27. Belief in what?

There are so many things we can believe in: systems, religions, philosophies, our own selves, … I wonder if and how people’s beliefs might evolve 20 years from now. I included the following question in my Future2043 survey:

“Will religions and belief systems survive as they are today, or will they either disappear or become radically different?”

I got a wide range of answers I will share a little further on. But first, let’s take a quick look at how some science fiction writers interpreted “belief”.

Believe it if you can see it

In the “The Toynbee Convector”, short story written in 1984 by Ray Bradbury, we discover “the need for belief in something in order to make progress, even if what we believe in does not exist”. The story recounts a time traveler who has returned from the future, and has visual and other evidence that our future civilization was advanced with new, useful inventions and a restored planetary health. No spoilers here, but the creative solution the time traveler devised to convince people that it was worth fighting for a better future is ingenious. And it worked! A short story you’ll never forget.

Believe it when it happens

Max Brooks in World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, his long, fascinating novel about what happens around the world when zombies invade, says this about beliefs:

“Most people don’t believe something can happen until it already has . That’s not stupidity or weakness , that’s just human nature.”

His novel is a series of interviews and personal stories from people around the world, survivors of a plague triggered by zombies. Among the multitude of ideas and themes in the novel is the shortsightedness of humanity. People react when it is too late.

Belief that we can make a difference, or is it too late?

Waiting until it’s too late is the theme of “An Incomplete Timeline of What We Tried”, an amazing short story by Debbie Urbanski. Note the past tense: what we tried. It is a series of short phrases, starting in the present (our future) then backing up to the past (our present).

The first line of the story: “Human extinction.” The story highlights many things humans have tried, none of which made a difference in the end. Read this story. If you’re like me, you’ll recognize yourself in many of her phrases.

How do people see our belief systems 20 years from now?

Back to the question I asked in the Future2043 survey:

“Will religions and belief systems survive as they are today, or will they either disappear or become radically different?”

I’ll share data later, when the survey closes, but in the meantime people had a lot to say about beliefs and the future. I have – with difficulty – extracted a limited selection to share here:

More spiritual, humanist

• As people know and understand more, religion will become more nuanced. People can no longer be kept stupid or told a story. Religion will still be there, but more from a humanistic approach. Also more respect and attention to differences.
• Religion has the power to bring people together and heal old wounds. Instead, we see, more often than not, its corrosive, divisive face. Spirituality (often misunderstood as religion) will provide the depth and understanding that we need.

More entrenched, more conflict

• Belief systems evolve all the time so they will keep doing so, but in a world of fragmentation they may become more entrenched, less open to each other. I expect more diversion between belief systems as regions/countries further diverge.
•  Not only it will survive as it is today, but it will be also one of the key reasons of the global conflict.

Necessary for humanity

• Belief systems will survive and evolve. People need stories and hope.
• We need our beliefs. People need beliefs. While their names and groupings might change, hopefully with more tolerance. Would be wonderful.

Global to unite us

• Because of the male hierarchy of the major religions and the failure of the hierarchies to be helpful in modern life, religions are outdated. My fondest hope is that something like a global brain (Teilhard de Chardin) will emerge once we figure out how to grow beyond filter bubbles. But organized religion as we know it from Christianity, Judaism, Muslim etc is doomed.
• I do not believe religion can remain as is .. we will need to come to some form of consensus to unite and move to one world governance .. we need peace first rather than radicals.

New and unknown today

• Religions will not disappear, but will get a different meaning. The gods of creation will fade away, churches getting emptier. I expect to have science prove the cause of our existence sometime soon, as well as other forms of life out there. People will find something else to believe until proven otherwise.
• AI will replace religion in some ways I think. Performing ‘miracles’ working in ways humans can’t comprehend and understand. Faith in an Advanced AI might be a thing.
• I see religions diminish in impact and hope that some other forms of beliefs will surface that will enable to better respect nature overall.

So we have three perspectives: believing what we see, believing what has actually happened, and believing we cannot make a difference. What is your opinion?

How do you see the evolution of our belief systems over the next 20 years?

I invite all readers of Inside Outsider to take part in the Future 2043 survey which is open until mid-June. Here’s more info and a direct link on Substack to the survey itself.

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What are your takeaways from this article?

What is your opinion about the evolution (or not) of belief systems?

Please share in the comments below, or directly with me via Twitter @netjmc or by email at jane at netjmc com.

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