What the World Will Look Like by 2050
What the World Will Look Like by 2050 – TIME
Imagine a world where pirates run amok, blowing themselves up in European city centers; where wars are ignited over lack of drinking water; where a global face-off between Islam and Christianity makes World War II look like a water-balloon fight. According to economist and political scientist Jacques Attali, that is what the future has in store for us by 2025. In the belief that past experiences are indicative future events, Attali combs through the history of human kind, all the way back to Homo Habilis, separating the past into nine distinct periods to isolate “what is possible, what changes and what is unvarying” and applies those trends to the coming century. Attali’s predictions range from the future of journalism (completely paperless) to the end of the economic crisis (around 2011), offering a glimpse into the future that is both provocative and petrifying.
I just got out of a panel discussion sponsored by the PSU Economics department, and it left me all the more depressed about the future, international markets, and human nature. We live in a world that seems to be declining in so many ways. It seems like neoliberalism in the context of globalization is very misguided. I’m beginning to wonder if we should all offer Marx an open apology. Bring on socialism for all I care. We obviously can’t be trusted to make responsible decisions without the threat of consequences.
