Me in the Future
Artwork by Arina Stetsiuk, age 13
Each of us often wonders what our lives will be like in the future.
I also decided to imagine myself in a dozen or so years. It is difficult because my head is full of a million thoughts and pictures.
I close my eyes and try to imagine our world in future decades. Daily life first. In addition to people, robots looking like living creatures will stroll the streets. A lonely man, without friends, will be able to make a friend or several in a special store. Such a mechanical companion will talk, tell a joke, and also clean the house and cook dinner. For people who like animals, but not the responsibilities associated with them, a mechanical pet is a great solution. The robot kitten will be fluffy and cuddly to the touch, but you won't have to clean up the litter box after it. The mechanical dog will pass its paw and look you faithfully in the eye, but you won't have to get up at five in the morning to take it for a walk. This will allow people with allergies and various phobias to learn about feelings and experiences that were so far beyond their reach.
The earth will be enclosed in a special plastic shell. Dangerous meteorites will crash into it, and gasses that are deadly for humans will not be able to get through it. Transport will be fast, comfortable, and safe. Blazingly fast trains will speed under the land and oceans, airplanes will exceed the speed of light, and cars will be so spacious and comfortable that even a long journey will be a pleasure. This makes the daily path to work in my pharmacy easy and stress-free, and the phenomenon of overwhelming traffic jams is a completely foreign experience. Traveling and exploring the world is easier and accessible to everyone; we can change our place of stay at any time without fear of long hours traveling between continents. Thanks to this, I will be able to meet pharmacists from around the world and exchange my own experiences and news in the field of helping people fight a few diseases, strengthen their immunity, and cope with addiction therapy. My positive approach to myself as a human being, cheerfulness, and openness to other people make me a popular person, and the customers of my pharmacy know that I will always try to help and advise them well. It makes my life meaningful and I am a fulfilled person not only professionally but also socially.
Of course, we may also encounter less joyful phenomena in the future. Mad scientists will play with genes and "produce" strange, unlike creatures. We, the people of science, will try to guard the safe development of humanity. We have many options to break away from reality and regenerate our strength, and one of them is space travel. Bored with Earth, people will be able to go on a trip to space, to the moon or to Mars. In love, they will arrange their first date on Venus, the planet of love.
Our home life will also change. The apartments will be more functional. Household appliances will have many more functions. Instead of going to bed, we will be able to press one button and the bed will move closer to us. Smart houses will be energy efficient and will automatically adapt to the times of the day and the year. Instead of food, there will be small capsules; one will give you strength and energy for the whole day. Of course, there will still be restaurants where gourmets can enjoy traditional dishes.
Every day after work, I return to my family, namely my wife and two children. Together, we try to spend time on common rumbles and show my children the games of my childhood (board games kept by my parents, table tennis, jumprope, hula hoop). In this way, I show them their history and other ways of spending free time. Ubiquitous computerization makes people lazy and too comfortable, and keeps physical effort to a minimum. In order to instill a desire to learn about the history of our world, I take my family to various reserves and museums. With this, I want to show them how they should act now and take care of our planet to protect them from the catastrophes that hit us many years ago. Floods, earthquakes, meteor rains, and numerous fires destroyed many cities and some continents. The reconstruction of our present world was very difficult and laborious. I want my children to remember that nature has to be respected and cared for because it has secret magical powers that no one can stop. Let us all remember that children are the future of the world, so both we, parents and the state, place particular emphasis on wise and responsible education of the youngest. Politicians do not spare money on the education and comprehensive development of children. We all try to be guided by the principle of common good and the beautiful commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself." Thanks to this, the world has a chance to see a beautiful future.
Patryk Karpowicz is a Year 11 student at St John Bosco College in London, UK. He enjoys swimming, table tennis, board games, documentaries, and game shows.