Well it looks like SR is basically on its way according to Jacques Attali, only a lot worse:

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1890927,00.html

But that's if we even make it that long:

http://i.gizmodo.com/5219598/how-long-will...-we-are-screwed

A lot of these posts sound like fear mongering, so I'm curious as to the opinions of forum members who are more knowledgeable in these matters than I. Are we destined for SR or worse dystopia, or are we going to continue on our mediocre way?

I'm not too worried about either article. The first posts problems, but ignores the fact that new solutions will be devised to meet them (perhaps bad solutions, but better than the problems listed). The second ignores the reduction in minerals used, improvements in methods of finding new materials, and improvements in recycling and reclaiming old materials. The second is basically peak oil, ignoring that these elements cannot ever be 'destroyed' or used up, they can just become more energy-expensive to find.

Over-Population will never be as big a Problem as people make it out to be . .
Especially since such big populations stem the fear of not getting enough ressources to sustain themselves.
Thus war will happen again and take care of the over-population-problem, by using up the ressources needed.
While killing people. So in the end, there's less people alive, but less ressources to sustain them too.
So they fight again.
Downward Spiral.