According to Research…
According to research by the year 2355 80% of the world’s population will be robots.
It is happening already, most people are just refusing to notice what’s in front of them. We have become reliant on machines to function in our daily lives. Where would anyone be without their phones? You just need to take a journey on a train and like sheep everyone has their heads down on their phones, or staring blankly out the window with their headphones on. Could anyone cope if they had to sit in the silence?
The phones are just the start, now cars are able to park themselves, we have self-checkout machines when shopping, hoovers that move about the room by themselves, and machines that play music so all you need to do is sing. How much longer until the machines start to sing as well? Until there is no longer a need to work because a machine is doing the job for you, so the only jobs that are required is maintenance for the machines? Some studies say that it will only take about 50 years.
If there is one thing movies have taught us it’s that robots will eventually rise up and overthrow their masters. We may think everything is going to be great and that we will have perfect robotic servants like Rosie from The Jetsons, but how long will that last? All you have to do is look at slavery throughout history to see that eventually the masters are overthrown.
The only way out is to help build them and work alongside them, instead of using them. A world with robots travelling at much faster speeds and with more accuracy sounds like a great idea for those who use public transportation. Countless hours wasted at train platforms waiting for trains that may not arrive because it rained slightly during the night- that will become a thing of the past. And if it doesn’t, well then we could easily control those robots and they pose no threat.
And even better the robotic pets. A beloved best friend who doesn’t need all the maintenance of an actual animal, and one that doesn’t die so you never need feel the heartbreak of losing a beloved family member.
The downside to robots will be food. How can a robot make a gourmet meal when they can’t taste? It is a ridiculous concept, but with advancements already being made with technology I can only assume that someone, someday will find a way to make it possible.
Global warming will take a hit too. An increase in mechanicals walking the streets can only mean an increase in fumes. People are already against using solar power on their houses and using electric cars, so a solar powered robot is not a likely thing to happen. Futurama covered this in their episode Crimes of the Hot, wherein the Earth had to be physically moved to cope with the number of robots on the planet. If only that were possible.
With all this in mind why not just stop it from happening to begin with? One simple reason- it is already too late.
Humans never know when to leave things alone. We want to push further than before, climb higher and do things that we know we shouldn’t. However, if it wasn’t for this mentality then we wouldn’t have such brilliant inventions like the Slinky.
One thing that isn’t mentioned in research though is whether the number of people on the planet will stay or dwindle. The population around the globe is already incredibly high, so if it only got higher and shinier, then the journeys on the London Underground shall soon become even more cramped and uncomfortable.
There could be an advantage to all this advancement and potential over population; the chance to journey across the stars and inhabit new planets. Who hasn’t dreamed about leaving Earth and inhabiting another planet? I sure have and I hope that this is what happens in the future, and that by living side by side with robots that we can get there sooner.
The future doesn’t have to be a bad thing, it doesn’t have to be scary. We can create a world where humans and robots are harmonious and free. Or we could stop this before it happens and ditch our technology, live on the basics, and find joy in the Slinky.
