EPT
1. Concept for the future in general (the whole world and the humanity, that is)
2. Idea of one's personal future.
These two are entirely different things, and thou they may have a strong connection, one can exist without the other. For example, Joe thinks, in 2040 robots will take over the Earth, but he has no idea, what he is going to do, when he is done with the college, which is going to happen in 3 years time.
I want to focus on the first category , the future in general and how we form our expectations, ideas and visions about it. As everything else, our opinion about the topic is determined by the information sources, in the most brightest sense, we are coming across. Mass media, books, education, our family and the environment we grew up in, personal experience, etc. Our ideas about life, death and everything that is between and after, reflects our ability to absorb the information around us.
Indeed, the concept for the future of any individual can hardly be unique, humans imagination already captured most of the possibilities in sci-fi literature and movies, but aside from that, the technological advancement in general seems to be predictable, even thou it does happen as fast as people (or sci-fi authors in specific) expect it to happen.
I was think about all this the other day, and I really asked myself where the world and the humanity is going and what is going to happen in say 30 or so years time. My thoughts let me to the realizations, that there are a couple of basic concepts, the godfathers of our sci-fi imaginations, ideas that were long ago :
Global natural disaster, end of humanity
One of the most common idea about the future, is that the world will come to an end and humans will face extinction because of a natural disaster. Tones of prophecies, books and movies were made on the topic.
Technological dystopia
A future where the girls are like Motoko Kusanagi and the boys are like JC Denton. Future with no moral boundaries, where everything, regarding science and medicine is possible and allowed.
Third World War
Another common idea is that humanity, social order, nature and environment as we know them today will stop being, because of a great national conflict, including nuclear or chemical weapons.
Social Collapse
A future where the social order of today, both in terms of policy and goods distribution, is no more. The most likely reason for it will be the economy.
New social order, Utopia
Communism comes in mind, but maybe it could be something completely different. Main idea is new system of goods distribution and policy, all for a greater good.
Technological and spiritual Utopia
Mankind achieves immortality, there are no diseases, we live in perfect harmony with the world around us. Our goal is to explore the universe and the reason of our being.
Or maybe none of those will happen? What do you think?
Poll: What is your concept about the future?
New social order, Utopia (4)
33%
Global natural disaster, end of humanity (3)
25%
Third World War (2)
17%
Social Collapse (2)
17%
Technological dystopia (1)
8%
Technological and spiritual Utopia (0)
0%
Something different (explain what) (0)
0%
12 total votes
Global natural disaster, end of humanity (3)
Third World War (2)
Social Collapse (2)
Technological dystopia (1)
Technological and spiritual Utopia (0)
Something different (explain what) (0)
12 total votes
Your vote: What is your concept about the future?
(Vote): Global natural disaster, end of humanity
(Vote): Technological dystopia
(Vote): Third World War
(Vote): Social Collapse
(Vote): New social order, Utopia
(Vote): Technological and spiritual Utopia
(Vote): Something different (explain what)
