The outbreak of resource crisis never breaks out suddenly without warning. It often shows signs a long time ago, and then slowly, slowly, resource extraction becomes more and more difficult, the cost becomes higher and higher, and the supply becomes less and less. It is like boiling a frog in warm water. Put civilization into desperate situation.
At this moment, more than thirty years have passed since Zhao Changxing first noticed signs of resource crisis.
At that time, human civilization tried its best to send the Voyager spacecraft to the Jupiter system in the inner solar system. Six years ago, a larger Voyager 2 spacecraft with a more optimized design and a larger population was sent to the Jupiter system.
However, even if everything goes well, it will still take at least 20 years until the resource supplies from the Jupiter system reach Sedna.
But now, the deepening of the resource crisis has had a serious impact on the development of civilization.
Looking at the many reports in front of him, Zhao Changxing looked solemn.
The development of human civilization is somewhat faster than originally expected. This is a good thing given the high probability that the Moyun Litar civilization will invade the solar system. But from another perspective, this adds pressure to the current resource supply system that is already overwhelmed.
If this continues, I am afraid that within a few years, Zhao Changxing will have to announce that civilization will implement a resource rationing system.
Sighing secretly in his heart, Zhao Changxing responded to a request for instructions.
"Stop the construction of new space cities for the time being. Our current resource supply cannot keep up."
Another year later, Zhao Changxing slowed down the rate at which the artificial womb could gestate fetuses. After that, just stop everything. Because Zhao Changxing realized that civilization could no longer support more people at this moment.
Therefore, at this moment, the increase in the population of human civilization depends entirely on people's natural breeding.
After that, Zhao Changxing took the initiative to reduce the mining rate of iron ore, chromium ore, etc. Affected by this, the operating rate of a large number of smelting plants has dropped to less than 70%.
In civilization, the situation of always having insufficient manpower has completely disappeared. There are even some unemployed people starting to appear.
For these unemployed people, the human government also has a very complete security system, which can at least ensure that they do not go hungry or freeze, can afford medical treatment, and have a place to live. But don’t think about anything more.
Human civilization, which was originally prosperous, took the initiative to slow down its progress at this stage.
In Ocean City, the sea, which the residents of Ocean City are proud of, has begun to dry up again. Among the many space cities, the water level of the artificial rivers that people often go to for leisure has also begun to slowly decrease.
The increase in the unemployed population has caused the deterioration of social security. Zhao Changxing saw with heartache that the crime rate in civilization began to increase, some crazy people began to block roads and rob, and some able-bodied people began to bully the weak.
Although Zhao Changxing has improved the security level, this kind of crime is still prohibited repeatedly.
In discussions time after time, human governments have not failed to respond. For example, extending the schooling time and requiring graduates not to enter the society immediately after graduation but to continue their studies, such as recruiting temporary personnel on a large scale, carrying out comprehensive and thorough sanitation and troubleshooting of each space city, etc.
Some people also suggested that Zhao Changxing take the initiative to reduce the automation rate to accommodate more workers, but this suggestion was firmly rejected by Zhao Changxing.
This kind of accommodating the labor force simply for the sake of accommodating the labor force will not actually create more social wealth, but will actually reduce the overall social efficiency. Zhao Changxing will not do it.
However, no matter how many countermeasures Zhao Changxing took, they would only treat the symptoms rather than the root cause. If the most fundamental problem of resource depletion is not solved, no matter how much we do, it will not have much effect.
But no one has any better way. The only thing people can do is wait.
Just wait, just wait.
Wei Ming is a young man who has just graduated a few years ago. He originally had a job in an Internet company. The monthly salary was not too high but not low either, and it was enough to support him to live happily. But recently, the company went bankrupt for unknown reasons. He also lost his job, and now he is going to need relief.
Although he has enough food and clothing and a place to live, which young man full of ambitions is willing to go on relief like this?
By the way, doesn’t the resource crisis only affect the industry? Why are Internet companies involved in the Internet also affected and closed down? This is too unreasonable.
But things have happened, and Wei Ming can only accept it helplessly.
Early this morning, he got up, put on the clothes he usually couldn't bear to wear, picked up his resume like a dog, and went out to find a job.
Carefully avoiding some guys on the street who didn't look like good people, avoiding young people playing football in the middle of the road, and avoiding people in groups chatting in the virtual sun, Wei Ming finally came to the recruitment stage. The entrance to the center.
He straightened his clothes, looked back at the losers, and snorted contemptuously. Then, he opened the door confidently.
Four hours later, with his hair disheveled and his clothes messed up, he left the recruitment center dejectedly.
"It seems nice to chat in the sun."
Such a thought suddenly came into his mind. There was nothing to do when I got home anyway, so I just lazily leaned against the wall. The people next to them were chatting about something. Wei Ming listened for a while and couldn't help but add a few words, so the group of people started chatting eagerly.
It wasn't until the sun got dark that Wei Ming reluctantly went to the collective cafeteria to eat and then returned home.
After sitting on the bed for a while, he suddenly slapped himself hard in the mouth.
"Wei Ming, how can you not strive for progress like this! Did you collapse after a setback? You have to continue looking for a job tomorrow!"
Early the next morning, the alarm clock rang on time. Wei Ming tried his best to open his eyes. He was just thinking about getting up, washing up, and going to the recruitment center, but when he thought of the crowded people inside, as well as the strict requirements and arrogant attitude of the recruiters, he felt full of fear.
"It's better... let's wait until tomorrow. Get a good sleep first."
When I woke up again, it was noon.
Wei Ming sat on the bed blankly and slapped himself hard again.
"How can you do this without seeking to improve!"
After staying for a while, Wei Ming finally wailed: "This is a damn resource crisis!"
Time slipped away quietly due to Wei Ming's constant struggle, his occasional ups and downs and his long-term decadence. One day, when he fell into the habitual decadence again, suddenly, the arrival of a phone call broke the peace.
"Wei Ming, right? I'm from xx company. You once submitted a resume to our company. Do you remember? It's like this. Our company's business is expanding and we are in urgent need of salespeople. Do you still have any intention?"
Wei Ming was stunned for a moment before he reacted. It seems that I did submit a resume to this xx company a few years ago...
what's the situation? Are you so lucky?
"Yes, yes, yes." Wei Ming's head was nodding like a chicken chasing rice: "When are you going to work? Now? Wow! The salary has been increased by 50%? Okay, okay, I'll report it right away!"
At this moment, Wei Ming felt that the sun was shining into his heart again, and everything was filled with a sense of happiness.
But before he could report it, another call came.
"Wei Ming, right? I'm from XX Steel Group. Our company is in urgent need of programmers! Are you interested? The salary is good!"
xx Steel Group! That is an enterprise directly under the human government! In the past, I didn’t even dare to think about this kind of work, but now, they actually took the initiative to call me!
This this……
Is it really pie in the sky?
"me……"
I agreed in a daze, but before I could calm down, the third call came again.
"Wei Ming, right? We are the Ocean City Municipal Government Center! Are you interested in working with us?"
Ocean City Civic Center? Hasn’t the sea dried up long ago? What else is the Civic Center hiring for?
"You can treat me as you wish!"
Wei Ming subconsciously multiplied the treatment of XX Steel Group by 2 and reported it.
"Okay! When will you come to work!"
Damn it! Is this okay?
"me……"
The fourth call came. Then the fifth, the sixth...
Throughout the whole day, Wei Ming didn't even go out of the house, but answered the phone at home. Find your own company, each one has a bigger background and better treatment than the last one. It's like, if I could go to work now, those people would be eager to carry me there on a sedan chair.
Is this world... still the world I live in?
Wei Ming was a little confused.
But at night, an urgent news break answered all his questions.
On the TV, Zhao Changxing solemnly announced: "The first batch of 1 million tons of supplies from the Jupiter system will arrive in the orbit of Sedna in one month!"
"According to Captain Cheng Xuanjia's report, since the first batch of supplies arrived, the amount of supplies arriving every day will increase by at least one percent above the level of the previous day, until the daily supply reaches a high of 70 million tons of supplies!"
"Compatriots! The resource crisis is finally over. From now on, our civilization will set sail again!"
"It turns out...the resource crisis is over..."
Wei Ming murmured, suddenly feeling the urge to cry in his heart.
"The resource crisis is over, I have a job again and can earn more money..."
One month later.
At the space terminal base of the space elevator, Zhao Changxing saw with his own eyes the first batch of 1,000 standard resource boxes from more than 10 billion kilometers away.
After a long journey of 20 years, Zhao Changxing still seems to be able to feel the power of civilization's progress from these boxes.
Just like the rain coming from the drought-stricken rice seedlings, the entire civilization was rejuvenated in a very short period of time.
