As a child, we're told that we can change the world. And we can, we will. But in ways that are not quite imaginable at the time. To say that the consequences can be unintended is a bit of an understatement. And yet, change is the only constant.
Jason was fairly unique among his circle of friends. He was pre-EOD*. He was born before it was pretty much a certitude that your life would extend at least a millennium and possibly longer. He was of the last generation where having babies was done almost as an unconscious afterthought of the moderately intelligent. Sure, there were some who thought long and hard about the world before deciding to bring their own derivative version of themselves onto the planet. But for most, it was a relatively pure reaction to the biological urges. Urges that fit well into a modest bit of pleasure associated with the process. No longer. Licenses were required, and justifiably so.
"I'll raise you 20," said Adam, with a sparkle in his eye that his friends found to be an endearing tell. Playing poker with the same six buddies for 45 years has its advantages in forming amazing friendships and sense of community. But it was hard to bet. Very hard. Even for their best, but most erratic, player (Jason).
Jason for all of his time spent on this planet - over 800 years - found it hard to adjust to the new reality. Some of this was just good - he was continually amazed at the progress, the inventiveness of his fellow man. There wasn't a day that went by that he was thankful that poverty afflicted relatively few and that even once unproductive continents were now almost equal contributors to the global technology stage. Humanity was richer than at any point in the past and despite their impressive numbers, reasonably well at harmony with their environments.
"Fold," said Jason, "I know what happens next if I don't. Oh well, its much easier to lose when I like the person I'm losing too." But Jason hated to lose. Though he thought he was exceptional at hiding that fact, his buddies knew.
Those who fretted that the world could only support 8 or 10 or 15 billion people turned out to be wrong. Not just modestly so, but wildly so. Jason was one of them and considers it one of the better stories to tell new acquaintances. In the year 2942, there were almost exactly 50 billion on the planet. Just has there had been for the last 250 years. Population stability at this point was assured through a series of global treaties and attitudes of societies in all of the four corners of the planet. That didn't mean that everybody agreed.
Sure there were pockets of resistance. Those who believed more strongly in tradition or God or whatever. They were the fringe and they quite frankly, didn't matter. They were small societies sponging off of the technology and wealth of the Greater World. And the Greater World accounted for their numbers to ensure that the overall global balance was maintained.
That is what it was called. Greater World. 2500 was widely recognized as the end of the distinction between first and third world and people were looking for something non-pejorative to use that also would pay homage to the peace and prosperity that had been achieved over the last several hundred years. It was a great time to be alive. And if you were alive, you were likely going to be alive for a long, long time.
* End of Death
