2021- Ushering in the Greatest Decade in Modern History!

Considering the gruesome toll that Sars-Cov-2 took on the world at large in 2020, one would be naturally inclined to think or predict that the economic, physical and mental hardships will continue into the foreseeable future.

Let’s strip away the emotions and look at the situation at hand with a rational perspective. It is important to concede that there is no way to predict the future with certainty, especially in the near term. However, if one purviews the holistic trends and directions, there are certain extrapolations you can deduce, with a high degree of confidence with regards to what the next decade has in store for us.

So here we go!

This will be the first decade where we start with the majority of humanity having access to the internet- almost 60% of us! Needless to say, availability of information and knowledge has been democratized to an unprecedented scale and this will be the decade where the possibilities emanating from such access to a wealth of knowledge will be put to great use. In the decades prior, you had to be born in a developed nation and be privileged enough to attend a highly rated school to learn from the best tutors and master a craft in the best possible fashion. As we commence the next decade, if one was intent on, say learning some of the most complex math or science courses, you would not need to wander on the corridors of the world’s most esteemed universities. All you will need is a computer and an internet connection and the knowledge available on the public domain would be enough to gain a high degree of mastery in the area of your choice.

 We commence a decade, where there will be more discussion about race issues and equality more than ever before.

Last decade saw a lot of simmering issues related to the treatment of women by establishments, institutions and by the society at large, being pushed to the forefront. There will be conflicts and challenges along the way, but it is reasonable to assume that we will continue to build on the pathways for change, paved in the last decade. Considerable changes can be expected in the next decade which will level the playing field and benefit society immensely as the world fully leverages the intellect, ambition and faculties of both genders equally. Many parts of the world where women have been historically repressed will see women leaders emerge in science, technology, business, medicine, athletics and countless other fields.

This will be the first decade in which we are going in with a collective consensus to reduce reliance on non-renewable sources. The next decade will see solar and electric power gain tremendous traction in the areas of utilities, automobiles and industrial equipment. Needless to say, this will make our environment cleaner and cities more hospitable and inhabitable.

One of the areas that there is reason for unbridled hope is medical science. We have amassed a wealth of knowledge in understanding the human genes, proclivity for diseases and the ability to predict malignant cell behaviors. There is a general consensus that this will be the decade when we finally make breakthroughs in countering one of the most potent and dangerous enemies to human health- Cancer. In addition to bolstering our ability to nullifying cancerous tissues, there are a variety of different diseases that will be eradicated or nearly eliminated from the face of this earth in the next decade.

The last decade saw a lot of changes at the workplace with increased focus on emotional and physical health of employees, support systems to help individuals in distress, impetus on discussing issues faced by companies and individuals openly, and an enhanced and urgent call for more inclusion in the workplace. We will have an opportunity to build on this to make workplaces more enjoyable and thereby fostering more creativity and innovation, which will then in turn have a multiplier effect on wealth creation and overall societal welfare.

One could continue on the same vein and ponder on the numerous other areas that would instill relentless optimism for the new decade. Global poverty will be significantly reduced with fewer people living on less than $2/day than any other decade in history. Collaboration across vast distances in any area will be easier than ever. This will help us react to future pandemics and fight and contain them more aggressively. With everyone armed with cellphones equipped with high quality cameras, the average citizen could be ambassadors of change exposing corruption, injustices and crime, and it will be easier to rally many others to join them in the fight through another platform that gained traction during the last decade- social media.

Personally, YOU will benefit from all of this more than ever before as well. You will have more opportunities to enhance or pivot in your career, monitor and maintain your health with the wealth of medical and nutritional knowledge available to you and live a more fulfilled life with any niche interests or hobbies that you choose to indulge in. The world will be much smaller with travel and mobility becoming much easier and faster. This will give you the opportunity to pick up and start something new with very low barriers to entry, even if you failed in several other attempts. You are assured to better your quality of life more than ever before!

So, welcome to the best decade of your life! And the greatest decade in modern history!