Have you ever thought about what the world would look like 50 years from now?
In 50 years, for sure, we will see delivery companies transporting packages in 30 minutes or less using self-guided drones. Pizza, flowers, groceries and anything else will be dropped on our doorsteps. Just imagine how that might change our lives — let’s say that you forgot your wedding anniversary. Oops, you check your phone and 30 minutes later you get her a new watch! The end of shopping! Amazing. The same is true if you need new organs. Last week a Frenchman received an artificial heart. In the future, such devices will allow you to replace your heart, liver, lungs or kidneys, mimicking nature using biological materials and sensors.
If we take the long view about science and human progress though, it doesn’t matter when drones and artificial organs will ever come into place. What really matters, according to Isaac Asimov, are the implications these new technologies will have for our society. As mentioned, mankind is already suffering and will suffer more and more from the “disease of boredom” in the future. Life expectancy will one day hit 90 years in some parts of the world, while the world continues to become extremely automated. Faced with overpopulated cities, extreme unemployment and serious budget constraints, all governments will have to answer the same questions: why did we fail to prepare our people to live in the future? Why did we delay policies to address our aging population and brain drain issues? Why did we wait so long to develop our creative industries and fight mass markets? The truth, however, is that the answers to those questions won’t matter anymore because it will all be too late.
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