The 2010s: What’s Ahead?
What can we expect and prepare for in the 2010s?
Here are some of the themes I think we’ll be confronting:
Bad: A sustained economic downturn that doesn’t really bottom out until 2012-2015. Things not really picking up economically on a world scale until 2015 or 2016. There has already been a significant loss of worldwide wealth and it may not be over yet, nor even for a long time.
Good: Infrastructure rebuilding. During the long transit of Pluto through Capricorn (until 2024), we will probably see an effort by nations to regenerate their core infrastructures, including traffic and power systems, etc. Long overdue and sorely needed.
Good: Scientific breakthroughs in alternative energy and other disciplines. Uranus in Aries is traditionally quite good for science. New and world-changing ideas will ultimately emerge.
Maybe Good, Maybe Not: War. War somewhere is a safe bet in any era, but I’m talking about dealing with the roots, the reasons nations declare war in the first place. We can sort of see this in the delay in Obama’s decision regarding next steps in Afghanistan. Saturn in Libra square Pluto creates a sort of compulsion to examine ‘why’ – ‘why are we doing this?’
Maybe Good, Maybe Not: Decreased immigration and global travel. Rates of travel exploded during the Pluto in Sagittarius era. In the US, rates of immigration exploded too. Both will level off, now that the long Sagittarius era is over. The move toward a focus on ‘local’ sources of goods and services will probably increase.
Probably Not Good In The Short Run: Clashes between prudent and cautious governments and impulsive or freedom-seeking individuals and groups. Pluto in Capricorn makes governments want to be security-conscious and cautious. Uranus in Aries makes individuals and groups want more freedoms or to engage in spontaneous demonstrations. This may be helpful in the long run, but often leads to tighter government clampdowns in the short run.
Not Good: More invasive, intrusive, and repressive governments around the world. This combination of Pluto and Capricorn is as potentially pernicious as the combination of Pluto and Cancer was.
Not Good: Potential resource shortages. Pluto in the restricting sign of Capricorn signals the opposite of abundance. Making do with less may become the new norm.
Probably Good: More investigations of the military. In the wake of the Ft. Hood shootings, there are calls for investigations already. The clash between Pluto (likes to get to the truth of things) and Saturn in Libra (one symbol for the military) will create an urge to re-think how the military approaches a number of things.
Partly Good, Partly Not: More rules and regulations. First up for examination is the financial system that caused the crash of ’08. Probably won’t be the only sector of the economy and society to be put under the microscope, though.
Potentially Good: More determined and forceful efforts toward peace. The upcoming clash between cardinal signs is quite warlike, but during times of planetary clash, greater efforts toward peace are often made. On the other hand, peace can come at quite a price, as Neville Chamberlain can tell you. There may be quite fierce animosity between those who would pursue a policy of something like appeasement and those who favor all out war.
Disruptive: Internal clashes within societies between rationality and emotionality, systems vs. individuals, conformity vs. rebellion or individuality. Expressions of open hostility and even hatred will likely increase. The current lack of civility in discussion will probably only get worse. Tension between governments and their own peoples, as was common during the 1960s as well as the 1930s.
Nerve-Wracking: Very tense foreign relations among nations. Saturn brings to light problems between nations that have been being papered over.
Impressive If It Happens: Major agreements and initiatives. When a cardinal T-square breaks up, a sudden release of energy often leads to significant initiatives and changes. Since this T-square looks to me like it pits countries against one another, it may be followed by impressive and far-reaching treaties or a real agreement to deal with global climate change and other international issues.
Unpredictable Effects: Major Changes in Business and Corporations. Global business has been evolving for a long time; the changes during the next 16 years may be the most extensive ever. Permanent changes in how people work. Cost-consciousness, cost-cutting, efficiency, even ruthless efficiency will probably rule the day. Possibly the Wal-Mart-ization of business and the workforce.
Mixed: Changing values. Virtues like competence, thrift, responsibility, and hard work will become the new black. This is already beginning to happen. Pragmatism will gain traction over ideology. Integrity and reputation will become even more important. Individual households will probably engage in sustained cost-cutting, and a lot of things once considered necessities will become luxuries.
Mixed: Changing demographics. Aging populations in the developed world due to increases in lifespan will probably create new opportunities for developing nations with younger populations. Issues relating to the elderly will become more and more prominent.
Mixed: High-rises and urban density. Cities will become more and more important as rural areas are abandoned and high-density housing gains precedence over suburban sprawl.
Most of these things are continuations of existing trends, which is generally how history works. Things that have been slowly gathering steam under the surface become more and more prominent. Of course, some of these things happen to some extent during any era; it is just likely that some of them will become more noticeable in the years ahead.
