If you have ever thought that Social Networks such as Facebook and Twitter would destroy the world, you'd be correct. Based on convincing trending models, by 2150 100% of the population will be on at least one Social Network (and yes, even babies and nearly dead old people). At this point in time there will be the technology to digitize a person into their computer (like Pleasantville meets Tron). Through the process known as Molecular Digitization, people will be able to transfer their entire being into the computer and live out their lives in a Sim like world and be part of the ultimate Social Network. The risk would be high as the transformation is permanent (one-way) and has a 50% success rate (50% chance it will work, 50% chance it will kill you). Because everyone in the future is addicted to Social Networks, they will be willing to take this risk. The immediate result will be half of the population dying. The other 50% will be trapped in the the internet forever. With no humans left on Earth maintaining the world's infrastructure, the internet will crash along with the Sim world and what is left of the "human" race. Molecular Digitization is inevitable unless we destroy Social Networks immediately.
I think that our only chance is that some babies and elderly ARE hold outs. Of course, both of those ends of the population are incapable of reproducing, so it would just delay the inevitable.
ReplyDeleteTrue that. The only true survivors would be someone in a theoretical "Bill" state. They are already in their own world and won't be capable of Digitizing themselves (or even willing to). Who would have thought that Bill outlives us all? This is worth a post of its own: A Post-ApocaBilltic Future.
ReplyDeleteActually, Bill will be subject to the same downfall as everyone who is Digitized because there will also be no one left to maintain his blood box.
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