Telling The Future

I predict that, in the 21st Century, there will come a time when:

• Most of us will work at home but go to offices or factories "to get away from it all."
• Poverty will decline almost everywhere, but "want" will only get much worse.
• Underpopulation in overdeveloped countries will be a bigger problem than overpopulation in underdeveloped countries.
• Most fighting will occur over ideas and culture, rather than over land and resources. Borders between countries won't be very important, but in far too many places, boundaries between clans, ethnic groups and sects will be.
• Horrendous natural and biological disasters will be reminders of how vulnerable the human race is, just as horrendous wars were reminders of how stupid we could be in the 20th Century.
• Scientists will finally prove that science cannot prove that there is no God.
• Many animal species now considered extinct will unfortunately turn out to be otherwise. Families will regret not having had their pet wooly mammoth clones neutered as they were advised to, for example.
• Virtual experiences will be so prevalent that comprehending truth and reality will be a serious undertaking on a constant basis.
• With instant access to data, people will forget how to remember. Memorizing the Gettysburg Address by what's-his-name will be a remarkable feat.
• Daily life will resemble the distant past to an astonishing degree. Revivals of historical styles in architecture, fashion, and manners will be driven by a bizarre passion for authenticity.
• Recycling and material reuse will make it necessary only to conduct mining in landfills.

But that's all long-term future stuff. Here's a short-term prediction: You WILL renew your subscription to Modern Machine Shop, and you are going to do it right now, because you know that success in the future relies on good information—the kind of information you're used to getting in these pages. I predict that next year's issues will be especially timely and hard-hitting, with new departments, new columnists, and new types of articles. Go to www.mmsonline.com/subscribe.

You WILL do this. For future's sake.