Support NeoGAF

[Starfield]

in 1973 (World3, World1 was 1972), a computer simulation ran through MIT predicted the collapse of human civilization would begin in 2020. Not to say it hasn't already begun, but that it will reach a breaking point resulting in a sharp decline beginning in that year. Overpopulation, resource scarcity and the destruction of the natural habitat are among several key reasons for it.



Here's a video:



They did 3 simulations bc in the first two they didn't factor in certain things. Since early 2010's the simulation has been spot on. (article from Sept. 2014)


One more article: Limits to growth and covid-19: https://www.resilience.org/stories/2020-04-13/limits-to-growth-and-the-covid-19-epidemic/


Enjoy your weekend folks!

 

[SidViscous]

I guess a 1970s computer is only looking at very high level trends and extrapolating based on the direction things were going at the time.

Covid if anything would help right? Lowering population and pollution a smidge, but humanity will overcome it so it can end itself on its own terms.

 

[Elektro Demon]

Did that MIT computer account for SJW, woke culture and feminism? Because that's what's gonna be the end of humanity.

 

[SidViscous]

Did that MIT computer account for SJW, woke culture and feminism? Because that's what's gonna be the end of humanity.

I doubt it, machines back then could only display 64 hair colours.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I think all of those speculative models have been revised a few dozen times in the meanwhile. Whether a computer is running the models or a human, the flawed output would be the same.

Cool piece of history, for sure.

 

[Ionian]

Well I trust old school Britney Spears.

Hit that keyboard one more time.

 

[Hoho for breakfast]

We don't actually have overpopulation or resource scarcity on that level though. I'm not watching that but it'd be interesting if they gave the estimated population by 2020 back then.

I think in the end it'll be just some mass extinction event that does us in. Wars and poverty and such will kill billions maybe, but what will really do us in is some catastrophic event like a big space rock or Yellowstone blowing and causing all kinds of bad shit to end us.

 

[jufonuk]

And how much of this shot is caused by the every day normal person and how much is caused by those in charge?

 

[Mihos]

I guess a 1970s computer is only looking at very high level trends and extrapolating based on the direction things were going at the time.

Covid if anything would help right? Lowering population and pollution a smidge, but humanity will overcome it so it can end itself on its own terms.

You would think by the headlines, but in reality, covid deaths are minuscule in relation to other causes and mostly only is fatal to people beyond breeding age and would probably die within a few years anyway. Even the Spanish flu pandemic had no measurable effect on annual death rates.

 

[Cunth]

Did it predict Keith Richards would still be alive

 

[Robot Carnival]

You would think by the headlines, but in reality, covid deaths are minuscule in relation to other causes and mostly only is fatal to people beyond breeding age and would probably die within a few years anyway. Even the Spanish flu pandemic had no measurable effect on annual death rates.

but C19 sure did a number on the economy as a whole, and that could have a cascading effect down the line that might trigger some sort of global event. who knows /shrug. I'll just stock up on spikes and chains and stuff. people will want them once we go into the Mad Max/Fist Of Northstar timeline.

 

[Hulk_Smash]

It didn’t take into account abortions though. 65 million abortions in the US alone. Over a billion worldwide. A billion people that should have been on this planet are not accounted for and will therefore throw off every single projection about over-population and resource scarcity that doesn’t factor it in.

This doesn’t throw off God’s judgement for snuffing out all that life. His world-ending predictions are still 100% accurate.

 

[GAMETA]

Did it predict Keith Richards would still be alive

And Queen Elizabeth. The old lady was already old when Keith Richards was born, lol

 

[#Phonepunk#]

Ugh these Venus Project types give me the creeps. Like whenever a nerd says “Thanos was right” I’m thinking they are one of these types.

MIT was also producing tech behind nuclear weapons during this time they had a reason to pump out dystopian propaganda like this

 

[GAMETA]

It didn’t take into account abortions though. 65 million abortions in the US alone. Over a billion worldwide. A billion people that should have been on this planet are not accounted for and will therefore throw off every single projection about over-population and resource scarcity that doesn’t factor it in.

This doesn’t throw off God’s judgement for snuffing out all that life. His world-ending predictions are still 100% accurate.

The US alone aborts 1 million babies a year. 30 million every year around the world.

This is completely fucked up.

 

[Bullet Club]

Well I trust old school Britney Spears.

She's probably in her 70s now. And possibly the only person from the video still alive. The computer predicted their deaths!

 

[Goro Majima]

Overpopulation definitely turned out to be an exaggerated fear where the projections were just flat out wrong.

The model probably didn’t figure that advanced societies are structured in such a way where having kids is just absurdly expensive and a much bigger time sink. Plus to live super comfortably we’ve gone from having a one income household with kids to a two income household with kids to a two income household with no kids. DINKs just have such an incredible amount of freedom financially as well as with their free time and careers.

Plus with couples having kids later in life you’re much less likely to have families with 3-5 kids when you don’t even have your first until your 30s.

 

[Ionian]

She's probably in her 70s now. And possibly the only person from the video still alive. The computer predicted their deaths!

Oh baby, baby, how was she wasn't able to know.

 

[Keihart]

Remember that overpopulation almost never is a problem because of resources in social animals, the breaking point it's almost always the social interactions as the population grows.

 

[MMaRsu]

Well shiiiiit I hope by 2040 2050 normal civilization is still here but who knows really

 

[Haint]

Someone posted an overpopulation study (supporting the theory) a couple days ago on REEEEE and was summarily dogpiled and stoned to death as though he was supporting the KKK. This struck me as incredibly bizarre and surprising as all of my science professors taught us about it as recently as 7 or 8 years ago, and I have always assumed it was a leftist policy running parallel with global warming et al. Their militantly overwhelming consensus was that it's a myth and alt right talking point.

 

[Neo_Geo]

The US alone aborts 1 million babies a year. 30 million every year around the world.

This is completely fucked up.

It is not a bad thing that there are that many fewer people to support in the world, especially with our staggering multiplication factor with each family generation.

 

[triplestation]

 

[bender]

 

[triplestation]

Did that MIT computer account for SJW, woke culture and feminism? Because that's what's gonna be the end of humanity.

feminism alone will end civilization

 

[MMaRsu]

Remember that overpopulation almost never is a problem because of resources in social animals, the breaking point it's almost always the social interactions as the population grows.

Do you have any studies to link that show this?

 

[Keihart]

Do you have any studies to link that show this?

i was referencing the behavioral sink experiments, but those are divisive fyi.

 

[DESTROYA]

My toaster has more computing power than a 1973 PC.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

The US alone aborts 1 million babies a year. 30 million every year around the world.

This is completely fucked up.

abortion kills 100X the black people that police do.

black lives matter tho. just not those ones.