An Optimists Guide to the Future
A re-imagining of John Maynard Keynes’ 1930 essay ‘Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren’
When imagining what the world will be in 100 years, it is hard for most not to imagine a dystopian like future. I have asked many family members and friends what they believe the future holds and not a single one of them expressed anything but pessimism.
These opinions are understandable as the world is currently facing a series of crises in health, climate and unemployment (to name a few) but could they be wrong about their predictions? Could our future generations see to live a healthy and prosperous life? Will we continue to be able to live off the earth? Will humanity be able to solve the ‘economic problem’ just as Keynes predicted?
One thing is for sure; society seems to be at a crossroads, and the future that our grandchildren will have depends on the choices we make now. In that sense, there is still room for optimism even when times are at their darkest. This is of utmost importance as if we do not believe in the possibility of a better future we might not reach one.
Where did we go wrong?
To make any prediction on what the future may hold, one must first analyse the past to see what lead us to the present.
