Some Predictions on Where the Next Decade Could Take Us
One Girl’s Grasp at 2020 Vision
Quick disclaimer: I’m no whizz kid expert, so this article won’t focus on in-depth economic or political predictions. Instead, I’m a dreamer. I intend to apply my imagination to the cultural and social trends which are constantly changing all around us, and come up with some ideas of where I think we’re heading.
There are also certain subjects I’ll avoid: such as climate change, racism, Islamophobia, the extinction of certain species of animals, or the bleak outlook closer to home with Brexit. Not to mention Trump. That said, I might refer to climate change in passing.
This may seem like a cop out because yes, most of the things on the horizon seems daunting, but for my speculations I’ll be keeping things relatively light. There are some weird and wonderful and downright zany things that could become our new normal over the course of the next decade, and it’s these I want to examine today.
I’ll leave the doom and gloom to others.
So with that all said, let’s look ahead to what the 20s could bring.
So Number One on my List: The Internet
Over the last two decades, the internet has revolutionised how we live, interact, think, love and even go about our jobs. Who knows what kind of technology we will have access to ten years from now, or how it will change the shape of civilisation as we see it today. All we know is our society is in a state of constant flux, on so many levels, with our ever changing landscape of technology propelling us forward; to what end, no one knows.
What we do know is that the internet has given everyday people a voice, allowing us to challenge the social status quo, especially when it comes to raising awareness on issues of race, gender, sexuality, disability. The internet has created safe spaces for people to speak out on everything from institutionalised racism to the myriad of microaggressions which are so often allowed to fly under the radar.
We have a platform, and with it a power that is unique to the 21st century.
Having this direct line to a ready-made audience means we have been able to spread awareness of issues that could otherwise be swept under the rug such as the environment and humans rights violations. A recent example of this is the teenager, Feroza, who took to the social media app Tik Tok to speak about the horrific treatment of the Uighur Muslims in China.
Yet, with all of this reach, with all of this connection and information, one limit in these internet spaces is that most of the English-speaking sites are occupied by a majority of North Americans, with Europeans and Australians also claiming a prevalent seat. This has meant that most influential sites — such as Reddit — where we come to share ideas and insights, have been populated by people from homogenous cultural backgrounds, creating something of an echo-chamber.
So, my first prediction is that, going forward into this new decade, there will be a shift within those arenas.
How do I think this will happen?
Well, either English will truly become a universal language, which may be something on the cards with industries such as TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) booming, or we will develop a reliable way to truly translate to and from any language, allowing true cross-cultural communication on the internet. This, coupled with the fact many countries that have often been seen as third world are rapidly growing their economies, which will eventually lead to more of their population having access to smart phones and reliable internet, means I think it’s safe to say a lot of the currently English-speaking spaces on the internet will eventually have an influx of people from every corner of the earth.
Which is long overdue. Because the world, and the internet, extends far beyond just America.
This shift could open so many avenues. Not only will this bring a rich dimension to any discourse on social, personal or cultural issues, it could also open up areas of the internet which were traditionally non-English speaking to English speakers, such as the huge blogging site Weibo. Now, of course, we can currently click “translate” and read sites in other languages, however this is limited in that the translations can be clumsy and often allow us nothing more than the general gist of what is being said. Perhaps one day soon, if the internet seamlessly and accurately translates back and forth, more meaningful interaction will be possible.
Beyond this, though, this kind of shift will also allow other voices, voices who are currently lacking in any true representation, to finally have a seat at the table. This will be transformative, and will hopefully provide a way for us to truly bridge the gaps of cultural understanding. With the click of a button we would be able to reach out to people who actually are from all walks of life, not just different varieties of people whose lived experiences centre around North America, Europe or Australia.
Second on the List: Media
On this note, my second prediction is that the media we consume will become far less America-centric, as Netflix and its ilk will branch out to create more shows which are set in other cultures, complete with audio in other languages. Shows such as the Netflix original Brazilian dystopian show 3%, whose soundtrack is in Portugese, or the Netflix original Japanese show, Switched, will become more prominent, and all I can say is, I can’t wait to binge these future shows.
Because who wants to live in a monotone world where the media we have access to is a majority white, with English audio, and set in either America or the UK? Let’s be honest, it gets dull. Where are the chick flicks set in Zambia? Or the sci fi thrillers set in Indonesia? Give me X-Men, but set in Tehran, or a mother-daughter set-up similar to Gilmore Girls but where Lorerai was the daughter of a Chaebol family in Korea. I’ll even take a Greek reality television show akin to Keeping up with the Kardashians.
I suspect many of these shows actually do exist, whether they’re subtitled in English or not is another question, but it would be nice if we had access to them, and I suspect that one day soon we will. I’m counting down the days until this prediction comes true.
Similarly, exciting things have been happening in recent years to the book industry with, for example, the YA space in particular having #ownvoices stories propelled front and centre.
However, even with these exciting efforts there is still too little by way of non-western-centric entertainment available, and I for one am hungry for change.
So yes, in the 20s I think these kinds of shows and books will become our mainstream, giving us far more options to explore as media consumers. Or at least, I hope this will be the case. Which I admit is wishful thinking, but hopeful prediction or not, it is a legitimate estimate on my part as to where the entertainment industry is heading.
My Third Prediction: Social Credit
Okay, okay, so this prediction has already been made by the Netflix original show Black Mirror, but hear me out.
For anyone who hasn’t seen this episode, it’s called Nosedive, and it shows the main character’s journey to be at her childhood friend’s wedding and, in so doing, increase her social credit enough to qualify for her dream apartment. Because in her world, people’s social media standing directly influences what they can and cannot do, buy, or become.
This was possibly my favourite episode of the anthology series, due to the very fact I could see it playing out in the not-so-distant future.
So. Social Capital. Terrifying yet equally intriguing, isn’t it, the thought of so many things in life being based on these kind of reputation points?
Yet is it actually something that would be a viable way for a society to work?
I would have to say yes, it is viable.
After all, it surely cannot be that far-fetched considering China are already taking a not-so-tentative step in this direction. It was recently announced that they had rolled out a social credit system of sorts, which affects people’s homes, social circles and transport options.
So how does this work in China?
Well, it uses something called Zhima credit, which tracks what people buy and also holds information such as what degree they have, how good they are with repayments, and then it even goes a step further and takes into account miscellaneous things such as the scores of people someone socialises with before using an algorithm to compute all of these factors to give everyone a social credit score of between 350 and 900.
As you can imagine, this has led to a digital class system where having a poor rating means facing deposits on things like hotels or rented bikes, meanwhile for individuals with higher ratings life life becomes smoother. With a high enough rating, people are even given privileges such as being permitted to cut security at the airport.
Beyond the rise of a digital class system though, an aspect of this which I found perhaps the most sobering, is the fact that who people socialise with has an impact on their score. In China this will surely lead to an evolution in how people cultivate their closest relationships, and this kind of self-interested approach to friendships may be in our future if a similar system does, one day, reach our shores.
Technology’s impact on interpersonal relationships is a fascinating and ever-evolving phenomenon, and it is a certainty that this kind of social credit system would forever alter how, why, and to what end, we build relationships with those around us.
The big question, though, is will it ever actually be implemented here? This kind of system may have been given the green light in China, where the government style has traditionally been very authoritarian, but would it ever be able to creep into societies such as the UK? To this, I can only say “Perhaps.” Although, being honest, I’m leaning more towards a “Yes.”
We already use systems of payment, for example, which are similar to Alipay (which Zhima Credit gets its data from) and have grown used to the idea that a whole host of information is collected about us each time we pay for something, browse a website, or update our social media.
What’s stopping us, then, from stepping another inch further, until we acclimatise to a higher level of being monitored, and then another inch and another, until we find ourselves in the very world of Black Mirror’s Nosedive. Would it really be such a leap?
“There are certain freedoms we would never give up,” some might say, however if such a system were wrapped in the bow tie of social media, with perks such as affordable houses for those who become successful on its platform, and with an army of influencers hired to sing its praise (as they would be the ones who would no doubt benefit) it may be a pill we would swallow with ease, one day.
Yet, whether we accept this questionable setup in the future or not, one thing is for sure: I will be watching how events unfold in China under this social credit system very carefully. I would advise you do so too.
Number Four: Predictions Regarding Food
First off, it’s an easy bet to claim veganism will take off like crazy over the next decade. Anyone looking at consumer trends can probably tell you that. As restaurants serve increasingly creative, affordable and delicious vegan options, as people become more aware of the consequences of our food choices, and as governments come under more pressure to push sustainable living options, the number of people who wholeheartedly embrace an animal-free lifestyle will no doubt rise.
However on the flip side of this, alongside the vegan diet, I think a new kind of diet will emerge that is less worried about animal welfare, and more concerned with choosing food and drink options that are planet friendly.
So here is my more outlandish prediction: I see bugs making their way onto the menu.
Yes, you read that right. Our future diet will be, possibly now more than ever, heavily influenced by certain environmental factors, and I can see sustainable eating being a huge deal over the next decade.
Even now, people are pushing the positives of embracing alternative food sources (read: insects) into our day-to-day diet, and there are already a few places which are pioneering this effort. In this article, you can read one woman’s experience at such a restaurant. This article makes some fascinating points — both in favour of embracing the bug-grub lifestyle, and in caution against moving too quickly, or assuming it’s an instant step towards sustainability. This is an article I would definitely recommend reading and taking some time to ponder, before turning your nose up at peanut-fried crickets.
Because one day soon sustainable diets will be huge.
Whether this means embracing the aforementioned bugs, or being strict about eating only crops grown in this country, or local to an area in order to cut down on our carbon footprint, this kind of lifestyle diet is incoming, and I can see restaurants having to cater to sustainable diets right alongside vegan or vegetarian in the very near future.
With this in mind, I do hope our up-and-coming chefs are up to the challenge of making weird things taste good. After all, as we’re going into the 20s an open mind about a lot of things may be in order, and a honeyed ant stir fry could be just the beginning.
Five: Predictions Regarding Romance
Firstly, more men will step up to take responsibility for contraception.
Which is a long overdue change, and will be a welcome one. I mean, it’s 2019 and the only mainstream forms of contraception for men are condoms or a vasectomy? Not good enough.
Sure, there are some recent breakthroughs which include a men’s pill. Much to the excitement of women everywhere, it’s been proven effective, but unfortunately it could be years until it’s available on the market.
However, until then, this article on the men’s pill has highlighted that there is much groundwork we need to lay. We must encourage people to speak openly about issues surrounding contraception, health and gender roles. These conversations are critical because when asked, only 50% of men said they would give it a go due to the potential side effects, such as acne, lowered libido, or weight gain. Yes, those all-too-familiar side effects so many women have long been expected to go through in order to experience safe sex.
So, I predict the 20s will be the decade where we see an increase in options for male contraceptives. However, more importantly, we will need to do our part and make it the decade where we see a shift in the mindset that such things are solely the woman’s responsibility.
My second prediction for romance and how it will change in the next decade is that I think ethical non-monogamy is going to be the next thing people fight for acceptance over.
Standing here in 2019, I can say that for the most part the circles I run in have taken the first vital steps to accepting the LGBTQ+community.
There are still many points of ignorance, not to mention issues such as bi-erasure, ace-erasure, and pockets of transphobia or religious people clinging doggedly to Bible verses taken out of context, but for the most part — at least outwardly in society — the LGBTQ+ community have been victorious in the battles they have fought.
We still have a long way to go, and my hope is the 20s will bring us the rest of the distance with, for example, LGBTQ+ sexual education being taught across the board as a core part of our school curriculum, but as a society we have finally woken up to the reality that gender and sexuality are a diverse spectrum, and as such it is no one’s place to dictate how someone should love or identify, just to accept.
A small first step, but a vital one.
However, this same step has not yet been extended to those who decide to choose a lifestyle of ethical non-monogamy, and this is why I can see this being the next battle. Perhaps it could even be the final push towards people finally being allowed to live and love freely, without judgment or condemnation in our society.
Awareness of ethical non-monogamy is already being raised, people are starting to dip their toes into the pool, studies are being done, and many Medium articles are being written, yet it’s still not widely accepted as a respectable lifestyle choice. As such, many people are afraid to be ‘out’ to friends and family or the public at large.
I wonder if the next decade’s ‘coming out’ will be less about non-heterosexual identities, as these will finally be normalised, and more about non-monogamous identities.
Whatever else the future may spring on us, it’s my hope that before long no one will feel entitled to police another when it comes to their feelings or their relationships.
It’s a shame that all forms of bigotry, ignorance and prejudice aren’t dying along with this decade, but I sincerely hope that we can squash them once and for all in the next.
Stamping out all forms of bigotry may not strictly be a prediction, as sadly it’s not one I feel confident to make, but it is a hope. And perhaps, after all, that is stronger, for hope is contagious and can spread far quicker than a prediction. So, you wonderful folks reading this, pass it on.
Let’s hope for the best for this next decade, together.
