It’s especially problematic with sci-fi, too, because it often leaves the reader thinking that they can now spot the big problem. Or that capitalism can exist in the future. I can’t remember the source, but I recently heard that with current technology (including tech that we can predict will be possible in future), even if we can start extracting from space, at the rate of growth needed to sustain capitalism, we will still run out of resources in 400 years! That is not long at all in human historical terms!
Good example!
It’s especially problematic with sci-fi, too, because it often leaves the reader thinking that they can now spot the big problem. Or that capitalism can exist in the future. I can’t remember the source, but I recently heard that with current technology (including tech that we can predict will be possible in future), even if we can start extracting from space, at the rate of growth needed to sustain capitalism, we will still run out of resources in 400 years! That is not long at all in human historical terms!
Well capitalists usually barely plan for more than one quarter ahead, so when they hear about 400 years they will just burn the Earth.
Unfortunately, you’re almost certainly right.