Before we discuss our predictions for various future ages, I will explain the premise on which most of these ideas are based.

I am a strong believer in change. I believe that every single thing in this universe CONSTANTLY changes. This applies not only to physical objects and individual biological organisms, but this also applies to much more subtle things like the human mental state, the societal structure, religions, politics, economics etc...

Of course, I believe in evolution. Therefore, any specific species changes over time as well. If they are going to survive, they must adapt to nature. But if nature is constant, then why is there a need to adapt to nature? Why wouldn't the same biological characteristics that allowed a given species to thrive in the last decade, allow it to thrive in the current decade? We must therefore conclude that nature changes as well.

What propels this comprehensive metamorphosis? Precisely where and when does it start and what triggers it? This is a very tough question. I have given it lots of thought and I have yet to come up with a definitive answer. But I strongly suspect that this is one of those things that we will NEVER be able to answer conclusively due to their extremely subtle nature. I will dwell on this topic more in a later post.

For now, let's just understand that my predictions are based on the concept that EVERYTHING constantly changes, not just us humans and our puny little society.

Also, our predictions are based on the idea that change occurs is a two-cycle process. There is a "progressive period" during which change occurs rapidly in a radical and unexpected manner. And then there is a "regressive period" during which change is absorbed and fully adopted by the object in which it occurred. Each of these periods can be further subdivided into their own progressive/regressive periods even though in general we will observe only one of these characteristics over the given time period.

For example, we have lived the last 200 years in America in a progressive era. There was never a time when all scientific and social change came to a halt. However, there have been times that were more progressive than others. In 1893, the economic depression signaled a "regressive sub period". Later, at the start of the 20th century the official progressive era commenced. Then there was another regressive period during the Great Depression of 1929 and then the progressive era (at least economically) during WWII.