Last time, we talked about an immature Type 1 civilization
under the Civilizational Range Model. If you haven’t seen the previous videos on this topic,
do check them out, the link is in the description below.
Today, we will be exploring a mature Type 1 civilization and some of its defining features!
According to Zubrin, much like individuals, societies grow when challenged and stagnate
when not. Human history has shown this many times where societies that have achieved unchallenged
dominance over their relevant domain have tended to crystallize into self-satisfied and static
forms, while societies that have been subject to stress have proved to be the most dynamic.
In other words, progress-driving stress is necessary for a civilization to invent and
innovate their technology to advance further. In our past, this progress-driving stress came in the
form of war and something he calls ‘frontier shock’. War as a driving force for progress,
however, has its limits. Any side that wins eventually unifies the domain
which removes any dynamic stress from the system. But a much more interesting and dynamic force in
human history has been "frontier shock,". This is the stress induced in societies as
they are forced to confront new lands filled with new possibilities and new knowledge.
Currently, the Earth's challenges have largely been met, and the planet is currently in the
process of effective unification. For Zubrin, “this marks the end, not of human history
but of the first phase of human history, our development into a mature Type I civilization”.
This is because, in space, we have a new frontier offering endless challenges. It is an infinite
frontier, filled with worlds waiting to be discovered and history waiting to be made.
For this reason, a mature Type 1 civilization in Zubrin’s view
is one that has spread across its home planet. He describes it
as a “Completed Global Civilization” that has invented and innovated the aerospace industry.
It is capable of launching satellites into orbit around its home planet for better communication,
navigation, and other space-related tasks. This means that it would also have significant
expertise when it comes to building rockets and other high-tech jets and aircrafts.
Moreover, space shuttles and space stations along with orbital commercial research labs, industrial
factories, space business parks, hotels, space asset servicing, and the construction of orbiting
solar power generation stations are all within the grasp of a fully mature Type 1 civilization.
Another criterion of a mature Type 1 civilization involves building permanent and strategically
structured colonies which include high-rise buildings, skyscrapers, and mega-cities.
Along with these, this type of civilization would be able to master and exploit all resources
available on its home planet. This would include fully mastering both renewable and non-renewable
resources such as solar, wind, hydro, and thermal along with nuclear fission and fusion.
So, in terms of this scale, humanity is a fairly Mature Type 1 civilization that has
spread across its entire homeworld. However, in order for us to completely surpass this frontier,
and become a fully mature Type 1 civilization, we must further develop and distribute our orbital
communication throughout the globe. In a real sense then, the establishment of the full range
of global communication services that our orbital industry could enable for humanity represents the
final step in establishing us as a mature Type I civilization under the Civilizational Range Scale.
But even when we master the orbital space along with all of our planet’s resources,
we cannot settle in Earth’s orbit as there is nothing there to settle according to Zubrin.
So, the human race will eventually have to venture further into space
to its natural satellite and nearby planets. This will enable us to obtain the status of an Immature
Type 2 civilization. But that is a topic best left for another time!
If you enjoyed this video, make sure to like, share, and comment!
Until then, we’ll see you in the next one!