25 Things People Predict Future Generations Will Be Shocked By

Many ideas and social norms have changed over the last fifty years, therefore it may be pretty safe to assume more changes will occur over the next 50 years too. It’s hard to imagine how those changes may look but a recent discussion on Reddit inspired folks to think long and hard about the possibilities when someone asked, “What’s something that’s normal to us now, that in 50 years people will look back on us as barbaric?” Scroll below to read through some of the best suggestions, which we’ve shared in the gallery below. 

#1 Forcing terminally ill people in constant pain and discomfort to stay alive without the option to be helped to end their lives peacefully and with dignity.

Image source: Simple_Knowledge6423, Olga Kononenko

#2 Holding entertainers as more important than educators.

Image source: pseudolawgiver, Ivan Samkov

#3 Letting people die from lack of medical care because they’re poor.

Image source: EasyBounce, Levi Meir Clancy

#4 Women getting procedures on reproductive organs without pain medication.

Image source: Life-Experience-7052, Getty Images

#5 Keeping aquatic mammals in captivity for entertainment.

Image source: Prestigious-Wall5616, Leopold Romanowski

#6 Hopefully child beauty pageants but especially child marriage.

Image source: OhTheHueManatee, Mariana Yarritu

#7 My votes are: Countries that lack universal healthcare. Environmental neglect.

Image source: Danoga_Poe, Pablo Merchán Montes

#8 For-profit prisons and for-profit health insurance hopefully.

Image source: Lack_my_bills, Markus Spiske

#9 The cruelty with which we treat animals.

Image source: Alternative-Purple96, cottonbro studio

#10 I think the way we treat the environment will be something future generations look back on and see as barbaric. We’ve been very careless with pollution, waste, and climate change, and in 50 years, they might wonder how we didn’t do more to protect the planet when we knew the damage we were causing.

Image source: Substantial_Walk1061, Stijn Dijkstra

#11 Might be too soon, but the goddamn school shootings. There’s got to be a way out of this.

Image source: jc80greybeard, Pew Nguyen

#12 Mammography machines. Maybe they’ll finally invent an anatomically appropriate machine instead of the torture device?

Image source: Alternative_Win_6629, Getty Images

#13 Forcing people whose disabilities prevent them from working to live in poverty–the average amount of a monthly Social Security Disability Insurance benefit check is $1400.

Image source: writeyourwayout, Marcus Aurelius

#14 Letting women die from septic and ectopic pregnancies.

Image source: Sibby_in_May, Arteida MjESHTRI

#15 The pet industry. Especially the inbreeding.

Image source: Sheilahasaname, Elena Mozhvilo

#16 Lack of effective American gun laws, I hope.

Image source: Okay_Holiday_9178, Sawyer Sutton

#17 Hopefully, underpaying workers. No one who works full time should only be able to afford a studio apartment and top ramen.

Image source: radioactive-sp*rm, Tima Miroshnichenko

#18 I wish I had the optimism necessary to believe we’ll still have a functioning society in 50 years.

Image source: AboynamedDOOMTRAIN, Levi Meir Clancy

#19 The way companies are using the internet and what its doing to our brains. I mean the constant garbage we consume on the internet and its long term effects on our mental health.

Image source: abohra1122, cottonbro studio

#20 Factory farming, fur farms, animal experimentation, animal cruelty–all the horrific things we’re doing to nonhuman animals that would get you in jail for life if it were done to a human.

Image source: Leafmonkey_, Haberdoedas II

#21 Horse and dog racing.

Image source: Eldel74, Absolute Charm

#22 40 hr work week.

Image source: According_Smoke1385, Becerra Govea Photo

#23 Removing iud without anesthetic. Most uterine medical ‘care’.

Image source: MaleficentMousse7473, Stephen Andrews

#24 Single use plastic.

Image source: diegojones4, Kateryna Hliznitsova

#25 Over 90% of NFL players getting chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The NFL will be viewed like we view gladiatorial battles now.

Image source: CupOk5800