[goodpoint]

> In 50 years we might look at pollution as we look at smoking now, a terrible self-inflicted wound on civilization

I'm convinced in 500 years we'll look as today's civilization as barbarian.

Like drug addicts, we know we are poisoning ourselves and destroying the natural resources we depend on and we cannot stop.

[soulofmischief]

Why wait? I see modern society as barbaric right now.

[hombre_fatal]

They probably mean that it becomes the mainstream/obvious view.

We take most of the society we live in for granted as the way things just are or should be.