Three questions regarding our future

I was ruminating about these three themes this morning regarding our future.  These themes might be mutually exclusive, but certainly they are not comprehensive.  Additionally, I am not sure whether the three above organically integrate into one theme.  Nevertheless, they are running around in my mind!

Work:  What will be the nature of incentive and work in a nanotechnology world of long living centurions?

Environment:  If the Malthusian false alarm regarding population growth is a reasonable analogy to think about, as it applies to our concerns about climate change

Security: if globalization has lulled us into a false sense of security around clash of cultures, geographies and civilizations?

On the first question, related to work - we are increasingly connecting to and relying on technology for feedback and governing our behavior.  These technologies are growing more sophisticated, inter-connected and small.  Soon one can conceive of wearing implants that govern, record and provide feedback on everything from how the body is functioning to our inter-relationships with each other and the environment. Can you imagine in the future a google-glass impant on our retina, which will throw out a reminder in front or our eye, when we see our spouse that it is our wedding anniversary, or more importantly their birthday?!

Melting Polar Ice Cap

On the question related to the environment - the science comprehensively shows evidence that we are causing irreversable damage to the habitable nature of our planet.  On the other had, the deveil's advocate in me at least wants to ponder the Malthusian dilemna.  Malthus rang an alarm bell about the planet being over populated and that we will perish unable to sustain ourselves in terms of food and water.  He did not count on human ingenuity, contributions of science and engineering and rapid innovation.  I am asking if we are being climate alarmists and whether innovation in solar, wind and other alternative sources of energy will cause a revoltion in how we produce and consume energy.  After all, a wag once said, humans did not stop using stones, because we ran out of stones!!

Finally, on the question of security, we have been on a 'globalization' tear for the past thirty plus years.  I am not discounting the vast economic benefits that have come out of this in all corners of the globe.  But I am wondering if we are confusing trade and economics with culture, civilization and security?  Recent geopolitical events cast a worrying shadow on the world being a global peaceful village.

Perhaps the implications of that these three themes combined, point a way into the 21st century and how we need to conduct ourselves in terms of policy, in terms of new culture as well as individual choices.

I suppose, that is enough food for thought for a Sunday morning?!  Hope to get a good discussion going here . . .