*A friend suggested talking about our future. I spent half an hour going on about lasers, chips and force fields.
It seems I didn't quite understand his question...*
Okay, but seriously, 2039 will arrive very soon, and we won't even have time to blink. My grandmother once told me that in her youth time crawled, now it goes, and very soon it will fly. This is related to the enormous flow of information that falls on us more and more every year. Right now, we are an information society. In 2039 we will become a hyper-information society. If relatively recently people went to libraries for knowledge and data, studied books, and now everything can simply be googled, then in 2039, I think, people will have microchips installed in their heads onto which any information can be downloaded. Much more convenient, wouldn't you agree? I'll say right away, there will be no wars in 2039! Globalization will reach such a level that political prairies and disagreements will not exist, society will become absolutely tolerant and reasonable. The difference between developed countries and third-world countries will evaporate. Society will reach such a degree of awareness that it will understand that force, money and resources should be spent not on killing, but on attempts to make the world kind and perfect. Lasers, splitting the atom, chemical developments will become not sophisticated weapons, but a way to simplify human life...
The whale swims around the female and, reproachfully, says: — So many countries, hundreds of environmental organizations, outstanding political leaders, millions of people — they all fight for our species to survive, and you tell me — you have a headache...
As for ecology, this issue is already being put bluntly: "What to do about the greenhouse effect, because of which glaciers are melting and because of which sunlight begins to burn all living things? What about the tons of poisonous unrecycled garbage that occupy hundreds of thousands of landfills and poison the soils? How, in the end, to save the endangered species of the sweetest little pandas and other wonderful animals? I declare: in 2039 humans will use only renewable energy sources such as sunlight, wind and water. All homes will be equipped with vacuum garbage chutes, following the example of Finland. And people themselves will want to take care of preserving ecosystems, so not a single scrap of paper will fall to the ground from their hands again..."
Scientists have finally concluded that the absence of contacts with Earth from space confirms the presence of intelligent civilizations in it.
In general, that's also a joke; actually, I don't consider people unreasonable beings. On the contrary, they are so reasonable that they are not limited to mastering our one dear little planet — they look further, seeking ways to master outer space as well. What is there? Is there life there or conditions partially suitable for life? How is everything arranged? People crave the truth — perhaps harsh, but wildly interesting and thrilling. In 2039 a flight into space will be an ordinary matter, an exotic kind of travel. Three main bases for space travel will be built: on the Moon, on Mars and on Ganymede. The International Exchange Center will help people travel not only across all countries on Earth, but also in space. It will offer a tour to Ganymede — a moon of Jupiter on which there is an ocean (real water), clayey sedimentary rocks and many microorganisms. Yes, IEC in 2039 will have built an established, technological and absolutely safe life-support system for humans even in places where the temperature is -150 °C. Now, under the Work and travel program, students will be able to fly to work on Ganymede, conduct research, work in the field of entertainment and catering for tourists...
And what will you be doing in 2039? — you'll ask. Investing in IEC, of course! — I'll answer. After all, a trip to America in 2019 allowed me to bring my English to perfection, instilled qualities such as independence, determination and autonomy, and gave me a start in building a successful business. In 2039, I will be a billionaire-philanthropist who helps IEC (since it once helped me) make other people happier...