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
Jedan radni dan
I was woken up by a personal alarm clock with fresh coffee and baked bread. After a sonic bath, I wore nano-fiber clothes that measured my vital signs for an electronic doctor. A flying taxi and today's digital newspaper were waiting for me at the entrance. In the office, the robot secretary sorted the mail. She immediately started dictating letters and sending them to certain addresses that I chose.
hallo
La simplicité et le respect en 2040
In 2040, life is peaceful in Europe, everyone smiles, there is no aggression in any country. If there are problems between people, there will be people who will be responsible for resolving problems amicably, and everything will be simple. There will be freedom of expression, respect for everyone's ideas.
hallo
Natuur
I wish by then there would be more nature. That it is forbidden to lay front gardens in stones, that people who have a house and garden should provide more greenery. That a forest, a park is within walking or cycling distance. That the car is more banded from the cities, but can still get a place on the outskirts of the city. That there are so free buses or cheap public transport that runs to the city. So that people also seek more connection with nature, go for a walk and only have the benefits of nature.
hallo
Une France aux français
Laws have changed and hardened. Not all people born in France are automatically French. They take the nationality of their great-grandparents, and also all the descendants, which reduces the population of foreigners and let the French live in their country quietly and without fear, or to be raped, robbed or assaulted. Life would be more peaceful, the streets would become clean again, the people polite. All acts of incivility are punished, such as coughing without putting your hand, or throwing waste on the floor, buying in bulk or bringing back containers, which would reduce waste.
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