My friend, Stuart Silverstone has been working on Big History for about 30 years. Long before it became popular and got big funding.
Stuart asked me to make some trend suggestions for three of the most recent panels. Here is what I wrote back to him about the major trends I've seen since 1980.
The most important trend has been the reduction of the Marxist model of government; the ideology that believes in using government power to remake the individual. This 20 year period saw the end of the USSR and Mao's China. Replaced by more private corporations and greater freedom to individuals.
It saw the emergence of a new socialist model in Singapore of an open commercial market and an authoritarian socialist government.
Marxism was replaced by a global religious belief in a human caused Global Warming with Armageddon consequences. Global Warming Religion becomes core belief of the American Democrat Party and nearly all of Europe.
There was a dramatic reduction in American military spending and a signifcant decrease in the Russian and USSR nuclear stockpiles.
The emergence of peace talks between the Palestinian leaders and the Israel government.
Development of PCR machines to study genes.
Formation of the Euro monetary zone and associated 'global community' ideology.
Pakistan, India and North Korea conducted nuclear weapons tests.
Use of Cardiac Cath Labs to treat heart problems introduced. Started in the U.S. and expanded globally to all wealthy commercial countries.
Post menopause breast cancer successfully treated.
Hippie movement absorbed into general U.S. society by the end of the 1980's.
Peak American crime rate reached in 1991. Due to a 20 year lag following abortion legalization in 1971.
2000 to present
Expansion of fracking for oil and gas, collapse of oil prices and American resurgence as world energy powerhouse.
Expansionist military moves by China first in Senkaku Islands then in South China Sea.
Israel develops and uses first rocket defense systems. Iron Dome downs nearly 1000 Gaza rockets and Arrow anti-ICBM system demonstrated.
European and American sponsored Israeli peace talks finally fail for the third time.
Global expansion of Internet and associated cyber-warfare. Internet becomes major media source for large number of citizens in 'developed world'.
Complete dominance of American academia with Left-wing fascism and martial action against all opposing political views.
95% of media adopts unremitting anti-Republican anti-American position.
Slow emergence of anti-media political movement. Tea Party emerges in 2010, decline of Democrat officer holders begins in states and Congress (1,000 seats lost in six years).
Successful emergence of new type opposition movements to 'global community ideology' in Britain and the U.S. in 2016 .
In the U.S. government change towards a pro commerce stance with anti-government and anti-global warming policies. Begun with election in 2016.
Venezuela becomes the first modern, 21st Century, nation to face population starvation due to Marxism.
Random selection of citizens is used in California to apportion political boundaries.
Many new cancer treatments enter market. Hep C. becomes first viral disease cured in the U.S. along with successful treatment of AIDs.
Future
Random selection of citizens is used as a tool in new form of democracy at every level of governance.
Global consumer market emerges on Internet. Market of products and services expands geometrically.