In 10000 years time how will they refer to the last 100 years? The information age? The space age? Maybe the age of war. Having 2 major world wars in the same century might be unheard of in the future. The age of stupidity.. perhaps because we let global warming come so close to wiping us all out. What do you think will define us for future generation?

If we still exist in 10,000 years, I expect our current generation will be grouped in a bigger chunk of time. I think we will likely still be considered the industrial age as our biggest mark on history will likely be our fossil fuel usage.

John

This question reminds me of a short story I once read (don't remember the name/author, maybe somebody here knows of it?) where future archaeologists try to reconstruct our society from artifacts they find. For example, how we appeared to enter into willing debt slavery (credit cards, loans, and jobs), and the freakishly 'archaic' methods of medical care (intrusive surgery).

To answer your question, I'll cop-out and go with borngamer on this, and say 'late' industrial age.

It's interesting.. as technology develops at an exponential rate, the duration of each "age" gets shorter and shorter. Our lifestyle now is already so radically different from 100, or even 20 years ago.

Makes you think. Theoretically.. *IF* the pattern of exponential technological growth continues, surely we'll reach a point where the ages and leaps in technology are coming so fast that every DAY will be so radically different from the last.

If that's not to happen though, when will the exponential trend stop?

Quote: Original post by bencelot
What do you think will define us for future generation?

I'm afraid it'll be

">this.

End Times?

Quote: Original post by bencelot
It's interesting.. as technology develops at an exponential rate, the duration of each "age" gets shorter and shorter. Our lifestyle now is already so radically different from 100, or even 20 years ago.

Makes you think. Theoretically.. *IF* the pattern of exponential technological growth continues, surely we'll reach a point where the ages and leaps in technology are coming so fast that every DAY will be so radically different from the last.

If that's not to happen though, when will the exponential trend stop?

each "age" isn't getting any shorter, it is just most people aren't history majors and think that "Iron Age" accurately describes 1000 years of human history.

There are major historical periods that are well known and lasted only a few decades. So the modern age isn't much different in that regard.

But I will admit we will likely see a dividing line period from the 90s till another decade or two from now that marks the first digital era or something like that, as honestly life isn't THAT much different now than it was 20 years ago. A few gadgets have changed and had an impact on our lives, but it isn't like we are all suddenly riding flying cars to work and taking weekend trips to Alpha Centauri.

I say they will probably refer to us as being in the plastic age. Machines in past decades weren't manufactured as cheaply as they are now; mostly everything now is flimsy. But maybe in the future, they'll go back to making things more substantial.

Definitely "The Age of Debt."

Quote: Original post by bencelot
It's interesting.. as technology develops at an exponential rate, the duration of each "age" gets shorter and shorter. Our lifestyle now is already so radically different from 100, or even 20 years ago.

Makes you think. Theoretically.. *IF* the pattern of exponential technological growth continues, surely we'll reach a point where the ages and leaps in technology are coming so fast that every DAY will be so radically different from the last.

If that's not to happen though, when will the exponential trend stop?

You've just fairly accurately described accelerating change and the culminating event is called Technological singularity. However, some folks believe that this is not going to happen and that the change is actually already decelerating . Other folks are trying to actively work towards Singularity

As for the original question, I agree that this is still probably late industrial age, especially when you look at us from a distance of 10,000 years...