10 Simple Steps to Utopia — Yes, we can do this.
--
1) Clean energy — Fusion is on its way. We are moving past hyperbole now. Real money and real players at the table. I wouldn’t bet against Bill Gates and the teams in this space. The science is solid. It may take another 5, 10, 20 years. But it’s coming, and it will change everything.
How does this bring about utopia? Aside from warding off the threats of climate change, or at least a rapid human caused climate change, it unlocks the rest of the steps towards utopia.
2) Clean fusion energy => Clean water! Massive desalination plants could flood the world (in a good way) with rivers of fresh potable water! Dirty water is a source of so much suffering around the globe.
3) Clean water => Clean food! Flood the deserts and irrigate everywhere. Not only will we be able to have fresh water for drinking but plants will as well. Let’s build food forests. Do yourself a favor and search “permaculture”. Self sustaining food forests could feed world. With the world getting fresh fruits and vegetables overall health will improve.
4) Clean water + clean food => Healthy people. As Bill Gates will tell you, disease is still a massive problem across the globe. Children die from poor sanitation and poor diets. This is solvable if we start with clean energy and then move to produce clean water and then clean food systems.
5) Healthy people => Educated people. Healthy people are able to focus on getting an education. Clean power will power this revolution. Once children are safe and have an abundance of food they’ll be able to attend schools that will be powered by clean energy.
6) Education => More science! With millions of more people across the globe happy, healthy, and educated there will be that many more scientists ready to tackle bigger and harder problems. Just look at the explosion of Indian and Chinese scientists there are with their burgeoning middle classes.
7) More scientists => More cures! With the new boom in scientists breakthroughs in medical fields will compound. Computer science will accelerate even faster. Every aspect of the scientific world will benefit from new generations of scientists.
8) More cures => Again, more people! But don’t be afraid, now that we have the clean energy, clean water, and clean food the earth can easily handle a few billion more people. We’ll also have people (and computers) discovering new meta materials for building sustainable structures bigger, higher, and faster than ever before. Imagine tree filled super cities with vast underground sections and clean transportation. And when this planet is full.. the Universe awaits..
9) Clean transportation! Everything is electric now. Perhaps fusion batteries are small enough at this point to put on vehicles or we are using substances like “hydrogen goop”. Regardless, this transition is already happening but it will be the fusion reactors behind it all eventually. Vehicles will be built completely differently as well. They will be 100% about comfort and safety as efficiency will really no longer be a limiting factor. Who cares if they consume tons of electricity when the electrons are clean and limitless?
10) Reaching for the stars. We’ve arrived at our Star Trek future. In the Star Trek world resources are a solved problem with “replicators”.. while we may get there that is really unnecessary, the big issue is that scarcity of resources is solved. Now everyone is free to do whatever makes them “real”. Music, dance, painting, writing, building, and exploration? Yes, we’ve plumbed the depths of this planet at this point and while our ability to create virtual planets is incredible.. humans will always want to reach for the stars. And, since we now make mini-stars on earth (fusion reactors) I’m sure warp drives are just around the corner.
Now, there is a small catch here: People. While I believe all this is possible.. will we be able to work together enough to allow it? That’s the question. However, I think it’s enough for me to know that it’s technically possible.
Eden is achievable, but will be allowed back in?
