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Istiqlál (Independence), 5 Sharaf (Honor) 175 B.E. - Friday, January 4, 2019

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High schoolers graduating this year, in May 2019, are as old as the first iPod.
Make a prediction for how technology will advance in the next 18 years.

"A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvellous swiftness and perfect regularity."

Shoghi Effendi1

In the 1930s, Shoghi Effendi2, the grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha3, predicted, what we now call, the worldwide web or internet. The worldwide web, which is still in its infancy, has the potential of uniting the entire planet. The Web, like humanity, is experiencing growing pains. Like a human infant, it has the potential to do both good and bad, the potential for both unity and disunity. I believe its potential for doing good and unifying humanity outweighs its potential for evil and disunity. Over the next few decade both the web and humanity will mature beyond its present form.

The problems the internet and humanity are experiencing today concerns the selfishness of leaders in every country who do not comprehend that their security and wealth depends on their cooperation with other countries. When you look at the Earth from space, you see a single planet with mountain, rivers, valleys, and cities. With rare exceptions, the boundaries you see are natural barriers--such a mountains and rivers. However, when you look on a glob or human-made map of Earth see the artificial boundaries indicating nation-states.

Once the majority of the human race realizes the interconnectedness of the planet's climates and the human species itself, the internet will reveal its potential of good in uniting the communications systems of the planet. If we continue to look at the present condition of the planet, and certain aspects of the internet, we will become discouraged and terrified for the survival of humanity. At present, many are still focused on the dogma and superstitions of the past that segregated humanity into color, religion, nation, etc. We have to raise our eyes and minds from their present focus and see Earth as it is viewed from the moon or the international space station.

I am not going to attempt to predict what the Worldwide Web or technology will be like in eighteen or eighty-one years. Because no matter what I predict, it will have changed beyond anything I can guess. Only God and His Prophet-Manifestations know precisely what will happen over the next few decades of the twenty-first century. Some of the changes have been revealed to us because we have the duty to help bring them to fruition. Some have been concealed from us because of God's love for humanity.

Footnotes
1  The World Order of Baha’u’llah, p. 203.
2  Guardian of the Baha'i Faith.
3  Son of Baha'u'llah.