Talking about the Millennium

Millennium: "a period of a thousand years; a period of happiness and benign government."

With the year 2000 approaching there has been a lot of talk about the Millennium. To begin with there is no agreement about the date it should begin - quite apart from the mathematical point of whether 2000 or 2001 is the first year of a new millennium, there are those who favour an astrological date based on the transition from the Piscean to the Aquarian era (though the exact date of this is also under discussion) or a date based on the views expressed by various prophets and seers. A date around 2010 seems a reasonable compromise and gives us a little breathing space.

As to what happens then there is just as much difference of opinion. Nostradamus, the great 16th century prophet, presents two alternative views depending on what part of the prophecies is read and how it is interpreted. On the one hand, unprecedented doom and destruction followed by an end of the presence of human life on earth. On the other, a new golden age. He seems to be saying, it is up to us: if enough people believe and act in a way to bring about the golden age, this is what will happen; if the forces of destruction have the upper hand, things will swing in that direction.

The Axioms are in essence a positive life view and so represent the "golden age" theory. Here is a list of changes that might take place by the Millennium, which are in tune with the vision of life presented in the Axioms. Some are already happening, some seem remote from what we have at present. But sometimes in history things can happen remarkably quickly.

The changes are subdivided into the following categories:

  1. Business and employment
  2. Religion and ideology
  3. Family and personal relationships
  4. Food and drugs
  5. Health
  6. Economy and distribution
  7. Recreation
  8. Media
  9. Communication and archiving
  10. Armed forces

Business and employment

Multinationals will still exist but not as main employers, more as formal structures. Companies will be small and flexible, to pop up and disappear as required to fulfil current needs. Lifetime careers with one or a few companies will disappear in favour of short-term contracts. Emphasis in employee selection on initiative and social skills will leave a large part of the population permanently unemployed but they will not be socially or financially disadvantaged.

Religion and ideology

Decline of organized religions and ideological movements, especially those which attempt to suppress individual truth-seeking. Religion will become a more personal matter. Ceremonies based on religion will be replaced by community ceremonies or disappear altogether.

Family and personal relationships

A surprising return to traditional family morals but with a new openness. Reversal of the present trend of tolerance for sexual deviations and single parent families. Emphasis on the stability of marriage as an institution offering mutual support and optimum upbringing of children. Small families will win social approval worldwide.

Food and drugs

The diet of most people will be based on grains, fruits, legumes and (limited) dairy produce, meat (if at all) reserved for festive occasions. Alcohol will have vanished from the social scene and smoking will only be done by addicts in private. Drug usage will be seen as a public health problem with compulsory medication as one of the solutions.

Health

Medical care becomes affordable due to new insights into the psychological causes of physical illness. Healing methods such as hypnotism, acupuncture and group psychotherapy replace chemical and physical intrusion. Euthanasia becomes the rule rather than the exception in the case of terminal illness and severely limiting handicaps.

Economy and distribution

Local economies will flourish using computer-controlled barter-type systems (e.g. LETS). National and multinational food distribution will still exist but there will be more emphasis on locally grown (organic) produce and shortening of supply lines.

Recreation

Recreation will be restricted to activities not using scarce resources. Airline holidays will be a thing of the past. Private road and public air transport will be severely restricted.

Media

Total loss of public belief in advertising as a source of valid product information leads to a decline in commercial media and a return to public service broadcasting with an emphasis on education, enlightenment and top quality entertainment.

Communication and archiving

Communication and archiving involving scarce resources (paper, photo, film) will be replaced by use of electronic and laser technology. Access to a computer network will be as normal as at present the possession of a telephone or television.

Armed forces

Military conscription will be recognized as a human rights violation. Armed forces only needed as a super police force against terrorism and organized crime. No more confrontation between "great powers". Patriotism to a country replaced by respect for values involving the whole of humanity.

PIERS
Clement

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Version 1 27-aug-1996
Text written 22-apr-1996
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Last updated 25.4.2003 1