Ordinary mornings in 2042

Anonymous

April 26, 2023

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.

Memoiren

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The world is at peace. People came to their senses when they were on the brink of war. All borders have been abolished - everyone can move freely. Through the exchange of knowledge and culture, we have expanded our horizons, and scientists have made many discoveries. No one is excluded, everyone works together. It is not money that counts, but skills that can be developed. We behave responsibly towards the nature around us - we understood that we create a symbiosis.

2040?2050? 2025? It's time to take stock, because nature is still suffering, despite all the warnings. Remember, it's not that long ago, it was 15 years ago, and even more so now, but our politicians still don't give a damn. And war? of course it's still with us, and it's costing our so-called free nations more and more. Free from Trump and the mad right, fortunately, because remember how much we have suffered from so many lies, so much false information... But Russia and China have banded together against Europe and America, along with certain African countries. Fortunately, Latin America remains neutral. A sad vision of our world in 2040, led by a pseudo-artificial intelligence that has cut off all human relationships. No more flowers to put on the cannons, which in fact no longer exist, given that conflicts are delivered by drones. The plan was to deliver parcels and medicines by this means, but no, the conflict in Ukraine, which was 15 years ago, was just the beginning of this new way of fighting. Fewer dead soldiers, but more civilians buried, not to say smoked out, like 95 years ago. Fortunately, Europe has become more united, to become the lighthouse that many had hoped for, without really believing in it.

In my future I would like more funding for schools and health care and fewer weapons. Europe would be stronger and more influential in the world economy, not in an overbearing way but to be a support for even the most struggling countries. In my future, diversity will be a matter of course and accepted, not an excuse to be able to marginalize what is different. However, we should not all become equal (in dignity, freedom and rights yes) but learn to value our individuality and that of others. In my future, Europe will value the cultures of every country on the continent. Culture will not be a means by which we "prove ourselves superior to others," but a treasure to be shared and known. In addition, the problem of pollution will finally be addressed and fought with all the necessary tools, not with empty promises and indifference.

Poliitiline heaolu

In 2040, the political situation in my country could be very different. All projects funded with taxpayers' money would be public, and there would be no corruption or profiteering. Also, by 2040, the use to which all tax revenues are put could be clearly known, and these taxes should also improve people's lives - for example, fuel excise duty or car tax should ensure that roads are in good condition and seasonally maintained.

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Ordinary mornings in 2042

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