Ten things I expect to see these next ten years:
1. Economic collapse worse than seen in the 1930′s. However, it will be perceived less difficult because of technology with microsized multimedia and cheap communication and a national surplus of STUFF from clothing to housing.
2. What we know as the modern church will become 100% universalist. The last fifty years those “stale, boring, and devisive doctrines of our grandparents” has been repugnantly replaced by absolutely NOTHING. This yet apparent chasm caused by a redshift in theology will at some point break wide open resulting in a massive fallout amongst all the churches. Home churches will be the natural supplement to fill the deficit of good theology.
3. Shock and awe will vanish from advertisements. There comes a point when a choice between “ultra high potency” or “industrial grade” are not competetive anymore. It is impossible to differentiate what they are saying, and by default the customer distrusts these exaggerations. Labels such as The Energy Star are only irritating clutter on packages. Public fatigue from supersizing of descriptions may bring about a new trend in advertising. Think practicality, utlity, and longevity advertised through personal experiences.
4. IQ’s will rise due to much fewer people attending college. Translation of knowlege and information is now free and easy through modern comunications. So why pay for that transaction? Degrees will be out of need and not just to fill cultures status quo. Reality check for those comunity colleges!
5. Many more women will CHOOSE to be stay at home moms and wives ditching other career options. Driving this will be a reconciliation of natural instinct, desires for simplicity, urban homesteading, and to protect their children from outside influences.
6. Walmart will get bigger, but only in the world market share.
7. This one is not a prediction but something I believe could play out. Revolutionary spats between government and the people. As unemployment explodes and taxes go up government employees will seek inflation adjusted sallaries. These will be bad times for teachers, police, public workers, and local politicians. Hopeless people who have nothing to lose will go out in a bang against the easiest targets. I call them “suicidal killing machines” hell bent on revenge.
8. Less malls but more warehouses. Less stores but more shops. Transactions of trade or bartaring for local hand produced goods or labor will be be filed through these small shops.
9. Destruction of todays middle-class comes to fruition. Not by taxes but the depletion of overpaid redundant or unnecessary jobs (streamlining), and the large debt still owed by most of the people in this quasi middle-class. Remember if a person’s net worth is in the negative and they fold, those negative dollars become an added burden to the whole society.
10. I do not see any technological break-throughs regarding energy and transportation. I do see us revisting nuclear power, starting to replace batteries with super capacitors, and LEDs replacing all lighting. One day the scam of the CFL will be recognized for what it is!
