What will the world be like in 2052?

It is indisputable that many things have changed since the times of our grandparents, but what will the world be like when our grandchildren are beginning to enter adulthood? I’d like to hear all your thoughts on this subject, but speculation about cities on Mars will remain just that

I shudder to think what would happen in 50 years. I often ask myself, “What could possibly follow Women’s Lib, Black Power and Gay Pride?” RAW once said “To realise what the average conservative thinks when seeing a Gay Pride parade, think of what the average liberal thinks when seeing a cannibal pride parade.” But would we see many things that you and I see as unacceptable being accepted. Would even the most free-thinking among us become reactionary when confronted by the freedoms of the new world? After all, if the reformers of 50 years ago kept the same ideas they had then, they would be seen as conservative now.

Medical Technology is another area I find fascinating. Are we approaching immortality? Does our destiny lie with the Machine, or the Flesh? Will an end to death prove to be an end to the spark which makes us who we are? Without the necessary Intellignce Increase that Leary spoke about, will we turn our creations on ourselves in a final orgy of “human nature”?

I strongly believe that we cannot sustain ourselves on a closed Earth and that our future lies outside, but how much progress will me make in that area in as short a time as 50 years, merely 3/4 of a lifetime? Will we finally realise that the solution to so many of our resource and territorial problems lies in the infinate universe, or will the General Stupidity of leaders doom us to senescence in a closed system we will eventually drain dry.

As I said before I would like to hear your opinions, not just in the areas above but in all areas you personally find important; you opinions no matter how far-out or communist they may be.

And most importantly, will humanity ever create wall-mounted keyboards?

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Wall mounted keyboards? This must be THE FUTURE!
“What happened to Space Chef?” “You mean Chief” “Chief Chef?”

Maybe I’m being narrow minded, but the only reason I would feel revulsion at a cannibal pride parade is because you normally have to kill someone to eat their flesh, it’s not exactly comparable to gay pride, as no one gets hurt there (or at least it’s consenting-hurt )…

Maybe I’m extremely open in my views, but I can’t think of much that I find wrong as long as everyone is respecting everyone else’s freedom.

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 17 April 2002).]

I don’t think he meant cannibalism was good, just that that’s how most conservatives feel when they see it.

Anyway, what you you think the world will be like in 50 years time?

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Wall mounted keyboards? This must be THE FUTURE!
“What happened to Space Chef?” “You mean Chief” “Chief Chef?”

what i would like the world to be like:-

USE - united states of europe, a place for both big business and socialism.

medical advances - eg cure for AIDS, plus free for all.

america no longer the superpower - trust me it’s for the good

conservationism having it’s rightful place in society.

and hopefully, a world with less inequality, oppression, capitalism and violence.

absolutely nothing like anything we could imagine now.

who 50 years ago would possibly have even been able to get their head around the principles behind posting on this message board?

and technology is advancing exponentially…

oh and as far as the wall mounted keyboards thing goes… some double-sided tape should do the trick

I’m still waiting for someone who gets that joke.[/url]

er… first episode of futurama maybe?

Nope, much earlier than that. A cult TV show called Mystery Science Theater 3000. It was a show where they showed really really terrible old movies, and in the foreground you could see sillhouettes of people watching it. They basically made cracks throughout the entire film. It is by a long way one of the funniest programmes ever made.

well if we’re still here in 50 years…
…we would probably be still tidying up from a global war. This one could get messy you see.
then the standard improvements in technology. like say, robots cleaning your homes (and dont tell me we already have them, because whilst they exist no-one uses them!!!)
i’m sure the japanese will have made a pocket hi-fi system in 50 years time. thats about the only thing they havent managed yet.
and i bet some funky disease/virus/plague hits the developed countries sending them into collapse - just because the third world countries have had enough of it!!

archie’s point about why a cannibal rights parade is different from a gay rights march because gay activity doesn’t hurt anybody, and there is mutual consent. well, that is a very good point!

in 2052, the israeli state will have no name, so no nation has ultimate sovereignty. there will be a widespread problem amongst the arab world, with many young muslims denouncing their religion. the ‘silent holocaust’ will nearly finish, with jews no longer officially jews if they do not choose to be so.

mts will be a state school, taking in local rich-kids all originating from asia and asia-minor. greenaway will still be there, unpromoted.

to see the supposed breakaway movement of the future, it is important to identify which areas of the collective conscience are still ‘undeveloped’. will we move directly towards an accepted ideal, where truths concerning Death and Perfection become widely acknowledged by societies? or will we move slowly towards no particular societal point, by the zig-zag, piecemeal route, or to use hegel’s fine jargon, ‘dialectically’.

the rate of movement will vary across the world, so i’d be limited to the western societies i know best.

africa will be ruled by the west once again. a new virus will threaten humanity. our species will be in an even stronger position to eliminate it.

political economy in europe will be placed where we currently consider the left wing to be situated. the demographic time bomb will force that.

the e.u. will take longer than expected rival the usa’s power.

also accepted by social engineers, will be the fact that, if society and individuals’ lives are determined fairly, there will be less antithesis. they will also realise that ‘enterprise’ is necessary for all individuals to realise their own perfection and fulfill their own will to power.

move slowly towards fairness and enterprise. gordon brown started yesterday.

a famous and influential person will be murdered.

'tis important to stay within the realms of possiblity when predicting the future. space od.2001 was a bit innaccurate. and 1984 was miles off.

'tis also important not to be overly conservative. who in 1900 would have thought that we’d go to moon, know how we got here, and produce ulysess.

there will be a goldrush period where scientists will claim to have discovered new dimensions.

umberto eco will win the nobel prize for literature.

salman rushdie MAY also. as long as he does not come out with any more poor efforts like his last.

there will be a philosophical renaissance, where continental philosophy will ask new questions of science and new existence-flips.

there will be another consumer renaissance, except people will want higher taxes and public spending. if you think dialectically and laterally, it should make sense. (if not post a topic asking why.)

‘memetics’ will be on the 6th.form (or equivalent) syllabus.

we will zigzag our way towards the future.

In fifty years, people will be nostalgic for the present time, almost pretending it doesn’t completely suck.

In 50 years time there will be the first signs of colonisation on planets with suitablt atmospheric living conditions. In 50 years time there will be so many medical cure known that our world population will have almost tripled.

We will all be able to take holidays on space, society will be none the wiser, and fashion will still go round in circles with minor additions except white and silver being popular!

Well then thats me the narrow minded one!

in 50 years will we be dated?
lets say that artificial insemination becomes popular in america… you drop 5k for the chance(a greater one that is) of haveing a child with an IQ of over 150 and near olympic athletic skill, is this pausable? or even better genetic engenering, will the extreem become the normal and we become the “last years model” of mankind?
Will we as natural beings be dated or am I on crack as usual?(and the real question is does it matter?)
just a thought

thisis a topic that i am extremly interested in however at this moment i leave all my funny and crazy ideas for myself (i also find they are not so creative and suprising. i basically hate ‘things’ and i prefer to put everything like pen, paper, phone, light, computer, tv and book in my body and head and i sometimes hate to talk too many people’s beautiful voice are so ‘loud’ you know so…what? no!!! not a zip for our lovely lips) and instead, talk about something extremly serious. 2052-2003=49 and it is about who will lead and change this world during these 49 years. one ‘group’ of them will be, well, if one is 65 y.o. in 2052 they are 65-49=16 y.o. now. i want to talk about people…children around…actually a little less than this age. my observation is pretty limited so you can even say it is my illusion. i am impressed by some aspects of harry potter series movies. and some other movies. i found a for me extremly symbolism movie about a weeks ago and in fact i have watched it several times this week: the day the world ended. i ever read a little kafka and those parts i was really impressed was sometimes it brought me the real peace. at these moments it is ‘something’ not ‘human being’ getting along with us. if you ever read them, they are bread, green and slow (? because now i don’t have any his books with me) dragon, dead man (?) in a small boat, etc…‘i can’t seem to find myself among human being and their nature’. “i am not one of you” i personally hope the world in 2052 is a world we treat what we call real things and our imagination much fairer, i think computer and internet will help it comes true. my point is these children have gradually learned only they themselves, not anybody else, can saved them. my point to observe is how an actor ‘explains’ their roles. we still need more force to help ourselves and it is actually in our body and soul.

If things continue as they are, nations will topple and be replaced by business affiliations. Large corporations will replace national governments. Instead of being a belgian or an american you will be a Shell Oil Citizen or an AT&T patriot. People will continue to be brainwashed by the cave we know as television and eventually demand they have no rights. Michael Jackson will be the first person ever frozen and brought back to life.

As for entertainment, computer games and movies will be very close to reality. The progress in these areas has been enhanced dramatically and will probably continue until they are on the cusp of reality. Once they reach reality, then things will get really interesting.