So here is another portent of our changing world. I live in the United States; my own government, specifically the Office of Director of National Intelligence, published a report in late 2012 titled Global Trends 2030. The background and purpose of the report is:
The National Intelligence Council's (NIC) Global Trends Report engages expertise from outside government on factors of such as globalization, demography and the environment, producing a forward-looking document to aid policymakers in their long term planning on key issues of worldwide importance. ...
Global Trends 2030 is intended to stimulate thinking about the rapid and vast geopolitical changes characterizing the world today and possible global trajectories over the next 15 years. As with the NIC’s previous Global Trends reports, we do not seek to predict the future—which would be an impossible feat—but instead provide a framework for thinking about possible futures and their implications.
A few thoughts. First, it is ironic that I did not see mention of this first in US-based media outlets, but rather on the BBC. (After reading the BBC article, I did find articles on NPR and Time). Why does the American media not cover such reports more thoroughly? Do we as Americans simply not think in such "long term" perspectives?
Next, while the report, and its methods and conclusions can be questioned (for instance, see the Time article), I have to wonder how world influence - economic and otherwise - will shift in the future. It seems inevitable, based upon the rise and fall of cultures and nations we see throughout history, that America cannot and will not stay the "on top" forever.
Interesting things to ponder.
The National Intelligence Council's (NIC) Global Trends Report engages expertise from outside government on factors of such as globalization, demography and the environment, producing a forward-looking document to aid policymakers in their long term planning on key issues of worldwide importance. ...
Global Trends 2030 is intended to stimulate thinking about the rapid and vast geopolitical changes characterizing the world today and possible global trajectories over the next 15 years. As with the NIC’s previous Global Trends reports, we do not seek to predict the future—which would be an impossible feat—but instead provide a framework for thinking about possible futures and their implications.
A few thoughts. First, it is ironic that I did not see mention of this first in US-based media outlets, but rather on the BBC. (After reading the BBC article, I did find articles on NPR and Time). Why does the American media not cover such reports more thoroughly? Do we as Americans simply not think in such "long term" perspectives?
Next, while the report, and its methods and conclusions can be questioned (for instance, see the Time article), I have to wonder how world influence - economic and otherwise - will shift in the future. It seems inevitable, based upon the rise and fall of cultures and nations we see throughout history, that America cannot and will not stay the "on top" forever.
Interesting things to ponder.
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