In the cold reality of the new millennium, it doesn't seem that the crystal balls of the futurists were very reliable. In fact, when it comes to issues like the paperless world, the future of work and world hunger they struck out completely! Paper usage both in the home and business is at an all time high. The work week for the average North American worker, sociologists tell us, is greater than 50 hours per week and there are more people going to bed hungry in the nineties than ever before. Why do many of the "pie in the sky" promises of the futurists remain unfilled? Generally the futurists' mistake is assuming that because technical innovation has been achieved improved standard of living will follow. Take paper usage for example. As computer flat screen, (the type used in portable computers) technology improved futurists predicted a paperless world. Yet never in the history of the written word has there been more books and magazines produced than we have today. In fact, paper materials remain one of the largest waste items at landfill sites. There are two reasons for this. First of all, the technology that has brought us the portable computer has also brought other gadgets as well. The colour printer and photocopy machine, are both voracious users of paper products. The second reason for increased paper use is consumer lag time. It has been shown again and again, that no matter how sophisticated the technology, consumers are habit bound to use the medium they are most comfortable with, meaning the one they have always used. Simply put, for most readers curling up to one's laptop computer for an evening of reading just doesn't sound very appealing.

Ah yes, remember the golden predictions about the future of work. We were told that the three day work week was just around the corner. We were all to put our feet up and enjoy the extended rest time provided by the computers and robots. Man finally unchained from his work, what a wonderful thought. As we all know the reality of the work place today is much different. The economy is going through massive infrastructure change whereby a longer work week is the reality for those with jobs while the ranks of the unemployed, especially our youth, are at an all time high. Yes, technology has increased the efficiency of industry, but the result has been down sizing (translate layoffs) whereby thousands of jobs in the wholesale sector, middle management and distribution have been eliminated. The fact is, there still is lot of work that needs to be done. One has only to look at the social ills of today's society and realize the need for human resources to work in education, health and the environment. There is no lack of work, only the financial resources from the private or public sector to compensate the worker.

"Food in abundance", that was the slogan of the green agricultural revolution of the 60's. A revolution in agriculture that combined new seed varieties with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It was supposed to free the world from hunger by making food unbelievable plentiful. And it is true, never before in our history has there been such an abundance of food. The average North American throws out more food in one day than those in poor countries eat in a week. The cold fact remains however that only those with land to produce food or those with money don't suffer hunger. Forty percent of the world's food is produced through subsistence farming. These producers have been struck hard by climate change, urbanization and the expropriation of land for growing non-food stuffs such as coffee tea and coca. In addition, local currency devaluations and fluctuations has made food more expensive for urban dwellers throughout the developing world.

Is there something about technology which makes us perpetually hopeful, and hides us from the reality of the world. Ever since the industrial revolution 300 years ago, futurists have uncritically stared through the rose coloured glasses of technological progress. What many have failed to realize is that technology does not operate in a vacuum. It operates within the context of economic power, class and human emotions that range from greed, fear and kinship. The food question is a perfect example. Food supply is not simply a question of producing enough food, it is a question of social equality, land reform and politics in the western as well as developing world.

We don't see as many futurists on the talk shows these days. They have been replaced by psychologists, writers, superstars and yes the doom sayers. Perhaps this is for the best. The "good news" futurists were much more a product of the sixties and early seventies, decades of hopefulness and seemingly endless plenty. What we need today is less denial about the problems that afflict us, less pie in the sky good news futurists. Perhaps the futurist indulges our desire to be saved by a power outside ourselves, by a techno-saviour! In the end we must be realistic about our present social and economic problems and realize that all technology does not necessarily represent progress and in fact some technology may create more problems than it solves.

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