EPILOGUE
Some Final Thoughts
Your authors recognize that for some countries, we are not painting a pretty picture, while for others, mostly in the emerging markets, the future holds a more exciting, if volatile, experience.
As we travel around, we are constantly asked some variation of the question, “Don’t you think the lifestyle of the average person in (the United States, various countries in Europe, Japan, etc.) will suffer? Will they be happy with a lower lifestyle?” The question assumes a static world, where change does not bring about a better life for all.
Yes, on a relative basis, the average person in China or Brazil is going to see their lifestyle improve more than average citizens in most developed countries, but that has been true for years. There was a lot of room for improvement in many emerging market countries. And yes, the buying power of many currencies will fall.
At our core, your authors are inveterate optimists. We see the future as exciting and full of opportunities and promise for people all over the world. In 2021 or 2031, no one is going to want to go back to the “good old days” of 2011. The progress we make on so many technological fronts is getting ready to astound us.
Change is not linear. It is accelerating. And unlike waves of technological change in the past that seemed to come one at a time, like steam engines or electricity or railroads or the personal computer, we are getting ready to be hit by multiple waves of change simultaneously, all of which ...
