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
Ma vision de 2040
At the dawn of 2040, so much has changed! Selective sorting has taken root, there's no more food wastage thanks to the cost circuit, we consume more local produce, and producers are able to make a living from their activities. We don't judge different people, we try to understand them, we're more tolerant and benevolent towards others, even if there are still a few recalcitrants.
hallo
Utopie
Europe will finally be a united state like the USA, with the same rules, the same wages, the same prices, true uniformity. The army will also be European, and will defend any European country under attack. Movement between countries will be fluid, but much stricter for non-European countries. There will be a truly European economy, with each country retaining its strengths, but without the competition and disparity of today. There will be a real sharing of technological and scientific knowledge. We'll be much more autonomous and therefore stronger. Together, we'll develop an ecological policy that's also more people-oriented.
hallo
Moje představa
I wish respect among the people would return. People should realise that violence, arrogance, rudeness have never done any good. It's not the colour of one's skin that matters, it's what one can do. National cooperation is also important so that the people do not have to worry that someone else wants to return to the days when everything was decided by a party and a government or by a single person.
hallo
plus tard
For me, there will be no more wars. People will have had enough of suffering, of working long and hard so that certain people who do nothing and squat in the country can benefit. People will have voted extreme right for several years, Europe will still be present, trade with the USA and China will still be tense, but we'll be able to get by as a united country.
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