Aging

Unbearably Quiet

Frank Diana Fertility Decline, Stories , , , ,

In a recent post, The Year the Playground Went Quiet, I explored the deeper story behind declining fertility rates—beyond statistics and headlines. It’s not just about fewer children; it’s about the future of communities, economies, and what we value as a society.

Today, I’m sharing a short video that brings those messages to life. It captures the emotional and systemic dimensions of this global shift—why it matters, what’s driving it, and what it means for all of us. Watch and reflect on how the choices we make now may shape generations to come.

Invisible Rhythms Of An Aging Society

Frank Diana Aging, Demographics, Societal Factors, Stories , ,

In my recent post, Invisible at Rush Hour, I explored how aging populations are reshaping the rhythms of everyday life—often in ways we fail to see. From shifting commute patterns to the quiet rise of elder influence, the signs of demographic transformation are everywhere. This short video builds on that reflection, offering a visual lens into what it means when society moves faster than some of us can keep pace.

Invisible at Rush Hour

Frank Diana Aging, Future Scenarios , , , , , , , , , ,

What it feels like to grow old in a society speeding past you.

The World Is Getting Older—Fast

Across the globe, populations are aging at unprecedented speed. By 2030, more than 1 in 6 people worldwide will be over 60. In countries like Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Germany, that number will be closer to 1 in 3. The dependency ratio is tipping. Pensions are under strain. Healthcare systems are overwhelmed. And in many cities, there are now more people leaving the workforce than entering it.

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The Year the Playground Went Quiet

Frank Diana Fertility Decline, Future Scenarios , , , , , ,

What falling fertility rates are telling us – and where the silence leads

Across the globe, people are having fewer children – and having them later, if at all.

Fertility rates are falling in nearly every major economy, and not just slightly. In country after country, birth rates have slipped well below the 2.1 births per woman needed to maintain a stable population. South Korea now sits below 0.8. Japan, Italy, Spain, and China all hover below 1.4. Even in the United States – long a statistical outlier – births have declined steadily for over a decade, hitting a 30-year low during the pandemic.

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The Sandwich Generation

Frank Diana Demographics, Societal Factors , , , , ,

A recent article describes a societal challenge that represents a major convergent force. I have portrayed this challenge as a shift in our traditional life segments – from four to five. Here is a summary of the article:

As we approach 2030, the world braces for a significant demographic shift. In the United State alone, 10,000 Americans will hit the age of 65 every day. This surge in the elderly population underscores a pressing global concern regarding our readiness to provide adequate elder care, a responsibility often shouldered by the adult children of aging parents. This phenomenon has coined the term “sandwich generation,” referring to individuals who find themselves simultaneously caring for elderly parents and raising their own children.

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Societal Signals Are Flashing

Frank Diana Demographics, Societal Factors , , , ,

This latest article via the World Economic forum highlights a fundamental truth about the current era: signals are flashing across multiple domains. Although much attention is paid to advancements in science and technology, signals across society, geopolitics, economy and environment are converging. As described in various posts on the topic, convergence itself is a signal. In similar periods in the past, when multiple domains were in a state of flux, it was their convergence that shaped the future. In the referenced article, it is a societal signal that is flashing. If we view these signals as building blocks, it is the model that emerges that allows us to explore their combinations.

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Where Is Population Growth Actually Heading?

Frank Diana Demographics, Societal Factors , , , , , ,

Demographics matter. An aging society, fewer children, less workers, immigration, to name a few, are likely to shape our future in ways we cannot predict. There is much uncertainty, exemplified by mixed messages regarding the global population. Some estimates have us reaching 11 billion people by the year 2100 – with most of that growth coming from Africa and some countries in Asia. Studies have now emerged with significantly less growth. A recent article describes one such study.

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A Global Drop In Life Expectancy

Frank Diana Future Scenarios, Health , , , , , , ,

Two future scenarios that I have tracked are healthy life extension and radical life extension. To extend our heathy lives is to ensure that we not only live longer, but we do so in a healthy and productive way. The implications of healthy life extension are wide reaching. When combined with several other societal shifts, we find ourselves moving from a four-segment life cycle to a five-segment life cycle.

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The Great Resignation

Frank Diana Our Emerging Future, Pandemics, Work , , , , , ,

We like labels. In this case, our current labor market dynamic has been called “The Great Resignation”. This article explores the current resignation phenomenon, providing great insight into why it is happening. There are several survey results presented via The Conference Board’s latest workforce survey. The high-level theme from the survey is that although it’s a culmination of a multitude of factors, employees are seizing this moment of leverage. But, as the article states, it’s also about workers’ pursuit of flexibility and autonomy.

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The Impact Of Societal Forces On Our Future

Frank Diana Our Emerging Future, Societal Factors , , , , ,

Convergence is a big part of how the future reveals itself. I have written often about convergence across geopolitics, science and technology, and other domains. Even a domain like philosophy is converging in ways that help shape our future. Macro-level forces illuminate possible futures, and forces in the societal domain play a major role in determining that future. This article on population provides a great example.

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Companion Robots And Mental Health

Frank Diana innovation accelerators, Robotics , , , , , , ,

What is your initial reaction to this question. Please respond to the poll.

Colliding Trends Reshape 2030

Frank Diana Books, Convergence, The Third Tipping Point , , , , , , , , , , ,

A recent book explores aspects of a broader Convergence story. The book – 2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything – was authored by Mauro F. Guillen. In exploring a number of trends, he shows how the only effective way to understand the global transformations underway is to think laterally. Said another way, we need to think at the systems level. Understanding pieces in isolation blinds us to the combinatorial nature of change. The book abstract says it this way:

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Reversing The Aging Process

Frank Diana Future Scenarios, Health , , , , ,

Advances in life sciences have scientist believing that the first person to Live to 200 has already been born. This Healthy Life Extension scenario has major societal implications. In this scenario, we are not just enabling people to live longer, but we will also be healthier. This healthy longevity challenges traditional views of retirement, wealth, savings, our social contract, and the phases of our lives, among other things. Now, you may ask, how is it possible to extend our lives in a healthy manner? In a Post from 2018, I shared a perspective from Johnty Andersen, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Anti-Aging Medicine researcher:

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Long-Term Does Not Mean What It Used To

Frank Diana Our Emerging Future, Societal Factors , , , ,

The news cycle these days makes it hard to catch our breath. More importantly, our focus is increasingly on short-term dynamics versus long-term trends. By long-term, I mean a little beyond what is right in front of us. I captured this thought in a Post last year: When someone says to me: “I’m not worried about five years from now”, my reaction is always the same. What looks to be five years out is likely only 18 months away: A phenomenon I describe in this piece on Acceleration.

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Robots Are Constructing a Dam in Japan. Are Buildings Next?

Frank Diana Automated society, Future Scenarios , , , , , , ,

Here is a scenario I expect to see play out increasingly over time:

To address Japan’s rapidly aging workforce and labor shortage, contractor Obayashi Corporation has turned to automation by constructing a dam almost entirely with robots

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Dealing With Loneliness And Isolation

Frank Diana Ecosystems, Wellness , , , , , , , , ,

At a Milken Institute Health Summit in 2017, I participated in a panel discussion that focused on effective methods for healthier aging on a vast scale. One of the key discussion points was how Loneliness and Isolation were a leading cause of death among the elderly. Here in 2020, that concern has been amplified by the pandemic. During that panel discussion, I mentioned the use of companion robots to deal with this growing crisis. As society continues to age, the problem of isolation and loneliness grows more acute.

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Change Has Never Been This Fast – It Will Never Be This Slow Again

Frank Diana Our Emerging Future, Trends and Predictions , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy New Year all! As we enter the next decade, an expression that is now popular rings true: Change Has Never Been This Fast – It Will Never Be This Slow Again. It is not just the speed of change – which many attribute to Exponential Progression driven in part by the Convergence of Science and Technology – Futuristic Developmentsbut the sheer number of Dots Connecting in what is a very complex system. As is customary this time of year, there is no shortage of content focused on the year or decade ahead.

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A Pivotal Decade Lies Ahead

Frank Diana Trends and Predictions , , , , , , ,

The world is about to enter a pivotal decade. This decade is likely to be remembered as the launching pad to a very different future. The next ten years are marked by uncertainty, complexity, and an inability to predict how an overwhelming number of Dots Connect to shape the decade. In a 2018 post, I looked at some work by Karen Harris and others that focused on some of the Macro Trends that drive the decade. In the supporting insights report, the authors see volatility emerging from the Collision of Demographics, Automation, and Inequality. These three factors drive a very Turbulent 2020s and Beyond.

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Society 5.0

Frank Diana Humanity, Our Emerging Future , , , , , , ,

I found a very refreshing Article today describing Japan’s vision for the fifth iteration of society. Our hunter-gatherer days represent the first iteration, with agriculture coming in as number two and the industrial and information revolutions rounding out the next two. I’ve written about the Tipping Points in human history – and this vision of a future society is aligned with my point of view on the next tipping point. With each tip, we have experienced Unintended Consequences. Big visions such as these would be wise to ensure a balancing of the Opposing forces of Innovation.

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Preparing for the Future – Part One

Frank Diana Future Scenarios, My Media Activity , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I had the pleasure of hosting two sessions recently at the TCS Innovation Forums in London and in New York City. The sessions, which explored the need to prepare for the future, involved thought leaders, futurists, and various leaders across multiple domains. They were structured with several five-minute descriptions of forward-looking themes, and once context was set, a discussion with the broader leadership group was moderated. The sessions focused on education and awareness, rooted in a strong belief that leaders must prepare for and shape our emerging future. Leaders of the early 20th century were experiencing the fascination of a great period of invention, while at the same time the horror of crisis. That crisis, in the form of World War One, the Great Depression, and World War Two, served as a catalyst that mobilized human action. Without it, the democratization of innovation and the most prosperous period in our human history likely never happens – at least not to the extent that it did.

It is my belief that similarities exist between the era of great invention and today. Future historians may look back and deem this emerging era to be the greatest in human history. However, as described in my post on Mapping the Path of Innovation, human action must again be mobilized if we are to shape a future of human flourishing versus suffering. What are the catalysts that mobilize human Action this time? I shared the results of a Poll I Conducted to provide a point of view. This critical need was first positioned in a post that summarized What I Expect in 2019.

To open the sessions, I shared three key themes from my expectation post: Acceleration, Possibilities, and Convergence. If we truly are entering another period of great invention, what action is required by leaders to ensure a positive path forward? This post will summarize the key themes from the TCS London Session, positioning the importance of answering that question. I will follow this with a summary of the New York session.

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