The Hyperloop stands to be one of the greatest technological advancements in transportation history. Humanity will someday in the near future gain the ability to travel across the globe in a matter of hours. The impact of this technology on the Anthropocene will be unprecedented. On the one hand, the technology is a primarily “green” tech. The hyperloop will most likely be solar powered and highly efficient. In terms of fossil fuels, our use of them will become minimal. But the initial construction will most likely be one of the most resource intensive tasks humanity has ever undertaken. My question is, who will reap the benefits of such a major investment? In the United States, it will most likely be the first successful billionaire to do the project, who can then
become richer than ever before. In more authoritarian regions like China, the government will complete the project and reap the rewards themselves, having the control of who goes where and when.
The next issue is how do those entirely opposite entities connect? Will the People’s Republic of China want to create a direct link between them and the United States? Will The United States want to create a direct link between them and Russia? If the world was to connect in an instantaneous pipeline of human travel, we will have to overcome the boundaries that define humanity. Each nation's ideas of border, culture, and creed will have to fade into the background of world politics if we are to peacefully connect through a network of hyperloops. Will the hyperloop become a topic of discussion in declarations of war? Will the hyperloop be used as the furthering of the world military theater, allowing for unprecedented troop movements. The hyperloop has the ability to exponentially accelerate the migrations of humans as talked about by John Palmasino. Is humanity ready for such a change in the Anthropocene? Will the hyperloop be cause of greater radicalization of groups on every side of the spectrum
In the spirit of Cyberpunk, I believe that whatever trillion dollar corporation and whatever major governmental power successfully implements the hyperloop as a major means of transportation will have to begin to take measures of mass assimilation and indoctrination of the populace in order to accept this new world order that is instantaneous assimilation of humankind. The American Melting Pot could become a worldwide phenomenon, but it will most likely happen at gunpoint. Clashes between peoples will have to be mitigated by a major worldwide superpower, and you will begin to see “peacekeepers” a common cyberpunk phenomenon. Such peacekeepers will also be needed to protect the passengers of the hyperloop, as well as the hyperloop itself from the ever-growing population of starving people, who will attempt to strip the line for parts to sell to feed their children. Pirates and bandits and stowaways will become regular occupants of the hyperloop.
The gap between the super rich and the super poor will continue to grow, but that doesn’t mean everyone will be without opportunity. The world population will grow, as people are able to move to areas of greater prosperity and greater means of life. Families will be more connected than ever, and business trips will become faster and more efficient. What is an efficient transportation system with no one to ride it? The major world powers will have to maintain a state of economic prosperity, enough to give reason to ride the worldwide hyperloop system, in order for them to turn a profit. Whether that be Universal Basic Income or just a new discovery of a massive amount of new jobs in new technological industries, there will need to be major expansion of human success on all levels. Architecture will grow and change alongside all of these worldwide phenomena, the mixing of cultures will create a new mix of architectural design. The new technology will create new architectural form. The hyperloop will most likely create major metropolitan areas at the biggest stops. Super-dense populations will begin to form in these mega-cities, creating new issues all on its own. Buildings will grow larger and security will grow tighter. But there will be no more need for fossil fuel burning cars and trucks.
Looking at the American Industrial Revolution, new technological advancements were made and people hopped on the trains to move to the city. These new mega cities would also benefit from radial city planning, with the hyperloop station at the center, branching off into multiple directions. A migration away from traditional architectural forms would allow buildings to shape to this radial design of cities, while also reaching into the sky. Across the board LED lighting will keep these cities well lit 24/7, keeping people moving many hours a day fueled by whatever food and caffeine substitute is developed.
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