Fake news is about to become very realistic

[adam2]

Just wondering : I wonder if our 'technology rich' young people would regard tech equally as important as cabbages?

Following/during a collapse perhaps huge efforts would be made by many to retain/reclaim core hi tech?

They'd be growing cabbages, I assure you

No, no, they would be trying to fix the tech in order that cabbages could be ordered from Tesco, which is much quicker than waiting for them to grow.

[kenneal - lagger]

What we need for the future, then, is self replicating robots that can take raw materials and shape themselves again or similar in an evolving chain that also provided themselves with autonomous power units. At minimum they would have to be able to mend themselves and their parts because it would be likely that their human "masters" would lose the ability to do it, judging by lessons from our past where civilisations have broken down.

Britons lost the ability to build hard paved roads after the Romans left and didn't regain that ability for about 1200 years. Also underfloor heating and baths were lost for a similar period. The ability to form complex machined metal and electronic pieces could well be one of the things that goes given the massive infrastructure and energy use that goes with those systems.

[Little John]

We’re blinded by incremental progress in electronic gadgets of marginal utility—new smartphones, larger monitors, and more powerful computers. Yet we drive vehicles with internal combustion engines, our electricity is mostly generated in thermal power plants fueled by coal, we are far from curing solid cancers, and we are slowly losing the race against multi-resistant bacteria. The average Sci-Fi writer of the 50s, 60s and 70s would be very, very disappointed with the world of 2018. There is no colony on the moon, we don’t have fusion power, and there are no laser guns or sonic disruptors. No robots anywhere. We can’t even cure the common cold

https://quillette.com/2019/02/21/whats- ... -progress/

[emordnilap]

No robots? https://youtu.be/5iZuffHPDAw

[Little John]

That's some cgi on a screen and and a pre-prepared script and, for all of it's apparent dazzling nature means what, precisely, in terms of a significant move forwards of the standard of living of people?

[adam2]

We’re blinded by incremental progress in electronic gadgets of marginal utility—new smartphones, larger monitors, and more powerful computers. Yet we drive vehicles with internal combustion engines, our electricity is mostly generated in thermal power plants fueled by coal, we are far from curing solid cancers, and we are slowly losing the race against multi-resistant bacteria. The average Sci-Fi writer of the 50s, 60s and 70s would be very, very disappointed with the world of 2018. There is no colony on the moon, we don’t have fusion power, and there are no laser guns or sonic disruptors. No robots anywhere. We can’t even cure the common cold

https://quillette.com/2019/02/21/whats- ... -progress/

Don't completely agree.
A small and rapidly declining proportion of UK electricity is from coal, and in mainland Europe coal burning has also declined.
Cancer treatment as distinct from a complete cure is advancing.
New anti biotics are being developed, IMHO we are not "loosing the race"
Laser weapon do exist, but conventional firearms are preferred for most hunting, law enforcement or military purposes.
"sonic disruptors" DO exist, I recall considerable fury regarding proposals to equip the police with them, for riot control.
Robots are in widespread use in many industries, not usually humanoid, but designed for the job.
No fusion power, though some claim it is now 15 years in the future rather than the 30 years in the future that has been the case for decades.
No lunar colonies.

[emordnilap]

That's some cgi on a screen and and a pre-prepared script and, for all of it's apparent dazzling nature means what, precisely, in terms of a significant move forwards of the standard of living of people?

None whatsoever. But AFAIK it's a bot, not cgi.