The future of our planet, our species? Sometimes I am pessimistic and other times optimistic. So much depends on those who much younger than I am. I have friends from many countries due to the Internet. Wonderful people, caring people, intelligent people. They make me feel optimistic then I bump into the creationist dummies and yes no matter what their IQ rates at that is what I think of those who have minds but refuse to use their minds.

Human kind's past includes slavery, gladiatorial games, crucifixions, the inquisition and other atrocities. Maybe if we look at the improvements since, we can see a sort of profit line going upward - all be it zigzagged. The world is still bursting with problems but the people in more and more parts of said world can make noise and do something about them. Drive through the right places and you will see countless wind driven generators. We have saved many whales. There are great people working on it all.

I believe that the future is fluid and changes based up people's outlook.With the current sitting president things are bleak.

Not at the moment...I could move out of a dysfunctional family, but where do you go, when you have your countries leader...leading the country into disaster?

Not in the least. Especially given the current political climate around the world.

No

I try to. At least the world will even if humans don't

Mine is settled already... the world? hell no. Illness can come anytime it wants. About mankind? It only takes One Nuclear War to destroy this planet... There is enough Nukes to destroy this planet 6 times. Africa and South America will be around after the Nuclear War. Asia, Europe, North America... will be toasted.

Micro future or macro future?

In spite of it all and notwithstanding the presence of very questionable leaders like Trump and Putin and their improvised supporters, I remain somewhat optimistic because this kind of madness cannot go on for much longer.

In addition, there is no doubt that man and women of course could disappear in a giffy but the end is probably not near and not in our lifetimes... the problem is that man lives as if there were no tomorrow and no end in sight and no accounting... and our so called progress and development is lacking in true intelligence and wisdom... we build badly, we explore even space needlessly and pollute in the process... who the hell do we think we are?

We should be the guardians of the universe but we have simply made a mess of things... but without optimism we are simply hastening the end of man!