About 200 Elon students met Jan. 12 to discuss life in the year 2100. Read this note for their predictions...
The forum, “What Will Life be Like in the Year 2100,” was part of the Winter 2000 Millennium program. It was moderated by Dr. Thomas Henricks and organized by Dean Russell Gill and Registrar Mark Albertson. Students organized into groups of eight to discuss three different topics about the future. Some of their predictions about the year 2100 include the following:
- Population will continue increasing and there will be underground and underwater communities.
- Quantum computers will contain all knowledge and be easily accessible.
- People will suffer a lack of personal connection because of their reliance on electronic communications.
- Cars will be a thing of the past — replaced by an automated transport system. A national e-rail system will replace highways.
- Medicine will turn to bionics and there will be cybernetic transplants and gene therapy.
- There will be many economic incentives to protect the environment.
- There will be a great depletion of natural resources and population could level off due to limits on food and water supplies.
- The number of religions may decline and religious practices may deteriorate. People may search to fill that void in their lives.
- Family life may become less important, with people choosing to live in specialized communities.
- The importance of education will increase, but traditional classrooms and teachers may be replaced by computer education.
- There will be little face-to-face communication and it will feel awkward when it does occur.
- We will have more contact with people of different backgrounds and cultures and will be more tolerant and open to diversity.
- People may even get married online.
- Marriage may no longer exist, or may be taken less seriously. Close relationships won’t exist.
- There will be a new industry that fosters and promotes interpersonal interaction. This kind of contact will be sold as a commodity.
- There will still be a need for artistic interaction.
- There will be one world government with nations becoming like states.
- There will be more control by multinational corporations.
- A genetically-engineered dictator will control all media and take over the world.
- Basic TV will become more conservative, but television as a whole will become much worse.
- The government will become more liberal.
- There will be one common world currency — or no currency at all. All transactions may be electronic.
- There will be more leisure time and shorter work weeks.
- Work will become quicker and more efficient.
- There may be a major backlash and rejection of technology!