Book Blog 6: 50 Years from Today

I've finished the book called 50 Years from Today.  

I am surprised by the amount of emphasis that each author put on the issue of climate change.  This could have happened due to an agenda that the author had, but even if that was true, many intelligent authors explicitly mentioned the significance of this issue.

I am excited by the emphasis that the authors put on the issue of technological advancement.  There was a range of opinion, with some stating that technology will continue to make our lives better, to some stating that technological advancement will put us on a roller-coaster of dramatic life change over the next century and beyond.

Another exciting emphasis of the book was the great potential for medical science to treat, if not cure, many of the terrible diseases that plague us today.  These authors are definitely pro-vaccine, pro-genetic engineering, and pro-evidence-based medicine.  There were not many mentions at all of the need to come out against these things in favor of homeopathic methods, organic farming, or faith-based approaches.  Again, this could be an agenda of the editor, but many authors did explicitly mention the importance of being in favor of these issues.

Conclusions:

This book has excited me for the future.  It has increased my hope in the potential of humanity to continue to progress against causes of suffering in the world.  I hope we use this potential for good, and learn to seek together for that which is true while the ecological and social environment in which we find ourselves continues along its path of potentially drastic change.

I'm left with the question, "What is the most important thing I can do in order to bring about the most significant positive change?"