working to improve the situation by one action or another.  milliongenerations believes it will be helpful to better understand what allows civilizations to last. To this end, this site asks questions and invites debate from a different perspective.
: What if '''civilization continued?'''
 
:: Continued on this planet indefinitely - as long as life is possible - as long as the sun shines. [[Civilization]] that lasts.  
[[Milliongenerations:About milliongenerations.org|This site]] invites you to think about the conditions required for knowledge to be shared while life is possible on the earth i.e., while the sun provides a suitable environment. To help identify [[conditions of sustainable civilizations|requirements for lasting civilizations]]. This knowledge would make it easier to find [[Actions to be taken to achieve a sustainable civilization|ways]] to create the right conditions.
 
 
'''[[Milliongenerations:Motivation|Why?]]'''  
:To help identify ways for civilizations to continue, or at least to clarify intrinsic risks and develop concepts required for permanent (not static) existence. Perspectives on the survival of [[civilization]], even of the human species, on this planet for even a few hundred more years tend to be pessimistic. History provides plenty of examples of collapsed civilizations and we have consumed most easily accessible resources, significantly alter our environment and possess or develop means for potentially disastrous conflicts or mishaps, make ourselves superfluous with technology and our "monoculture" is vulnerable.
:Existing methods have so far failed to provide obvious and attractive solutions that are widely adopted. The current crises demonstrate that neither some wise organization nor any automatic mechanism ensures everything will be all right. More useful concepts need to be found and shared.
:The advent of online collaboration pioneered prominently by [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia] opened new ways to gain and share insights. Together we might succeed to develop viable visions that increase the chances for all possible future generations to enjoy the benefits of knowledge. 
 
'''[[Questions|How?]]'''
:Let us [[assumption|assume]] here that [[civilization|the exchange of information]] between intelligent and self aware individuals continues on this planet while a biosphere supporting life in any form exists. For the latter, let us assume at least one billion years, forty million generations for current humans. Let us discuss [[questions|what follows from this assumption]] to clarify some [[conditions of sustainable civilizations|conditions of lasting civilizations]]. The fewer assumptions we make, the more valid our conclusions will be, no matter what such civilizations or individuals will be like.
 
:[[Milliongenerations:About milliongenerations.org|This site]] '''invites everyone''' interested to think out of the box and '''look from a different perspective''' i.e., to look back from an assumption rather than to predict the future or change the present. To leave pressing and important issues such as climate change, resources, inequality, and conflicts for what they are for a while and to focus here exclusively on the constraints placed by the [[assumption]] that [[civilization|civilization(s)]] continue for millions of generations. To develop positive concepts for possible futures and create ideas for [[sustainable|sustainability]] and [[resilient|resilience]] rather than reducing unsustainability or just hoping everything is going to be all right. For example, let us realize how much we can consume and what materials we can use if there still are millions of generations after us. If this perspective helps some of us to come up with viable visions or inspiring ideas, we may hope for beneficial feedback to current affairs.


:Various organizations dedicated to influencing the here and now in one way or another already exist. The '''focus on this site should firmly remain in the long term''', no matter how (or if) we believe it can or should be reached. If you're looking to '''do something else''', you could check out initiatives listed [[Related topics|here]] or actions discussed [[Actions to be taken to achieve a sustainable civilization|here]].


:If you want to help, you can improve most pages on this site now: log in and click on the "edit" tab at the top of the page. If there's no edit tab even when you're logged in, contact the foundation by email to propose changes. (Originally, all pages were open to access from everybody, but were protected from editing by non-registered users to reduce vandalism.) Please check the [[Help:Contents|help pages]] and [[Milliongenerations:Guidelines for contributions|guidelines]] first. It also helps to know about which [[Related topics |relevant thoughts exist]] or which [[Special:Allpages | structures exist on this site]]. Note that all the blue text are links that you can follow.
'''[[Help:Contents|How can you help?]]'''


[[assumption|Imagine that civilization in some form or other will continue on this planet for as long as the sun shines.]]
:If that perspective is helpful to you, you are invited to improve the pages on this site now: log in and click on the "edit" tab at the top of the page. [[assumption|Assume]] [[information]] continues to be deliberately passed along, no matter what the future civilizations look like. Try to deduct rather than predict.
:: If there's no edit tab even when you're logged in, use the discussion page or contact the [[Milliongenerations:Foundation|foundation by email]] to propose changes. ''(Originally, all pages were open to access from everybody, but were protected from editing by non-registered users to reduce vandalism.) 
:: Please check the [[Help:Contents|help pages]] and [[Milliongenerations:Guidelines for contributions|guidelines]] first. It also helps to know about which [[Related topics |relevant thoughts exist]] or which [[Special:Allpages | structures exist on this site]]. Note that all the blue or underlined text are links that you can follow. [[Questions|click here for an entry to the discussion]].''
:: If you're looking to '''do something else''', you could check out initiatives listed [[Related topics|here]] or actions discussed [[Actions to be taken to achieve a sustainable civilization|here]]. Unrelated content on this site will be deleted.
:'''[[Milliongenerations:Motivation|Why should you care? - click here]]'''




''In the long run we are all dead'', as was famously observed by John Maynard Keynes. [[Life]], however, should be possible on earth for several billions of years. While life is possible, it should be possible to [[civilization|pass on knowledge]] for the benefit of those alive and their descendants. To '''let civilization continue''' warrants a sincere effort, everything within our control. Even if we fail, we could better understand the gift we have. And we might yet be standing in a line that continues for millions of generations with individuals who realize life is wonderful.
''In the long run we are all dead'', as was famously observed by John Maynard Keynes. [[Life]], however, should be possible on earth for several billions of years. While self aware beings are alive, it should be possible to [[civilization|pass on knowledge]] for the benefit of those alive and their descendants. To '''let civilization continue''' warrants a sincere effort, everything within our control. We might be standing in a line that continues for millions of generations with individuals who realize life is wonderful. There is no necessity that ensures this happens, so it is worth thinking about what it would require to try to bring it about. Please join the effort.




Revision as of 20:17, 5 August 2010

We all hope that our children enjoy a good life. And their children, too...

Our civilizations have achieved amazing feats: about 7 billion humans on this planet, on average living more peaceful, longer and easier lives than any generation before us. Because we know more than we did in the past.


What if useful knowledge could be passed on for as long as life existed?

GreatArch.png

What if civilization continued?
Continued on this planet indefinitely - as long as life is possible - as long as the sun shines. Civilization that lasts.


How can you help?

Imagine that civilization in some form or other will continue on this planet for as long as the sun shines.

If that perspective is helpful to you, you are invited to improve the pages on this site now: log in and click on the "edit" tab at the top of the page. Assume information continues to be deliberately passed along, no matter what the future civilizations look like. Try to deduct rather than predict.
If there's no edit tab even when you're logged in, use the discussion page or contact the foundation by email to propose changes. (Originally, all pages were open to access from everybody, but were protected from editing by non-registered users to reduce vandalism.)
Please check the help pages and guidelines first. It also helps to know about which relevant thoughts exist or which structures exist on this site. Note that all the blue or underlined text are links that you can follow. click here for an entry to the discussion.
If you're looking to do something else, you could check out initiatives listed here or actions discussed here. Unrelated content on this site will be deleted.
Why should you care? - click here


In the long run we are all dead, as was famously observed by John Maynard Keynes. Life, however, should be possible on earth for several billions of years. While self aware beings are alive, it should be possible to pass on knowledge for the benefit of those alive and their descendants. To let civilization continue warrants a sincere effort, everything within our control. We might be standing in a line that continues for millions of generations with individuals who realize life is wonderful. There is no necessity that ensures this happens, so it is worth thinking about what it would require to try to bring it about. Please join the effort.


Quick links

Content and debate


Editing


Community: improving and enabling this site


Criticism of this project

  • Criticism for disapproval or faults of milliongenerations.org and warnings about its dangers


Sorry that this is so much text and all the blue links need a long time to go through. We hope that you'll stretch your attention span and find that it's worth it. If you know how to say all this shorter, please do, and make this site better.

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