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In the next decade, the way we learn, work and age will shift dramatically.

 

This doesn’t mean we don’t have control over the matter. Although we are late to the game – in some cases egregiously so – there is still time to pause, examine, and reform longstanding policies and institutional norms to better support our future.

 

Consider:

 

• Economic disparities have split us into Two Americas, in which the lived experiences of the top 40 are irrecognizable to the bottom 60.

• Middle and lower classes have faced increasing job displacement that is leading to hopelessness, despair and opioid abuse, and reskilling efforts have produced mixed results.

• Americans have accumulated record debt, and defaults are rising.

• Government and municipal debt are at all-time-highs and climbing, threatening the ability to honor future obligations like Social Security, Medicare, and public pensions.

• Traditional education channels are in need of a revamp – financially, structurally and socioeconomically.

• Employees are rewriting the traditional rules of employment by job-hopping more, working from anywhere and delaying retirement longer than ever before.

• Automation threatens to replace 40% of jobs in the next 30 years.

• We are trekking toward a 20% senior population base whom will require unprecedented levels of care, companionship and financial assistance.

• People are living longer but families are more geographically dispersed, prompting new relationships.

• Unprecedented aging and not enough population growth will strain our financial and health care systems to the point of collapse, and change our approach to death.

• Women are increasingly delaying childbirth for careers, finances, or lack of a significant other, pursuing alternative fertility treatments that may result in birthrate decline.

 

 

Which leads us to wonder: if we are in this state in a time of peace and prosperity, what will happen in times of upheaval and decline?

 

The 2030 Papers provide a meditation on what is happening now, what got us here, and where it all leads. Through papers spanning critical categories such as Wealth & Debt, Birth & Death, Education and the Future of Work, the collection boldly predicts tomorrow’s trends – a decade in advance.

 

The 2030 Papers is a must-read for entrepreneurs and corporate strategists, political and business leaders, marketers, seniors, caretakers and every American looking for a glimpse into the future.

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