We live in a confused and confusing world. Population growth, rapidly changing technologies, large migrations of peoples and ideas are changing everything faster and faster. 

This is a brief historical overview of eight of the major problems we face, and some radical ways of thinking about them. These include robots and work, computers and the internet, the increase in life and health, the challenge to democracy, multiculturalism, educational changes, war and peace. 

Alan Macfarlane is a retired Professor of Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, he is also a life long fellow of King's College, Cambridge. This book complements his Letters to Lily and Reflections for Rosa.