xplosion of a natural disaster, the retribution of a wrathful god, or the devastation of World War III. Instead, these writers foresee a future in which technology provides the means for humankind to triumph over what seems to be an inevitable destruction. Already, the 20th century has witnessed breathtaking advances that have thrust technology into the ordinary household. Personal computers, video cassette recorders, cellular phones, and automatic teller machines have dramatically changed the way that human beings spend their time, interact with one another, and consider the meaning and purpose of their lives. Futurists considering the next century could make a reasonable case that technology will ease daily existence and help lead to greater prosperity for much of society.
Scientific progress has also advanced the understanding of the delicate balance required to keep the earth's ecosystem stable. The growing environmental movement faces some of the same kind of opposition encountered by attempts to continue the move into space; both have come up against conservative arguments that limited resources would be better spent on domestic programs. However, science continues to generate interest among the general public in the necessity of maintaining the planet, as well as the importance of moving beyond it to explore other worlds. Futurists observing the prospects from a positive perspective could reasonably suppose that sufficient resources will continue this trend toward increased environmental stability and expanded space travel.
In many respects, this is the future forecast by right-wing evangelist Pat Robertson. He writes:
We have in our power the ability to conquer disease, to extend life, to remove genetic abnormalities, to supply a reasonably abundant standard of living to every human being on the planet, to bring forth an ever increasing cornucopia of technological products to make each of our lives more plea...