Deep Currents

The numerous Boomers have made their mark on the world in every decade, and the next two will be no exception. The Institute for the Future just did a study on how they’re likely to be living in 2028, called “Boomers: The Next 20 Years, Ecologies of Risk.” Here are the top-line conclusions:

Family: New Relationships, New Responsibilities – Emerging patterns of marriage, remarriage and childbearing, including alternative family arrangements, will change the way we currently view family. Families will be “chosen,” not just inherited. There will be peer caretaking and social care matching services. Boomers will be challenged by greater distance between family members and greater responsibility for the financial well-being of children and grandchildren, contributing to slowed personal wealth accumulation.

Global Economy: More Competition, More Collaboration – Boomers will be the first generation to age in a truly global economy, giving them access to more learning resources, new ways to collaborate, financial products from around the world and healthcare abroad, dubbed “medical tourism.”

Community: Gaps and Gains – Boomers will use new ways to build communities to close the gap created by decreased mobility, polarization, social fragmentation and health challenges. Like their younger counterparts they will participate in online social networks, virtual retirement communities and community blogging. They will be challenged by elder abuse, anti-boomer backlash and ageist zoning laws.

Environments: Unsustainable Pasts, Sustainable Aging – A degradation of the environment will bring risks from new diseases and fewer sustainable food and energy sources. These challenges will bring food and energy collectives, do-it-yourself (DIY) products and green technology.

Personal: Health and Identity – Boomers will live longer, but will suffer from new chronic diseases and widespread depression from aging, illness and other concerns. They will manage their health differently with biometrics and online tools that will challenge privacy, but will allow them to share and benefit from new information found on all parts of the globe.
Institutions: Dissatisfaction, Distrust, Reinvention – An erosion of the trust people have had in institutions will bring new banking/investment vehicles, peer-to-peer loans and new structures to manage new capitals. Financial security will be threatened by diminished government and employer safety nets and low personal savings.

Written: November 27th, 2008