Which is a Bigger Threat to the World?

In the year 2017, our world is facing a few challenges. How you perceive these challenges may reveal your politics. Why is that?

- Aug. 2017

Here is a top 10 list of global challenges we face.

• climate change
• ISIS and terrorism
• Nuclear threat from North Korea
• Nuclear threat from Iran
• Financial collapse of Stock market
• stray Asteroids striking earth
• EMP disruption of power grid
• Global flood and tsunami
• AI replacing Humans
• Google and Amazon and FB monopoly
• Over population of humans

If I missed some, please submit your perceived challenge in the comment section below.

Obviously, some of these items are inter-related. No one issue stands alone. Any of the threats we face can trigger a financial crisis. A natural disaster or man-made, if large enough, can also cause global distress. The question for us is which is most likely and most worrisome for individuals and for our government. It should also be obvious that some we may have no control over one way or another.

These items can be grouped into a few major categories. They can be divided into a man-made, a natural, and a geo political and a financial threat.

Which one do you consider to be the top threat, or an existential threat? For example, even though Venezuela is under going a crisis now, it is not a global phenomenon. In fact, it didn't even make the list. The same goes with Greece or some African countries facing famine. To qualify for the global threat, it would have to be large enough to affect the majority of the himan population one way or another, directly or indirectly.

These were chosen carefully and with some precedence in our past history. For example, we have experienced periodic strikes by asteroids even though it is a rare event. We have also been affected by global wars such as WW I and WW II or the great depression of 1929.

Some items are new perceived threats in human history, such as AI or climate change.

It is my contention and believe that depending on which threat you perceive to be the greatest, also determine your political persuation.

If you are a liberal progressive like Barack Obama, you will say climate change is the greatest threat, which he has done so in many occasions while President.

If you are a conservative like me, I say it is the growth of ISIS and islamic terrorism spreading across the world.

If you are a libertarian like John Stossel or Rand Paul, you might say it is the huge financial debt the world has accumulated.

If you are a moderate, you might say it is geo politial unstability and the threat of nuclear weapons.

If you are member of the green party, you might think over population of humans to be the worst threat.

Perhaps a little explanation is needed. The reason I think ISIS is more a threat to the globe is that they have already changed how we live our lives. Post 9/11, the islamic extremist, have succeed in making an impact. Not only did 3000 people died in the initial attack, the war In Afghanistan and later Iraq cost thousands of American military lives and almost 1 trillion dollar. In addition, every one that travels by air has been impacted by the strict security check points and carry-on restrictions.

In addition, the general feeling of people have changed and we are always on alert. We worry about attending a concert or parade or sporting events. In some respect, they have already won. We have been made hostage by their terror threats against innocent people.

On the other hand, climate change has been used by Al Gore to scare millions of children. They have predicted all kinds of disaster for the past 20 years. Yet, none of them have come to fruition. Climate has always been changing and unpredictable. With modern satellites, we are able to predict hurricanes and typhoons better. We still have a long way to go in predicting natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunami...Apparently, changing climate globally is a slow process which we have the ingenuity and technology to mitigate. We can relocate our coastal cities and manage our forests and farms. It is not the existential threat that some environmental activist wants us to believe. It is certainly not going to be the end of fossil fuel. We need it too much and our quality of life depends on it. IMHO...time will tell if I am right.