If you grew up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, you likely had the same answers as children when someone asked you, “What do you think happens in ten years?” Responses usually revolved around flying cars, robot servants, and pretty much what they saw on The Jetsons.
Those predictions were colorful, fun, and, you could say, came with a sense of optimism. These days? People are foreseeing a grimmer future a decade from now.
Just take a look at these responses in a recent Reddit thread when someone asked, “What’s something that’s highly likely to happen in the next 10 years that almost nobody is preparing for?”
If you’re easily freaked out, these posts may keep you up for the next three days.
#22
*Most* 11 and 12 year olds cannot read or write. They cannot hold a pen properly or read a full page of text and understand what it says.
They’ll be adults in a decade. Many, many adults will be unable to read or write in a decade.
Also in a decade many seniors will be requiring around the clock care and there will not be nearly enough caretakers. A huge generation is about to age out of independence. This is going to be a huge problem.
in two decades? Those soon to be adults will also develop early onset dementia and require around the clock care, probably in the same homes as the still alive boomers requiring care.
Essentially, everyone who chose not to have kids is going to be putting up with some form of them for the rest of their lives.
They’ll be adults in a decade. Many, many adults will be unable to read or write in a decade.
Also in a decade many seniors will be requiring around the clock care and there will not be nearly enough caretakers. A huge generation is about to age out of independence. This is going to be a huge problem.
in two decades? Those soon to be adults will also develop early onset dementia and require around the clock care, probably in the same homes as the still alive boomers requiring care.
Essentially, everyone who chose not to have kids is going to be putting up with some form of them for the rest of their lives.
14points
#25
AI bubble bursting. It'll happen much sooner than that.
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13points
#26
Famine
Large refugee movements
The true consequences of the breakdown in international cooperation.
Large refugee movements
The true consequences of the breakdown in international cooperation.
12points
#27
Please google Q-Day
Quantum computers will crack blockchains (yes Bitcoin, we mean YOU) and all conventional passwords within fractions of seconds.
Also: Will the first high potential quantum-computer be advertised (like "today XYZ presented their fully functional quantum-computer, operating at the ABC institute and making meteorological modeling a lot more precise") or will the entire NYC, London, Paris public transport, air-traffic-control and energy grid just brake down and we discover this way, that the Russians or Chinese have been faster.
Q-DAY - the day quantum-computers are able to break all conventional password encryption - has initially been expected around 2050. The number has recently been corrected to "between 2030 and 2040" and falls right in the 10 year frame of this question. I think 2030 is WAY more likely than 2035 ....
Quantum computers will crack blockchains (yes Bitcoin, we mean YOU) and all conventional passwords within fractions of seconds.
Also: Will the first high potential quantum-computer be advertised (like "today XYZ presented their fully functional quantum-computer, operating at the ABC institute and making meteorological modeling a lot more precise") or will the entire NYC, London, Paris public transport, air-traffic-control and energy grid just brake down and we discover this way, that the Russians or Chinese have been faster.
Q-DAY - the day quantum-computers are able to break all conventional password encryption - has initially been expected around 2050. The number has recently been corrected to "between 2030 and 2040" and falls right in the 10 year frame of this question. I think 2030 is WAY more likely than 2035 ....
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12points
#28
Our children are too young to know the difference between real and fake media because fake is so common and well developed. They didn't live in a time when fakes were obvious.
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12points
#29
The gray wave of farmers all retiring and selling land they can no longer keep up en masse.
Corporations and data centers are buying it up like crazy. I’ve been researching how to stop it because I live in a primarily Agri community and there’s sooooooo many “for sale X acres” signs .
Corporations and data centers are buying it up like crazy. I’ve been researching how to stop it because I live in a primarily Agri community and there’s sooooooo many “for sale X acres” signs .
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12points
#30
A different group of religious conservatives will be threatening our freedoms.
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11points
#31
A massive increase in people being unable to afford insurance.
Not just health insurance either. Homeowners insurance, car insurance, flood insurance... entire areas are already becoming ridiculously expensive to insure, and eventually some places are probably going to hit the point where private insurers just can't afford it.
People are preparing for houses getting destroyed by disasters. Almost nobody seems prepared for the future where nobody can afford to insure their house anymore.
Not just health insurance either. Homeowners insurance, car insurance, flood insurance... entire areas are already becoming ridiculously expensive to insure, and eventually some places are probably going to hit the point where private insurers just can't afford it.
People are preparing for houses getting destroyed by disasters. Almost nobody seems prepared for the future where nobody can afford to insure their house anymore.
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11points
#32
America being the victim of drone strikes from nations it's pissed off.
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11points
#33
The Thwaites glacier "plug" is GOING to collapse. In fact, may before the end of this year. It serves as kind of a cork for a MUCH larger ice sheet. Once it's gone, highly saline sea water will flood the underside of that glacier, and then it's game over for sea levels as we've understood them. No amount of carbon emissions bills will be able to stop that process once it's underway. We've blundered past the line. It's no longer about how to mitigate climate change's impacts, it's about how to survive them and the massive economic and political unrest they're going to cause. And that's not decade's down the line. You're already in the first days of that new era.
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11points
#34
Massive homeless encampments next to multi million dollar empty investment homes.
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11points
#35
I am 65. I have no doubt I will pass away in the next 10 years. At that point you will all be true and surely screwed. Because the world DOES revolve around me.
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10points
#36
The complete removal of photos / videos as admissible evidence in our justice system.
I’m not seeing this talked about much yet but it scares the heck out of me. Any video can be created of anyone doing a crime if the government or any person really, wants to see a specific person convicted and locked up. I just hope this is fully realized and laws changed *before* innocent people start being put behind bars. Honestly, it could’ve already happened without anyone knowing except the person sitting in prison who knows they couldn’t possibly have committed their crime. Very scary stuff! So much has and is going to change because of AI.
I’m not seeing this talked about much yet but it scares the heck out of me. Any video can be created of anyone doing a crime if the government or any person really, wants to see a specific person convicted and locked up. I just hope this is fully realized and laws changed *before* innocent people start being put behind bars. Honestly, it could’ve already happened without anyone knowing except the person sitting in prison who knows they couldn’t possibly have committed their crime. Very scary stuff! So much has and is going to change because of AI.
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10points
#37
A massive market correction that will ripple across every aspect of life. It will be big and it will be violent.
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10points
#38
A devaluation of the US dollar and loss of world res r rve currency status. The US wont default on its unpayable debt, just pay the debt in devalued dollars. Everything will almost instantly cost more especially anything imported and savings will lose value.
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10points
#40
Climate refugees. The planet is changing at an alarming rate. Not near enough is being done about it, and many areas are going to become uninhabitable. The people living in these areas have to go somewhere.
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10points
