Your predictions on the future...

[Robert Walper]

Given knowledge of the world today and your perceptions of trends, technology, needs and the general people, what are your predictions for humanity and the world in general?

No limiting factors other than said predictions must have some bearing on the world (as opposed to predicting what you will have for breakfast tomorrow ) and realistic, including realistic time frames (as in something you'd expect within the next 10-50 years or your lifetime).

What say you?

[The Cleric]

People will die. China will have lots of babies born. Japan will make strange pornographic cartoons.

[Ra]

Let's see. A decade ahead? Some of this may sound crazy, but here it is:

America will have fucked itself so badly in the eyes of the world that its position as a world superpower is ended, or at least crippled. EU influence will grow to take its place, but this will not be enough. We will still have not elected a woman president, but have another Republitard from the South, or equally corrupt (and spineless) Democrat from the South calling the shots. Bill O'Rielly's ego will still inflate, and Fox News will continue to be the Right Wing's lapdogs.

Due to escalating pro-communist peasant revolts, China either descend into an age of civil war, or will be taken over by a "sympathetic" communist hardliner that will eliminate all free-market reforms, and execute all entrepeneurs and intellectuals that don't flee the country. So much for the "Asian Century". Iran and NK will continue beating their chests, and probably aquire nuclear weapons by this point. The NK genocide will go unanswered, and hundreds of thousands more will starve to death while Kim Jong Il gains fifty pounds, as if he wasn't fat enough.

More freedoms will be sacrificed in the name of fighting terrorism. Greater surviellance on citizens, greater police powers, and possible Republican consideration of draconian measures such as mandatory chipping (and doing a nice coverup to keep the fundies from thinking it's the mark of the beast), surviellance of people's internet activities, and random police or merc raids against anyone that is suspected of sympathizing with terrorists. On another note, polygamy will be legalized, destroying a century's worth of women's rights reforms overnight. Harems and large mormon families will spring up across the nation.

Iraq will descend into total chaos, and resemble modern day Somalia. US occupation will end once the next president trys to clean up Dubya's mess. The final US death toll in Iraq will be around 7-10,000. Osama and Zarqawi will remain uncaptured.

Due to the "success" of mercenaries - er, security contractors - in Iraq, they will gain even more power within the US government, taking on menial jobs such as base security (actually private security - not the same thing - is already doing this), embassy security, and limited combat operations, including, possibly, domestic anti-terror missions.

*whew*

That was a lot, and I hope some or all of it proves false. Time will tell...

[Robert Walper]

People will die. China will have lots of babies born. Japan will make strange pornographic cartoons.

Obviously you didn't get the hint the OP was specifying predictions that weren't stupidly obvious. Or is your case, not even predictions, just stating shit that's already going on.

[Narsil]

China ceases to exist as a nation after a decade of civil war... Or it does the smart thing, and turns to Capitalism. The Japanese start making pornographic cartoons which feature interactive machine-operated-sexual stimulation for the viewer. The British drink some more tea and pass another groundbreaking social reform, which results in a 'fair enough, what's next?' like with the recent gay marriage laws, and adoption laws.

[Mayabird]

Nobody recognizes Somaliland as an independent republic, even though they really should.

More diseases jump from animals to humans. Well, that probably is stupidly obvious, but I can't get into detail because I don't know what animal diseases might suddenly jump to humans. For instance, some scientists have evidence that Ebola's natural reservoir is in fruit bats. If this is true, who would have guessed that fruit bats would be giving humans and gorillas a 90% fatal hemmoragic fever?

North Korea drags on, probably only scraping by South Korean support, until some sort of massive disaster (natural or not) completely brings down the regime. How many people die within the country and whether or not people outside the country also get taken down with them I can't predict, but it'll be very bad, no matter what happens.

Europe becomes increasingly radicalized against Muslim immigrants as the Muslim populations grow larger and riots, rapes, and general crime by their populations increase.

Human spaceflight languishes. It continues dragging on in a half-hearted way, but Russia won't have the funds, China will be too busy dealing with the increasing peasant revolts, the U.S. won't have the interest or will, India won't really care once China's not pushing them, and Japan will continue to just have bizarro problems. There will be cool data coming back from unmanned probes (some of which are on their way to their destinations as we speak), but we still won't have a colony on the moon or have people walking on Mars. Also, just as with European colonization of the Americas, the start-up private companies that plan on conducting space colonization/tourism/whatever mostly go out of business, unless they have someone really rich who's willing to allow the massive bleed into their funds.

I can probably think of some more later.

[Robert Walper]

I predict that within (most likely) five years, the concept of fuel and finite energy reserves will become obsolete, solving worldwide issues such as pollution and the energy crisis. The world will radically change accordingly. Everything from flying craft to cars to homes will no longer need outside energy supplies, all being independently powered for decades.

[The Silence and I]

In 5 years? I've not seen the signs for that, maybe in 15 - 30. But I'll hope you're right anyway

************************
My wild guesses:

China and North Korea have even worse problems with socia protest and in North Korea's case starvation. I don't know how dangerous the situation is, but I doubt it is stable.

Europe will grow less and less enamoured of the Muslim immigrants, social gaps will grow and we'll see more riots.

Africa will sink further into the pit of woe, violence and dispair it seems to be in now, but no one will notice (so that part won't change).

SCOTUS will take care of the current mess if given enough time, the republican party divides into the radical idiots we all make fun of and those members that made the party an option in years past. The democrates linger on for a while trying in vain to prevent a slow death. Party reform happens after this and the political balance restors itself. Life goes on.

The world still despises the USA (*shrug*).

Secular ideas spread through the Middle East and something... interesting... happens. I don't really care to guess yet. Iran and Israel will probably have large roles to play in it in addition to Iraq.

I've heard Russia is up to something lately, but I really cannot guess here.

Oh, and more nations get nukes. Should be interesting.

[frigidmagi]

The emergence of the first major Chinese Christian Leader (a chinese Billy Gramham if you must) causes leaders in Beijing to admit to themselves, privatily at least that their nation is becoming more religious and less tolernent of their rule.

Chinese Peasents, proving they understand democracy better than their current political masters begin large scale pushes, using black market cell phones to coordinate. Beijing pushes back hard to international outcry.

The EU burdened by buercratic deadweight on an awe inspiring scale continues to stumble and stagger to and for, meanwhile the people of Europe reach for their own solutions and some nations begin a tilt to the right. Racism and anti-islamic feelings reach high levels and continue to climb fueling a new call for greater military strength on the world stage. Opposing this the muslims of Europe turn to their own political parties who citing traditional family values and return to ethics begin attempting to claw their way into the poltical scene of the continent.

Shism hits Islam and Catholicism, has local African leaders on both sides declare and call for Crusades and Jihad. Both Mideastern authorities and Rome reject the calls, shocking the entire world. While neither the Crusade or the Jihad of Africa organizes or produces any great leader, it leads to intensication of conflict across Africa and greater mercenary activity. Both Islamic and Christian leaders will accuse the other side of aiding fighters for their own benifit however.

Saudi Arabia holds it first national election for a advisory committee to the Monarch. The advisers hold no true power, but it is touted has a step forward. Women are not allowed to vote, but the Crown Prince declares he will push to set up seperate booths for them vote in... The next election.

Iraq reaches peace has the last insurgents make a politcal deal that alllows them to put down their weapons. Some however flee instead to Central Asia or Europe hoping to aide the cause of Islamic Jihad in other fronts. Others are hired by Iran has security forces to bloster it's hold on an increasingly discontent public.

Pakistan dissolves into outright civil war has tribal and fundalmentist elements rise up against a government they see has a Western puppet. Alarm trembles through out the world.

Iran test it's first sucessful nuclear weapon, the President declaring it the ulitmate safeguard of the Islamic Republic against the Great Satans. Not shown in the media are the thousands of students rioting calling for removal of mullahs from the poltical process. The riots hit several cities across Iran.

An Indian software company becomes the world leader in profits for the computer industry. Indian computer use raises sharply has its economic base expands.

Japan remilitarizes, amending it's constitution. This is done dispite wide protest within Japan itself, S Korea, China, Taiwan and other nations across the Pacific. N Korea issues a statement promising to use nuclear weapons to defend itself and S Korea from any Japanese aggression.

The US sees the rise of several regional thrid parties and splits within both the Republicians and Democrats. This leds to the election of an American Born Hispanic Politician to the office of President of the United States. The new President declares the dawning of a new day in America in his inaugration.

Brazil is invited to a seat in the G-12, becoming the latiest nation recogized for it's growing importence and strength. Brazil has made a name for itself championing 3rd world nations in the WTO and Worldbank. It has also become a full and equal partner of the US in the region.

-A couple of these are pure sunbeam (the Saudi thing... I can't back that up it's just a WAG) others are possible seeming guesses and others I would bet my left nut on (no I'm telling you which.)

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

Well, I just read various articles about Digital Millenium Copyright Act, Sony/BMG copy protection scheme, and such things. Honestly, my views on the future suddenly becomes more pessimistic. A lot more.

(1) Pay-per-view will be the norm in the future. Costumer would be forced to pay for even doing mundane things like pushing the rewind button.

(2) The concept of 'fair use' will be completely erased from any laws ever exist. Making backup copies, even a single copy, will be illegal, and will be severely punished.

(3) Spyware and mailware will be a mandatory of installing any software, including operating system. Any attempt to remove the spyware/malware will be illegal, and will be severely punished.

(4) In accordance with number 3, sharing our personal details for marketing purpose will be mandatory. For instance, refusing to fill a marketing survey will be illegal and will be severely punished, and so will blocking spam email.

(5) In accordance with number 4, the government will enact a new law called "Digital Marketing Survey Honesty Act"; many people will go to jail for being inaccurate in filling marketing surveys.

(6) Any musical instruments will be heavily levied. Every pieces of musical instrument will be registered, and every purchases must be reported to RIAA. Accordingly, any attempts to distribute such self-composed music will only legal if done through RIAA members.

(7) Freeware will be totally illegal because corporate vampires have successfully convince the government that 'everything free is harmful to the economy'. Be it software, self-composed music, self-made MIDI files, or original artwork, distributing them for free will be highly illegal.

(8) Corporations will have absolute control over everyone's personal life; it will not only apply to their employees (Henry Ford, anyone?), but to their consumers as well. If the corporate discovers someone who hates boys band, Britney Spears, McDonald's, or any generic shits being shoved into their throat, the corporate will be legal to ask the court to put the said individual in 'mental reconditioning program'. Why? Because everybody must conform. Long live the future! Long live conformity!!

[SirNitram]

GOP falls flatulently from grace in the US, as the great cycle of political rise and fall dictates.

Brazil continues to rise in power and prominence in South America, causing more 1st world nations to court it's support and friendship.

Iran suffers the inevitable consequence of shitty UF6 in 1,500 centrifuges. That is to say, their enrichment facility is smashed to bits by things spinning at supersonic speeds being off-balance. Iranian bomb remains part of politics of the Mullahs; after all, it secures nationalist sentiment.

At least two more countries make noises regarding atomic technology. NPT-backed negotiations solves at least one of these.

Copper deposits run dangerously low as more of the world tries to industrialize.

New Orleans rebuilt by the end of the period.

Private spaceflight culminates with the first space elevator.

[frigidmagi]

Private spaceflight culminates with the first space elevator.

Damn I should have remembered that. Thanks Nitram.