HN Explorer

Ask HN: What are the 3 biggest threats to our civilization?

3 points by axismundi ↗ HN
I think it's:

1. AI being used in a malicious way 2. Global warming

I'm not sure about the third one. What do you think?

12 comments

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johntdaly
1. racism/xenophobia/sexism 2. societal externality costs for industry (like global warming) 3. social media
dudul
Number 1 has existed for tens of thousands of years in much more severe shapes, civilization is still around.
kleer001
yup, it's called tribalism, our closest relatives the chimps also practice it
kleer001
1. Entropy (time taking its toll) in terms of corruption at every possible level of material, culture, liberty, biology, political.

2. Inter-generational discounting (you can't make the next generation care about what you cared about) driving a lack of upkeep for essential yet invisible infrastructure.

3. Threats from space: Coronal mass ejection, cometary impact, meteor impact.

IMHO neither AI nor Global warming are as much a threat to human civilization. They could really suck, but they're not going to send us back to the bronze age or extinct us. We're pretty damn clever and resilient.

dyeje
1. Climate change

2. Nuclear war

I can't think of a credible third.

markus_zhang
There is only one: the imbalance of wealth distribution.
kleer001
Those that less productive should be compensated with more than those who are highly productive?
ed_at_work
Misinformation for one of them. Previous US elections, and now COVID, have highlighted how misinformation is both extremely potent/viral, and literally deadly.
mikewarot
Physics used in the service of war/terrorism

Biology used in the service of war/terrorism

Rent seeking of the elite

gaws
1. Greed

2. Climate change

3. Giving power to stupid people