The Mechanical Mirror

Anonymous

March 19, 2025

This image was generated with Dream Studio AI.

Life in 2040 is unimaginably different to what I remember it being like 20 years ago! When I wake up every morning, my mechanical assistant delivers my breakfast and vitamins to my bedside locker, while informing me of today's news headlines. The robot declares in a monotone voice: 'Fatal accident occurred in the early hours of the morning when assistant driving machine malfunctions while driving a family at night, with no survivors. Man given a fine of €500 for using slur in social media groupnchat, that was detected by the well-acredited AI anti-hate software that was introduced by our Government nearly 5 years ago.' I sit up, staring at the wall in front of me, and then back at my wee robot. Both headlines moved me, even more so due to their succession of one another. These vessels of human perception and knowledge can be fantastical yet ominous. My mind will never be made up on whether these machines are "good" or "bad", because there simply isnt good or bad, which we learned long ago from our own species. Also, I don't want to get a fine.

Memoiren

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Reprenons le pouvoir

By 2040, a wave of nationalism will have invaded France and Europe. Countries will become sovereign over their territory, allowing them to reduce violence and growing insecurity in cities and suburbs. The French state will control the borders, fluctuating immigration and prioritizing the so-called French population, by expelling people with OQTF status. The state will cut costs by abolishing the aberration of mutual state aid. France will once again become a country imposing its laws and dictating rules on the continent with its European partners. Unfortunately, social inequalities will increase, due to high inflation, energy prices and the mismanagement of the various governments in power.

Schöne neue Welt

The world has turned to peace. The military and secret services have been abolished. There is no NATO or any other military alliance. Terrorism has been overcome by just political solutions, not by police violence. It was regulated that all nations have a good livelihood. This also brought migration to Europe and the USA to a standstill. The EU still exists, but is much more democratically structured and leaves a lot of decision-making freedom to the member states. Microplastics, glyphosate and all other toxic substances have been banned. Animal exploitation has been abolished due to inhumanity. People now only use their opportunities for constructive projects.

Heaven in earth

We've done it: the energy on our planet comes exclusively from renewable sources. We use wind, water and the sun, but also nuclear fusion without risk and without emissions. People have enjoyed an energy boost and there is no more war on earth. All people have equal rights - men, women and everyone else.

The calm

I would like to see sustainability goals actually implemented and put into practice. Seeing people come together and have discussions instead of screaming over each other. Communities coming together and sharing the burden of responsibility of a nation and governments that actually uphold their promises and run in more efficient manner. I don’t dream of huge developments or loud changes but instead, a calm world where everyone can finally relax.

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The Mechanical Mirror

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