Peter’s prediction:
Honestly, I don’t think we’ll find the world unrecognisable in twenty years. We’ll still be going to work, deciding what to cook and watching something in the evening. The technology will be better, obviously. Whether the trains will run on time is another question.
What will change is where we look for ideas. America will still matter, but it will have lost some influence. China will have become the main centre of technological innovation, and we’ll be using more Chinese inventions without thinking much about it.
For culture, I reckon we’ll be looking towards Europe and India. We’ll be watching Indian films, following European artists and enjoying all sorts of new music and games.
There’ll still be problems, of course. Rent won’t suddenly become cheap. But most people will be getting on with their lives. Different centres of influence, better gadgets, the same arguments about whose turn it is to wash up.
Discuss
- In twenty years, which parts of everyday life will have changed most, and which will still be the same?
- Will China become the main centre of technological innovation? What will other parts of the world be contributing?
- What films will people be watching, what music will they be listening to, and where will this entertainment come from?