That was an interesting list and he played it safe. The real question to ponder is the technologies that will change the world that have not yet been invented. As Asia becomes more prosperous and free market oriented it will more than double the number of brilliant people who invent new technologies or perfect existing ones. The next Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or that facebook guy is quite possibly alive now in India or China.
One of the most fascinating things that I observe in our modern day discourse - like peak oil for example or electricity production - is the failure to account for new technologies that we can’t even imagine. People talk about peak oil as if all locomotion will one day cease. This is a false argument for the obvious reason that new sources of oil are found all the time and new technologies are coming online now that can produce fuels out of other materials such as biomass. However, the main fallacy of the argument is that it assumes new sources of locomotion will not be invented. We have a tendency to think inside the framework of the known world until some brilliant person comes up with their own idea that changes everything.
Computers have changed just about everything in our lives and they grow in capability exponentially every year. Every computer at Best Buy is obsolete before they even sell it. Even as computers get faster and faster our ability to link them together in networks increases their ability to process information. Computers themselves may make the next great invention and can certainly perfect existing technologies.
We live in very interesting times for many reasons. Politicians who pass laws today that negatively impact our economy in order to prevent some potential shortfall decades down the road represent ignorance of the highest order in my opinion. Even the peak food argument is a complete crock! The world would never run out of room to feed people as long as the sun shined. Don’t believe me? Go online and see the amount of food that people are producing in their backyards or greenhouses with a combination of new technology and old. Read about hydroponics, aquaponics, stacked beds, hugelkultur, etc etc. We will never run out of room to make food. I can grow crops on the roof of my house for crying out loud or perhaps battery and photovoltaic technology will improve to where I can run my own indoor greenhouse using the sun’s energy from my roof! There is no limit if we free the imagination.
Peak water is another fool’s argument - with a cheap source of electricity we have an infinite supply of water in the oceans and desalination technology already exists. The government continually tries to improve efficiency by levying taxes and penalties on current wasteful water use. All that does is grow government and stifle the free market and innovation.
We use t-tape in our garden and soil beds that emphasize water retention (lots of mulch/fiber underneath and mulch on top). Some of this is even recycled cardboard (worms love it). We have cut our water use in the orchard and garden by 90% and it saves us money and water.
We are told the world will end because of a lack of x. Rubbish. The world is a finite amount of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, etc etc. Our ability to utilize and reclaim the finite elements here on Earth are infinite. Beware of anyone who tells you differently.
That was an excellent post .. solid reminders of proper perspective .. thanks !