top of page

Ordinary mornings in 2042

Anonymous

April 26, 2023

Ordinary mornings in 2042

This image was generated with Dream Studio AI.

7am, March 28th 2042:
My personal assistant wakes me up with my favorite workday song and turns on the coffee machine. An ordinary alarm clock would perfectly do the job, but the automatic coffee machine is convenient after all.
While I brush my teeth, my personal assistant displays daily news on the mirror in front of me. Scientists came up with a new way to efficiently store an infinite amount of energy. I guess we are close to reaching complete carbon-neutrality for electricity production (8 years ahead of the plan!).
The next article reports that the 4-day workweek which was implemented in the EU in 2035 shows promising results. People started exercising more, spent more time with their families, attended more cultural events and participated more in local politics. I would tend to confirm it in my own case.
The following article reports how the unified EU-wide social security system enables workers to swiftly move from one country to another with significantly less paperwork and administrative hurdles. I always wondered why it was not implemented earlier.
The next article discusses an ongoing problem in our society. Biotechnology has enabled humans to amplify their physical and cognitive abilities. These technologies became increasingly affordable (though still quite expensive), and it led to a dualistic society. I keep asking myself what we can do about it, probably nothing. We made a lot of progress in guaranteeing and protecting freedoms to choose our life paths, education, careers, whom we love, how we dress, which god we worship and so on and so on. I guess choosing to enhance our abilities is also part of these choices.
The last topic of my daily news review concerns the increase of retirement age. Apparently it's a side effect of the 4-day workweek. I guess I won't be retired before 2085 or something… But at least most bullshit jobs have been taken over by AI and automated systems and I have all the freedom to choose a professional activity that fulfills my life goals.

related stories

hallo
Civilization has not collapsed—it has been restored.
In 2040, the world has returned to its roots. Families are strong again, with men as providers, earning fair wages for a four-hour workday—enough to support their loved ones comfortably. There is no more endless striving, no exhausting rat race. Life moves at a natural rhythm. Consumerism has been replaced by mindful living. People buy only what they need, and nothing is wasted. Food is grown by local communities, free from corporate control. Every family has a home, built with care, not mass-produced for profit. The sprawling, soulless cities of the past are gone, replaced by self-sufficient villages where neighbors know and support each other. With less work and more time, people reconnect—with nature, with tradition, with family. Children grow up with their mothers at home, learning real values. The world is simpler, freer, and more human. Civilization has not collapsed—it has been restored.
hallo
Europa di tutti
2040 is finally the year of true European unity: Russia and the former Soviet states have also joined the EU. To celebrate this milestone, every citizen has had a free train ticket to use to get to know one of the new countries. A way to appreciate the new citizens and to rediscover a slow and eco-sustainable tourism.
hallo
jurgilienei@gmail.com
A healthier future. It will be possible to replace all sick human organs with artificial ones, even in the brain it will be possible to make certain adjustments. The age of people will be extended, people will be able to work much longer, and demographic problems will be solved. The number of people on earth will stop increasing, and we will eat mostly artificial food.
hallo
dj@broer.us
What I would like to see is a society in which everybody is living together and taking care of each other.It's no longer I but we. We take care of each other, the environment instead of the current life in which I is the most used word. We have taken a big economic downfall to reach it yet life is better, Life is harder yet more joyful. That's what I wish and hope for.
Join #OurFutures now!

The future is shaped by our ideas and our actions today. Tell us about your visions of the future and help us create a futures narrative aimed at inspiring citizens, policy-makers and foresight experts alike!

Our-futures-banner-coloured_v3.jpg

The European Commission support does not constitute endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained.

ERA_logo.jpg

We support the European Research Area aimed at creating a single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology in the EU.

©OurFutures 2025, All rights reserved.

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
bottom of page