Period 3: The Reconstruction

Society adjusts to the new conditions (2030s & 2040s)

DATELINE 2040 – Our society developed its intellectual and technological capabilities over several hundred years and achieved a high level of sophistication by the 20th century. The breakthroughs that are now becoming visible were the fruit of that long development, even if most people did not know about them at the time. But there was awareness indirectly or unconsciously through various forms of cultural soft disclosure such as science fiction. So while there is overt surprise and sometimes even disbelief at what is being disclosed, in some sense the developments are quite familiar.

The challenge is now to integrate the rapid advances into the everyday workings of society. For many years during this period, the new and exotic technologies are seeing increasing use alongside the older familiar trappings of everyday life. There are many new opportunities for working with the new technologies, to explain, operate and maintain them, which is bringing a fresh sense of optimism and expanded horizons.

The new technologies, like all technologies, have the potential for good or bad, depending how they are used. As the power of technology increases, so does the responsibility needed to use it safely, and these new technologies give us very great power. It is therefore vital that we learn collectively and cooperatively how to devise methods of governance that ensure they are used for the benefit of humanity as a whole, and not for the benefit of a narrow elite as in the past.

Alongside the new technologies there is a growing spiritual awareness that makes this increased ethical responsibility possible. It is launching a new social ethos of generosity, which itself involves intense new learnings as it opens up a new era of social maturity.