Talking about "the future" is one of my favorite things to do on my free iTunes show, David Seaman Hour! Here are a few of the predictions that I think will intrigue readers:
1. People will be much nicer in the future. I don't think capitalism or self-interest will go away, by any means, but it is entirely likely that "nice" will become the new hipster aloof. If you're an East Coaster who has ever flown to Los Angeles and been blown away by how nice and helpful the average LA resident is to a complete stranger, rejoice, because this is an experience that may take off nationwide. Reason for this prediction: The increasing ubiquity of social media and next-generation recording devices like Google Glass will make it almost impossible to be a rude tool in public without near instantaneous hivemind scorn from all over the world.
2. Venezuela will become our buddy, or at least a solid tourist destination. Rulers change. Venezuela has a nice climate, is in the Western hemisphere, is not run by religious fundamentalists (just a dictator! But he won't be in power forever!), and—can't leave this out—is the fifth largest oil exporter in the world. In other words, we'll be great friends with Venezuela at some point in our lifetimes. Or we'll bring them military-delivered "freedom."Reason for this prediction: Oil, my boy! It flows!
3. Space travel is going to be a middle class pursuit. Our future is going to resemble a Ridley Scott movie, as far as space travel is concerned... except perhaps without the aliens and their deadly face-hugger spawn. But working class folk will take to the stars, funded by space mining companies. You see, there are undeniably trillions of dollars in natural resources floating around just in our solar system alone, waiting for the right entrepreneur to send hurtling back to Earth. Also, after reading this interview with SpaceX's Elon Musk, it is quite clear that private industry is finally putting serious attention into mass-producing space travel components. If you could only build one iPhone per decade, that iPhone would no doubt cost hundreds of millions or billions of dollars. But mass-produce them in a Foxconn factory or wherever, and the cost per unit plummets. Same thing will occur with space travel. It will become mundane, commonplace, and affordable.
4. Viruses will be obliterated with over-the-counter nanobot pills. If the early 20th century was amazed by the advent of antibiotics, I think the early to mid 21st century will be equally amazed by nanotech's possibilities. Programmed, self-replicating nanobots could course through your bloodstream, attack a particular virus (say, the cold or the flu), and then deactivate once the job's been done. I recently talked with the always brilliant Matt Staggs on the show about this, he wasn't terribly convinced by my theory, but only time will tell!
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