Michio Kaku: Will Mankind Destroy Itself? | Big Think

Summary

In this thought-provoking video, Michio Kaku explores the intriguing question of whether mankind will destroy itself. He discusses the concept of civilization types, ranging from planetary (type one) to galactic (type three), highlighting the challenges and dangers faced by our current type zero civilization. Kaku examines two trends: the progression towards a multicultural, scientific society and the opposing forces of terrorism and fundamentalism. He warns of the risks associated with transitioning to a type one civilization, emphasizing the potential for humanity to either achieve planetary unity or face annihilation due to nuclear or environmental catastrophes.

Highlights

• Kaku's intriguing explanation of civilization types, from type zero to type three. 🚀
• The potential for a future where humanity plays with planetary forces like weather and earthquakes. 🌪️
• The role of the internet and English as early indicators of type one civilization traits. 🌎
• The contrasting trends of global cooperation versus reactionary terrorism that Kaku observes. ⚖️
• Potential reasons why we might not have discovered other intelligent life in space. 👽
• Kaku's optimistic hope that humanity will successfully transition to a type one civilization. 🌈

Key Takeaways

• Humanity is currently a type zero civilization, relying on non-renewable resources like oil and coal. 🌱
• The next 100 years will be crucial as we transition towards a type one planetary civilization. 🌍
• A type one civilization is characterized by global collaboration and advanced technology. 🤝
• Opposing forces, such as terrorism and fundamentalism, challenge the transition to a type one civilization. 😟
• The internet, English language, and global pop culture are indicators of our shift towards a type one society. 🌐
• The transition to a type one civilization is risky due to human capability for self-destruction through nuclear or environmental disasters. ⚠️

Overview

Michio Kaku unravels the fascinating concept of civilization types, ranging from type zero (where we currently stand) to the advanced type one, two, and three. He paints a picture of our possible future where humanity could harness planetary forces and work in unity. The idea of a planetary civilization, akin to worlds from science fiction, sounds enthralling yet daunting.

Kaku highlights the dual trends he perceives today: one leading towards a utopian, multicultural, scientific society, and the other battling against it with fundamentalism and terrorism. He describes the birth of a type one civilization through the lens of technological advancements like the internet and a common language – English, yet warns of the severe risks if humanity fails to progress harmoniously.

Despite these challenges, Kaku remains hopeful. He emphasizes that the coming century will be critical for mankind's survival, as we stand on the brink of either remarkable evolution or self-inflicted doom. The absence of other types of civilizations in space could be a grim warning or simply a part of our destiny to forge a unique path in the universe.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to Civilization Types The chapter 'Introduction to Civilization Types' discusses mankind's future and the likelihood of self-destruction. Michio Kaku introduces the concept of different types of civilizations. A type one civilization is a planetary civilization, akin to those depicted in fictional works like 'Buck Rogers' or 'Flash Gordon.' Meanwhile, a type two civilization is described as stellar, having the ability to harness enough energy to manipulate stars, similar to the 'Federation of Planets' in 'Star Trek.'
• 00:30 - 01:00: Types of Civilizations This chapter focuses on the classification of civilizations by their technological advancement and power. It particularly discusses 'Star Trek' as an example of a type two civilization, which possesses advanced technology enough to be immortal against cosmic events. It also explores type three civilizations, characterized by their galactic nature, with references to 'The Borg', 'Independence Day', and 'The Empire Strikes Back', highlighting their superior dominance within galaxies. Type two civilizations are noted for their ability to withstand catastrophic events like supernovae.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Transition from Type 0 to Type 1 The chapter discusses the transition from a Type 0 to a Type 1 civilization, highlighting the current status of human civilization as Type 0. Our energy primarily comes from dead plants, oil, and coal. The chapter predicts that within approximately 100 years, humanity will progress to a Type 1 civilization, able to harness all the energy output of the Earth.
• 01:30 - 02:00: The Danger Period The chapter titled 'The Danger Period' discusses the precarious time humanity is living in due to our advanced technological abilities coupled with our primitive instincts. It points out that although we have the power to manipulate planetary elements like weather and geological phenomena, we are still influenced by our primal passions and extremist ideas. The text highlights the coexistence of destructive nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons with human tendencies towards violence and fundamentalism, suggesting that these factors make the current era particularly dangerous.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Trends Towards Type 1 Civilization The chapter titled 'Trends Towards Type 1 Civilization' discusses the progression towards a global, multicultural, scientific, and tolerant society. The author highlights the Internet as a critical development, seeing it as the beginning of a Type 1 civilization's communication system. This planetary telephone system represents the emergence of Type 1 technology, marking significant advancements that contribute to this civilization level.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Type 1 Technology and Language This chapter explores the concept of a 'type one language' through the lens of English, which serves as a universal language for science, technology, and business. English is characterized as the most prevalent second language globally, marking the start of a communicative stage in human evolution. Additionally, the chapter touches on the European Union as an initial example of a 'type one economy,' representing a unified economic structure, contrasting with the historical conflicts among European nations.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Type 1 Economy and Culture The chapter discusses the emergence of a 'Type 1' economy and culture. It references historical moments such as the melting of ice 10,000 years ago and how differences have been set aside to form the European Union, a parallel to NAFTA, indicating a move towards a unified economic structure. There is also a cultural shift noticeable by the global spread of music genres like rock 'n' roll and rap.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Sports as Planetary Initiation Rite The chapter discusses the globalization of youth culture, with music and fashion transcending geographic boundaries to become planetary phenomena. This is exemplified through the universal appeal and global participation in sports like the Olympics and soccer, which are evolving from tribal or regional initiation rites to global events that unite people across the world.
• 04:00 - 04:30: Challenges and Terrorism The chapter discusses the dual realities presented in current global events. On one hand, the world is moving towards a more unified, 'type one' civilization where global cooperation and information exchange are prevalent. On the other hand, there's a significant counteraction manifesting as terrorism. Terrorism is described as a reactionary response to these globalizing trends, though many engaging in terrorist activities may not consciously recognize this connection. The chapter delves into this dichotomy of progressing towards a unified world while grappling with opposing forces.
• 04:30 - 05:00: The Fate of Civilizations This chapter explores the conflict between modernism and the desire for a multicultural, tolerant, and scientific society versus the opposing desire for a theocratic, monocultural society. The discussion centers on the resistance to progress toward a type one civilization and questions which tendency will prevail in the end.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Speculation on Extraterrestrial Civilizations The chapter discusses the speculative journey of humanity towards becoming a type one civilization, an advanced societal state characterized by the ability to harness planetary energy. It details the search for intelligent extraterrestrial life and the hope that type one civilizations might be widespread in the galaxy, despite no conclusive evidence thus far. It suggests a high prevalence of type zero civilizations, indicating that few societies transition to type one due to significant evolutionary challenges.

Michio Kaku: Will Mankind Destroy Itself? | Big Think Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Question: What is the likelihood that mankind will destroy itself? Michio Kaku: I say looking at the next 100 years that there are two trends in the world today. The first trend is toward what we call a type one civilization, a planetary civilization, a civilization that resembles something out of "Buck Rogers" or "Flash Gordon." A type two civilization is stellar. They consume so much energy they can play with stars. That is for example the Federation of Planets in "Star Trek."
• 00:30 - 01:00 "Star Trek" would represent the typical type two civilization. Then we have type three, which is galactic like the Borg or "Independence Day" or the empire of "The Empire Strikes Back." That is a type three civilization, which is truly galactic. Now by the time you reach type two, you are immortal. Nothing known to science can destroy a type two civilization. Comets, meteors, earthquakes, even a supernova a type two civilization would be able to survive
• 01:00 - 01:30 even a supernova. The danger is the transition between type zero and type one and that’s where we are today. We are a type zero civilization. We get our energy from dead plants, oil and coal. But if you get a calculator you can calculate when we will attain type one status. The answer is: in about 100 years we will become planetary. We’ll be able to harness all the energy output of the planet earth.
• 01:30 - 02:00 We’ll play with the weather, earthquakes, volcanoes. Anything planetary we will play with. The danger period is now, because we still have the savagery. We still have all the passions. We have all the sectarian, fundamentalist ideas circulating around, but we also have nuclear weapons. We have chemical, biological weapons capable of wiping out life on earth. So I see two trends in the world today.
• 02:00 - 02:30 The first trend is toward a multicultural, scientific, tolerant society and everywhere I go I see aspects of that birth. For example, what is the Internet? Many people have written about the Internet. Billions and billions of words written about the Internet, but to me as a physicist the Internet is the beginning of a type one telephone system, a planetary telephone system. So we’re privileged to be alive to witness the birth of type one technology, a planetary
• 02:30 - 03:00 telephone system. What is English? English is the beginning of a type one language. Everywhere I go around the Earth, people speak English because that is the lingua franca of science, technology, business. They all speak English. It is the number one second language on the planet Earth. And what is the European Union? The European Union is the beginning of a type one economy. And how come these European countries, which have slaughtered each other ever since the
• 03:00 - 03:30 ice melted 10,000 years ago, how come they have banded together, put aside their differences to create the European Union? Well to compete with us and who are we? We are NAFTA, so we’re beginning to see the beginning of a type one economy as well. Then we’re beginning to see the beginning of a type one culture. Everywhere I go you turn on the radio and what do you hear? Rock 'n' roll, you hear rap music.
• 03:30 - 04:00 You hear youth music. Youth music is now planetary, knows no boundaries around the planet earth. Everywhere I go I see high fashion: Chanel, Gucci bags. We’re witnessing the birth of a planetary fashion. Also sports, take a look at the Olympics. Take a look at soccer. We’re seeing the beginning of a tribal initiation rite called sports being turned into a planetary initiation rite that unifies the entire planet.
• 04:00 - 04:30 So whenever I open the newspaper every headline I see in the newspaper points to the birth pangs of a type one civilization information. However, every time I open the newspaper I also see the opposite trend as well. What is terrorism? Terrorism in some sense is a reaction against the creation of a type one civilization. Now most terrorists cannot articulate this. They don’t even know what the hell I’m talking about, but what they’re reacting
• 04:30 - 05:00 to is not modernism. What they’re reacting to is the fact that we’re headed toward a multicultural tolerant scientific society and that is what they don’t want. They don’t want science. They want a theocracy. They don’t want multiculturalism. They want monoculturalism. So instinctively they don’t like the march toward a type one civilization. Now which tendency will win?
• 05:00 - 05:30 I don’t know, but I hope that we emerge as a type one civilization. Now in outer space we look for signs of intelligent life in outer space. So far we find none. Civilizations like type one should be commonplace in the galaxy. Some people assume therefore that type zero civilizations are rather common, but only a few of them make it to type one because that society for the first time in its history
• 05:30 - 06:00 has the ability to commit planetary suicide, so maybe that is the reason why we don’t see aliens in outer space. Maybe they never made it. Maybe one day when we have starships and visit them we’ll see atmospheres that are irradiated because they had a nuclear war, atmospheres too hot to sustain life because they had a runaway greenhouse effect. Maybe when we go in outer space we’ll see the corpses of type one civilizations that never quite made it. Who knows?