2012, the watershed year for humanity

Schnee Wolfe

Been thinking about 2012, and what it means to the future, and how the future will see the beginning of this Millennium;

First, it has been a rocky road economically, since the 90's and it doesn't look to be about to change; this is because the foundations upon which our economies rest, have changed from manufacturing, to information, and technology in the hands of the masses (Literally); this can only be accelerated as we become more technologically/information consumers, with ever more complex gadgets become available, for communications, medicine, and entertainment/education;

Second, there has been an unleashing of money stored up in banks, by Billionaires, around the world, out to make a mark in the world, to be remembered, not necessarily to make more money; many are in high risk ventures, where as it is said, how to become a Millionaire, start with a Billion Dollars, and go into XYZ industry; well, many are, from racing cars, and boats, investing in world charities, exploration to the furthest unreached places of our planet, to now starting up space infrastructure companies, building rockets, space ships, and robots to travel the inner solar system;

Third, it is no longer the realm of governments to push the boundaries of human society, in many cases they can't afford to, having become risk and progressive issues averse; government has become stagnated, and backward looking; it has become the norm to be ultra conservative, and yearn for the past; pushing against the progressive factions in society; like the little boy with his finger in the dyke, in Holland, they see only the trickle that is before them, not the great waves pouring over the edges around them;

2012 has seen the final proving or disproving of a Physics problem that has puzzled physicists for 50 - 60 years; Commercial Space has taken the lead in development of humanities adventure to the stars, though NASA and other Gov't Space Agencies haven't seen the writing on the wall yet; the potential for people to live beyond 120 or 150 years has become a reality, in the labs, and will in 30 years become common place; Robots, will no longer be in factories or as toys, but will have evolved in 30 years to be fully human, even as we speak one of their ancestors in on the Space Station, doing useful work; and these are only the peaks of an iceberg, that lies around us; 

In summary, this year, 2012, will be a watershed year for humanity; not just North America, "The Western Civilizations", but the whole world; in 20 to 30 years from now, people will look back, just as my parents generation did, in the late 30's and 40's and wonder at how far they have come, with all the new stuff; but they will have no conception, of what the future will be like for their children or Grand-Children; it will be as alien to them, as it would be traveling back to the year 1812;



Welcome to the future, got your boarding pass??