Happy 2050!

Today I ran across a meme that shocked me at first. It said, "2050 is just as close as 1990." I actually had to stop and do the math.  Listen folks, it's true.

I don't know if I'm alone in this, but to me, 1990 is a time of warm memories and simple living. I was 8 years old and living my best life.  My best friend in the world lived three doors down.  I always had food on my plate and coffee in my cup.  My family made frequent trips to the beach.  My mongoose bike hadn't been stolen yet.  My head, which had until recently been loaded with golden curls my whole life, was freshly buzzed.  1990 was good, and I still think about it often.  Life couldn't have been better.

On the other hand, at least in my head, 2050 will probably never exist.  Anything could happen between now and then.  Some middle eastern oil conflict will get out of hand and the whole world will nuke itself and Year One will begin again with a few left over cave dwellers scratching pictures of what happened on the rock walls of their homes.

Computers programmed to destroy racists and hate will detect racism and hatred in all of us and Elon Musk will accidentally be the only person left alive, hiding away in his trapezoidal truck behind shatter proof glass.

Rainbow headed feminists will finally destroy the patriarchy and all the social constructs only to discover social constructs and patriarchy are necessary for society to exist and will slowly melt into an angry puddle of impotent misery, berating the soy boys they created for being powerless to help.

Artificial chemical induced testosterone levels will finally equalize  between men and women and procreation will cease.

Anything could happen.  This is 2050 we're talking about.  I'm pretty sure there's a law somewhere requiring all science fiction books and TV to include references to the year 2050.  With the current rate of development of technology, corporate greed, military expansion, and social decay, literally anything could happen.

It seems so far away, but the uncomfortable truth is that it's not.  In 2050 I will be my dad's age.  My son will be my age.  It's right at one generation away, and time ain't slowing.  I often hear people talk about the insanity of the world and how they couldn't bring a child into this place.  But this is how the world ends, with the people who recognize the insanity diminishing and the people who don't increasing.  The world desperately needs sane people.

Learn what good things are and teach the 2050 generation.  Show them beauty.  Let them hear music that penetrates to something deeper than their skin.  Instead of a pound of sugar candy, give them an ounce of good chocolate.  Do something fast and scary -- and dangerous -- with them so they can know that thrills don't only come in screens.  Show them the difference between a McDonald's happy meal burger and an actual burger you grilled at home.  Let them taste good beer.  Teach them about debt.  Teach them about sacrificing for someone in need.  Help them experience the reward of persevering on a difficult project.  Let them struggle.

The parts of the world that are falling apart are the parts that have rejected all those things.  These are the things from which life is made, and these things are the reasons we exist.  These things link us to God and keep the earth spinning.

Choose something good in life this year and focus on enjoying it.  Make sure it's something that makes your blood flow and your heart rejoice.  Learn how to smoke a brisket, grow a garden, or create a dovetail joint with a handsaw and a chisel.  Make a point to avoid McDonald's and Netflix.  Make life feel like it did when you were 8.

Make the future great again.

Happy new year.