For a long long time we have thought of children as the future. It seems to me our future choices/paths continue to decline. Perhaps we need to re-look at how we see our children. Perhaps it is time to see them as the agents of change, to begin educating them to what real choice is, not just the choices they have foisted off on them from the generations that were unable to be the agents of change.

Is the future doomed to be a repeat of the past? I don't think so. The ages of 15-21, they are the years we as people are made. they are the years we look back on most fondly the years that we see where and how much we changed. 

Does what happened 10 years ago really matter to people? Does what happened when they were between the age of 15 and 21 matter? What music do people still like and enjoy, what movies do they look back on fondly? What events in a persons life really matter.

I know the movies that had an effect on my growth, I know the books I read that had an effect, and the music that can still move me, and of the news events surrounding that time. These are our growth years, after 21 we are forced into survival mode, and into a slower growth mode. 

I remember Watergate and "I am not a crook", I remember G.W. Bush "Read my lips" statement, I view most politicians as crooks. What news events are people in their 30's today going to remember in 30 years, and what events are the 15 year old's today going to remember in 30 years. I will likely not be in the mortal world in 30 years, (I hope I am), but that is how long it is going to be to see the results of 2020.

> `At some point, we will have to learn one way or another - live together or mutually assured destruction are probably the only two cards in the deck at the end of the day`

We can hope that one day a third or a forth direction forward will be found.

Dammit.  I've been doing a little 'heavy' reading lately.  I saw, but have not purchased a guy that claims there is a Civil War right now in America-it just hasn't gone to guns.  Yet.  It's not some goofy conspiracy guy, it's a college professor and journalist.

Sweet Mother, how could it have come to this?  Where that possibility is even available to be considered?  

I do best when I can focus on the things I can control and just leave the rest.  I obviously don't, all the time.

I think, because of stupidity, the option of mutual destruction is quite likely. I would bet on it. Although, I want to believe in something completely different.

***We talk about "children being the future" which is true, but that future isn't going to be much different if we encourage them to be just like us***

So true! People don't like to change, that is why change is hard. We cling to ideas not because we believe in them as much as we want to show others that we're in charge. No matter if what we control is wrong. Ego. The entire problems of humanity are around EGO. When we will learn to control ego, we will change. Until then my intuition tells me we will more likely manage to distruct before we will build. A necessary damage for progress and change to happen is suffering for those who can't embrace change naturally, it will be through the force of the inevitable.

Excellent reflection
>How come we as a species can be painfully aware of our own suffering, yet rather than actually attempt to change the course of our future, we spend the majority of our time, effort and resources fighting to remain the same or worse, repeat the past in an endless cycle where the wheel of time is stuck in a groove, playing a track of misery.

I have asked myelf the same question, especially since March. Not much makes sense given how advanced humanity has been in most areas. Petty individual and group interests rule over masses of people.

This, too is worrying
>We talk about "children being the future" which is true, but that future isn't going to be much different if we encourage them to be just like us - or worse - to take even less responsibility over their lives.

I think that interested parties are making sure that future will be distracted enough on soap-operish triviality and vices as to have any influence on what a minority will continue doing with our societies and resources.

>How come we as a species can be painfully aware of our own suffering, yet rather than actually attempt to change the course of our future, we spend the majority of our time, effort and resources fighting to remain the same or worse, repeat the past in an endless cycle where the wheel of time is stuck in a groove, playing a track of misery. Are you sure that what you are spending your time on has the value you believe it does? What did you generate today?

We are creatures of habit both individually and as a society. The analytical mind can come up and dissect all sorts of scenarios very quickly. Putting them into practice involves creating new habits and that is always a costly operation in terms of neural re-organizing.

Story of humanity right there. The cultures with sustainable practices survive and thrive; until they don't.
I wonder about the Amish. Do they do any sort of philosophical musing? If you've shunned technology; it's not like you're inventing anything. And if everything you need to know is already written down; is there any reason to write books, or even have debates? 
Of course, if 5G's giving us all cancer, the Amish might have the last laugh. 
The day humanity finally outgrows the superstition called 'statism' will be a key, pivotal moment in our history. 
I'd love to live long enough to see it.