Where do You See Your Country in Fifty Years?

[Shoggoth2588]

I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. were to splinter and, separate into two or three nations (possibly more since Texas seems to have a habit of threatening to become its own sovereignty).

I suspect the UK will slowly wane in power before finally becoming a aprt of the EU super-state that seems to be forming. I'm happy enough with that future. presuming the Singularity doesn't occur beofre then, of course.

Hopefully a part of a possibly splintered America will join in with the EU Super-state. I'm am American and I would much rather be part of a single global entity than whatever the hell we're becoming now what with SOPA and the act whose name I don't recall at the moment (the one giving the military to detain, imprison, etc, blah, blah)

I want to see a civilian Lunar colony before I should have died [sub][sub](this is assuming I can afford to upload my brain into a new body when my current one dies...also assuming that tech is available)[/sub][/sub] and it's not going to happen until the world can pool its resources.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

NEED SOME SHORTER TEXT, WHY NOT ZOIDBERG?

Care to explain to me what the Yorkian Gynocracy is? Since I am in Maryland, I'd be in there, and I want an explanation as to what they do and what their politics are.

OT: I think America will fix up most if not all of the current issues, and will have a new set of problems. Hopefully in this 50 year period, I will have been president for two terms in there.

 

[Sonicron]

I can see Germany being significantly poorer and having a right wing majority. As in, extremist right wing.

I can see the 'poorer' thing, what with our economy mainly being based on exports the rest of the world will be to poor to buy (if things don't improve drastically), but how do you figure the 'extremist right wing' bit? As it stands, those nutjob folks from Antifa and other left wing extremist groups are gaining more and more support, the financial crisis only swelling their ranks, and despite all their proclaimed support of noble goals they mostly exist to spread unrest and torch cars and the occasional police station.

Well, the right wing is also growing, although the Antifa seem to be doing more of the going out and setting cars on fire stuff. Anyhow, heres my thoughts on why the right wing seems to be growing steadily. These are just my observations, and most of it is just personal experience, so dont take it as fact.

The problem in Germany is, my generation is being guilt tripped at every opportunity. You cant go to school one single day without being reminded of how terrible we are, and how even supporting the national football side is dangerously patriotic. I can understand it, with Germanys history and all, but the thing is, its also the best way to make sure a good portion of teenagers turn around and start hanging up third reich flags and the likes. Im not sure if its genuine anger over all the guilt tripping, or just a misguided sense of rebellion (which most teenagers, me included, are prone to). But the fact of the matter is, more and more teenagers are carrying these sentiments over into adulthood. The reason the whole thing doesnt get on the news that often is they dont go out and protest - they just go and vote for the NPD anytime they can.

Our own tabloid newspapers making sure to include at least one "TURK BEATS UP/RAPES/KILLS GERMAN GIRL!" story everyday isnt helping either. The Bild in particular seems set on fueling hatred for a few minorities, one of them being turks. Unfortunate, considering more than 8 million people read the darn thing every Sunday.

You know, I've actually seen that flag thing. Urgh. I mean, I had my rebellious years as well, but this kind of crap... everyone, no matter how stupid, knew to stay away from something like this. Sure hope this kind of thing doesn't take root in earnest, otherwise my future job as a teacher is going to have even more rough edges than it already does. Maybe it'll be brought up in next semester's psychology courses.
On a side note, is the guilt-tripping actually being increased? My abitur was in '06, and it already wasn't particularly pleasant back then. :\

As for the Bild, I know someone who works there, and I asked him about this scare-mongering business, but he just told me it was all indiscriminate fodder to sell copy, and at the end of the day that was all big management cared about... well, he doesn't have any influence on that particular section anyway.

On the whole, I'm not sure whether the presence of right wing extremists has increased over the last few years, but especially with current developments (such as the continuing debate over outlawing the NPD) I don't think the problem will grow in the near future. The issue's actually in the public eye, which is probably the biggest chance of something getting done for a change.

 

[Blind Sight]

Hard to say as a Canadian, but there are various indicators that the global extreme north (i.e. countries like Finland, Sweden, Canada, Russia) will end up doing very well over the next few decades because of a better climate for global warming and access to precious minerals, fuel resources, new shipping lanes, etc.

 

[AgentLampshade]

Overpopulated, or underpopulated if certain things go a certain way.

 

[BRex21]

I would have to say about where we are now, but with more debt. Canada has enjoyed a lot of stability, since the world has high demand for our natural resources, but we seem to lack any real vision for the future.

 

[Comieman]

Russia? Well Putin will probably dead by then, so there will be another leader.
Probably it will still be a totalitarian country, like how it always was (fine, most of time).
Jews / Muscovites will keep leaving country, and citizens of Middle East / the Stans (Kazakhstan and co) will keep moving in.

 

[BlazeRaider]

Canada: Dragged down to hell with the US like a pair of conjoined twins when one of them wants to play in traffic.

That's my prediction. Needless to say I'm a real hit at parties.

 

[Spygon]

I feel if things keep going the way they are Britain will become a totalitarian state similar to the one in v for vendetta.Proberly abit poorer but still under complete control of the government.

The future of this country scares the shit out of me

 

[Paul]

I live in Northern Ireland, which is separate to the Republic of Ireland, since it is considered part of the United Kingdom. I'm honestly not sure where Northern Ireland could go in the next fifty years. In the past fifty the country has been involved in what was pretty close to a civil war between people seeking a United Ireland, and people who wanted to remain a part of the United Kingdom.

Since I don't really know, I can't really say, but I could see another round of hostilities between the Republic and the North assuming there was a big enough reason to. Apart from that I can't see Northern Ireland choosing to govern itself outside of the United Kingdom, so I imagine we'll likely be somewhere similar to where we are now.

Perhaps we'll have a bit more industrial power then, but even that seems unlikely. I can't really picture Ireland in fifty years time since even though I live in part of it I think of the same stereotype as others. I bet it'll be an interesting future here though.

 

[MetroidNut]

The United States in fifty years? My prediction: still on top, largely unchanged. We've got international trade in the bag and I wouldn't be surprised at all if services become increasingly important to the global economy, a strong possibility that America is supposed to benefit from.

Not to mention I think our principal rival is way too unstable to survive in the long run. I will be downright shocked if China doesn't experience either an economic collapse followed by peaceful or, more likely, violent revolution sometime in the next forty-or-so years.

And on top of all that, regardless of what Homefront might like us to believe, our military is so ridiculously powerful, we could take on the next 10 countries below us and win. Even with the expected (and, if you ask me, overdue) defense cuts, no rival will come close in the foreseeable future. I mean, China just got its first carrier, and won't be able to deploy it for about five years. The United States currently operates 11 supercarriers.

So, yeah. We'll still be a superpower.

Politically, the United States will probably remain right-of-center, but right-of-center in 2062 is going to mean something very different than it does today. Gay marriage will be legal nation-wide, for example, just like women and blacks successfully fought for their equal rights; instead, by then, we'll probably be debating whether or not cyborgs should be allowed to vote.

Another fun prediction? Just like several earlier laws limiting the First Amendment, SOPA will pass, be met with massive backlash once it's actually in operation, be repealed in a few years, and be forgotten by history.

Culturally, well, speaking on a slightly more global scale, I'd kind of like to see the dominance of American culture fade a little. In fact, I would love for it to be more influenced by other cultures; that would be a damn good first step in curbing America's tendency towards cultural imperialism. Not sure it'll happen, but as more and more countries aspire to the first world, maybe they'll be able to fight back, culturally-speaking.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

I suspect the UK will slowly wane in power before finally becoming a aprt of the EU super-state that seems to be forming. I'm happy enough with that future. presuming the Singularity doesn't occur beofre then, of course.

And could someone tell me exactly what is a singularity?

 

[Da Orky Man]

I suspect the UK will slowly wane in power before finally becoming a aprt of the EU super-state that seems to be forming. I'm happy enough with that future. presuming the Singularity doesn't occur beofre then, of course.

And could someone tell me exactly what is a singularity?

http://singinst.org/

The Singularity is the point at which we can't see past.For example, if we develop a 'friendly' artificial intelligence smarter than any human, then the possible leaps in technology could change any and everything. Rapid advanceemnts in genetic engineering could make us essentially immortal, fusion would give us near-limitless power, improved propulsion systems mean we may actually start colonising other worlds.

 

[Blobpie]

I don't see Canada really going anywhere, sure we may be part of the g8 but we aren't really ambitious, hence why Canada is well liked in the world. my country really doesn't like to rock to boat.

And because of that Canada is never really targeted by terrorists or a victim of war.

 

[Alcamonic]

Sweden will hopefully be in the top 5 in world science of discoveries and technical improvements.
I also predict a closer relation with Norway and maybe Finland, united military forces and resources in a small union. This is not an totally unrealistic outcome if EU and UN ends badly the next few decades. At least in history the Scandinavian countries stuck together decently.

Of course, for good measure I just add flying cars and cities on the moon.

 

[hashtag]

Hopefully without a Conservative twat like Stephen Harper as our Prime Minister. I would also hope we're not in a war like Afghanistan again, more jobs created and that we're reducing our CO2 emissions.

But the chances of all that happening are pretty slim so I'd settle for more jobs and possibly a cake baked for me by a member of parliament for having fucked up so much.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

NEED SOME SHORTER TEXT, WHY NOT ZOIDBERG?

Care to explain to me what the Yorkian Gynocracy is? Since I am in Maryland, I'd be in there, and I want an explanation as to what they do and what their politics are.

Of course: they believe that men are lesser forms of life meant to serve women. That if women had been in charge no wars would have occurred. That God is female. That Battlefield 3 is better than Call of Duty 3; and Skyrim is over-rated.

They are liberal authoritarian theocrats based around a church that worships femininity.