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I find it fascinating and terrifying that on the one hand, these events were "close calls", on the other hand, considering that we can celebrate this event toda

by VMG 13y ago

I find it fascinating and terrifying that on the one hand, these events were "close calls", on the other hand, considering that we can celebrate this event today, they were inevitable. Logically speaking, we always must live in a world where past existential threats to humanity were avoided (including super-volcanoes, asteroids), but that says nothing about the possibility of future existential threats wiping out humanity.

mikeash 13y ago
A war would have thoroughly wrecked civilization, but plenty of people would have survived, especially in third-world countries. There's no reason a much diminished humanity concentrated in the southern hemisphere couldn't be marking the thirtieth anniversary of War Day today, if things had gone a bit differently.
- VMG 13y ago
  In some sense, we already do remember those days, the failed assassination attempt on Hitler for example.
MikeCapone 13y ago
Indeed. If you want to find out more, the best book that I've found on this subject is _Global Catastrophic Risks_, edited by Nick Bostrom and Milan M. Cirkovic: http://www.amazon.com/Global-Catastrophic-Risks-Nick-Bostrom/dp/0199606501/ http://www.amazon.com/Global-Catastrophic-Risks-Nick-Bostrom... "In Global Catastrophic Risks 25 leading experts look at the gravest risks facing humanity in the 21st century, including asteroid impacts, gamma-ray bursts, Earth-based natural catastrophes, nuclear war, terrorism, global warming, biological weapons, totalitarianism, advanced nanotechnology, general artificial intelligence, and social collapse. The book also addresses over-arching issues - policy responses and methods for predicting and managing catastrophes. "
jerf 13y ago
One of my favorite SCPs: http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-988 http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-988 Spoiler (including why it's related to your post) since I think it's easy to miss what this is: Vg'f n obk gung, jura bcrarq, qrfgeblf gur havirefr. Fvapr nccneragyl guvf obk yvirf va n znal-jbeyqf havirefr, vg'f onfvpnyyl n havirefr-fpnyr Dhnaghz Fhvpvqr qrivpr. http://www.rot13.com/index.php http://www.rot13.com/index.php , for your convenience.
- mahyarm 13y ago
  How did you come to that conclusion? It could similarly be a joke out of a ringworld novel too.
  - jerf 13y ago
    The big clue is in the last paragraph. And yes, I'm extrapolating a bit, but given the rest of the SCP-universe (inasmuch as there is a such a thing), it's a pretty reasonable conclusion. If it's wrong to you, well, it's right to me, Hail Fanon, All Hail Discordia.

by VMG 13y ago

mikeash 13y ago

A war would have thoroughly wrecked civilization, but plenty of people would have survived, especially in third-world countries. There's no reason a much diminished humanity concentrated in the southern hemisphere couldn't be marking the thirtieth anniversary of War Day today, if things had gone a bit differently.

VMG 13y ago
In some sense, we already do remember those days, the failed assassination attempt on Hitler for example.

MikeCapone 13y ago

Indeed. If you want to find out more, the best book that I've found on this subject is _Global Catastrophic Risks_, edited by Nick Bostrom and Milan M. Cirkovic: http://www.amazon.com/Global-Catastrophic-Risks-Nick-Bostrom/dp/0199606501/ http://www.amazon.com/Global-Catastrophic-Risks-Nick-Bostrom... "In Global Catastrophic Risks 25 leading experts look at the gravest risks facing humanity in the 21st century, including asteroid impacts, gamma-ray bursts, Earth-based natural catastrophes, nuclear war, terrorism, global warming, biological weapons, totalitarianism, advanced nanotechnology, general artificial intelligence, and social collapse. The book also addresses over-arching issues - policy responses and methods for predicting and managing catastrophes. "

jerf 13y ago

One of my favorite SCPs: http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-988 http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-988 Spoiler (including why it's related to your post) since I think it's easy to miss what this is: Vg'f n obk gung, jura bcrarq, qrfgeblf gur havirefr. Fvapr nccneragyl guvf obk yvirf va n znal-jbeyqf havirefr, vg'f onfvpnyyl n havirefr-fpnyr Dhnaghz Fhvpvqr qrivpr. http://www.rot13.com/index.php http://www.rot13.com/index.php , for your convenience.

mahyarm 13y ago
How did you come to that conclusion? It could similarly be a joke out of a ringworld novel too.
- jerf 13y ago
  The big clue is in the last paragraph. And yes, I'm extrapolating a bit, but given the rest of the SCP-universe (inasmuch as there is a such a thing), it's a pretty reasonable conclusion. If it's wrong to you, well, it's right to me, Hail Fanon, All Hail Discordia.