Things Turned Out The Way I Said They Would
One measure of someone who presumes to predict the future is to see how their past predictions turned out. Here are some of mine, which appeared in Earth Quarterly #1, May 1998. Not bad, I'd say:
HERE COMES THE 21st CENTURY, LIKE IT OR NOT!
Although it is impossible to predict the future in detail, I think we can map out some general trends, and they aren’t pretty. If we thought the 20th Century was something, we ain’t seen nothing yet! Here are some safe bets: Overpopulation will get much worse, destruction of the biosphere will become even more extreme, the rich will continue to get richer at the expense of everyone else, government will continue to have a severe case of "rot at the top," decadence will increase as society as we knew it continues to degenerate, and the worship of wealth and technology will remain the de facto religion of the global mass culture.
This sounds like a grim scenario, but I think it’s necessary to face up to reality if we seriously expect to do anything about it. There are positive trends occurring as well—the ongoing empowerment of women is an outstanding example—and hopefully these positive changes will have a cumulative, and transforming, effect.
For the present time, "full speed ahead and damn the consequences" remains the unspoken policy of the global ruling class. It remains to be seen if we can sufficiently change the destructive momentum of our species in time to avert the ecological catastrophes that await us if we don’t.
HERE COMES THE 21st CENTURY, LIKE IT OR NOT!
Although it is impossible to predict the future in detail, I think we can map out some general trends, and they aren’t pretty. If we thought the 20th Century was something, we ain’t seen nothing yet! Here are some safe bets: Overpopulation will get much worse, destruction of the biosphere will become even more extreme, the rich will continue to get richer at the expense of everyone else, government will continue to have a severe case of "rot at the top," decadence will increase as society as we knew it continues to degenerate, and the worship of wealth and technology will remain the de facto religion of the global mass culture.
This sounds like a grim scenario, but I think it’s necessary to face up to reality if we seriously expect to do anything about it. There are positive trends occurring as well—the ongoing empowerment of women is an outstanding example—and hopefully these positive changes will have a cumulative, and transforming, effect.
For the present time, "full speed ahead and damn the consequences" remains the unspoken policy of the global ruling class. It remains to be seen if we can sufficiently change the destructive momentum of our species in time to avert the ecological catastrophes that await us if we don’t.
posted by Gordon Solberg at 6:57 AM
1 Comments:
Another Earth Quarterly 1998 bit of truth...
I got a kick out of your post. It's absolutely true that you had it pinned down in 1998.
Oddly (perhaps) in the curious interface between the realm of dreams and the waking world of "important" considerations, I had a vision of a funny and timely T-Shirt slogan. Now perhaps I know why that seemingly random image came to me in the wee dark hours... I didn't know it then, but it's not for me, but for you to wear.
The T-Shirt would say simply:
"I Told You So"
I think it would be honest, funny and appropriate. You've definitely earned the right after 30+ years of pointing to the obvious, sounding the alarm for the masses and living your life as a demonstration of what's right, to find a little humor in pointing out that you called it right all along...
Not everyone could say or wear that phrase with humility, and humor but I can see it for you...
Somehow, visualizing you with that slogan emblazoned on your chest makes me smile...
Your blog grows richer all the time... Thanks!
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