Michio Kaku

Michio Kaku's typology of 3 extraterrestrial civilizations places the responsibility for the survival of Earth in our hands. Until we on Earth evolve towards a cooperative vision of ourselves and our resources, we might never make it to the Big 3-- the extraterrestrial civilizations that have learned to harness the power of cohesion, cooperation, technology and galactic capabilities.

How much are we working towards a cooperative vision of the world?

Here is a synopsis of the 3 civilizations.

Type 1 civilization is one that has harnessed planetary power. It can control the forces of the earth; globalization, unified culture, political systems and language are the hallmarks of Type 1 civilization.

Type 2 civilization harnesses stellar power. It gets power from the Mother star and uses solar flares for energy.

Type 3 civilization harnesses the energy of millions of stars in the galaxy. It uses galactic power and has the power to soar across hyperspace.

Given these scenarios, where is Earth?

According to Michio Kaku, Earth is Type 0, struggling to become Type 1. Already, there is a lot of evidence that we are moving in the direction of a Type 1 civilization with true globalization and sharing of resources.

Gwynne Dyer's article on the surprising multi-racial tolerance in Great Britain is a case in point. One in five children in Britain now belongs to an ethnic minority. Forty years ago Britain was rife with doom and gloom forecasts about the race warfare that would ensue from the influx of immigrants into the country. Enoch Powell, a Conservative politician made a dire "prediction" in 1968 that race wars would proliferate if the United Kingdom did not stop non-white immigration into the empire.

Guess what? Forty years later, we have a truly multicultural Britain. The different cultures are not clashing with each other. They are marrying each other. This is the new generation of Brits for whom color is meaningless. Among British children who have an Indian heritage, 11 percent live in families with one parent from white descent. Among children of Chinese descent, 35 percent have one white parent. Among children with a black Caribbean heritage, 49 percent do. Modern Brits are embracing the true meaning of multiculturalism!

We also have the signs of a Type 1 economy in the EU and Nafta.

But then, as Michio Kaku says, we have other forces that insist on separation and terrorism. If we can reduce these menacing forces that choose to pit one culture against another, then Earth has a chance of becoming a Type 1 civilization. Everything hinges on what we can do now to create a community of cultural, racial, political diversity and cooperation. This is a necessary component of Type 1 civilizations.

Other civilizations have attempted this transition, but did not make it. Atlantis is an example. Political clashes between factions were responsible for the end days of Atlantis.

Do we dare write a different history?

Here is Michio Kaku on the 3 types of civilizations: