Levelng Off

At present, the world boasts about 7.6 billion people. By 2050, the figure is projected to climb to around 10 billion. At that point, according to many demographers, the global population will begin to "level off." Following that, the world's development will continue but generally unevenly. In other words, some parts of the world will advance better than others. All this was outlined by author Charles Mann in the March, 2018, edition of The Atlantic. The bottom-line question of this interesting piece revolved around the matter of speculating how 30 years from now all people everywhere can be provided for without making the "planet uninhabitable?"

Good question. Also good is the fact there are folks who are trying to figure out answers to it. In 2050, I hope to celebrate birthday number 100. Assuming my health is not too bad, will I be able to enjoy a nice slice of birthday cake then? What about those behind me? As part of this, there is also the matter of communication. Will the world population be experiencing some sort of "leveling off" in this area as well? If so, what will that look like? If, on the other hand, we will be experiencing ongoing advancement, in what form will that be? In 2050, how will communication be more effective than it is in 2018?

Nowadays, a popular way to define communication effectiveness seems to revolve around our technological capabilities. For instance, does the fact we can blast out our feelings about an issue via a tweet make us better communicators then before we were able to do that? Does the fact I can post a picture of myself with friends on Facebook improve my ability to connect with others? As great as these technological advancements might be, my sense is they do not. Facebook, to name one, does not make me a better listener or improve whatever ability I might have to empathize with others. Looking ahead 30 years from now, my concern is when it comes to communication, we will be far beyond "leveling off," only not in a good way.