In the early 21st Century, the electronic “information society” will be replaced by societies based on genetic and molecular engineering … This portends forms and processes of “participation” and “democracy” that are presently beyond my ability to imagine in sufficient detail.
Predictor: Dator, Jim
Prediction, in context:In a 1991 research presentation he made to the Communications Working Group at the 12th world conference of the World Futures Studies Federation, futurist Jim Dator makes the following statement: ”Electronic technology is based on the manipulation of the electron. Genetic and molecular engineering manipulates everything else. This is ‘information’ of the highest order, leading to an ‘information society’ far beyond that which even Yamaguchi or Masuda envision. Given the increased pace of research and development of these technologies, there is good reason to believe that, in the early 21st Century, the electronic ‘information society’ will be replaced by societies based on genetic and molecular engineering … This portends forms and processes of ‘participation’ and ‘democracy’ that are presently beyond my ability to imagine in sufficient detail.”
Biography:Jim Dator was a futurist who is credited with founding the first Future Studies program in 1971. He has been director of the Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies at the University of Hawaii. (Futurist/Consultant.)
Date of prediction: September 1, 1991
Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Democracy
Subtopic: Democracy
Title, headline, chapter name: I Want My ITV
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.futures.hawaii.edu/dator/artificiality/itv.pdf
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Chick, Jason