Endless Energy - Narrative

Imagine, you are in 2040. A world with endless sustainable energy. What would the world look like? For us, this world is depicted by endless possibilities, a world without scarcity, where time and distance have become insignificant. A world where technology and people can simultaneously flourish. The sky's the limit, as one would say. Except, even the sky can be conquered with endless energy.

Following the urbanisation trend, migration and longer life expectancy, Dutch cities will become mega cities; 24-7 bustling hubs of ongoing activity. People crowd the streets, competing for space with drones, vehicles, trams and pods that continuously fly and drive around the city. Within this web of technology, there is little need for a diversity of shops as goods are simply delivered.

In this city, you are a Bim or a Bam. Bims and Bams do not understand each other, live apart, avoid each other and might even fear each other. For a Bam, life is as easy as possible. With a chip behind their ear and lenses in their eyes, their personal mobile assistant ‘Muddy’ sees everything they see, connects to everything, gives advice and makes sure everything is arranged perfectly according to their wishes. Most importantly; Muddy is a friend, she fully understands a Bam, she acts as a moral compass. Technology is fuelled by Bims as technology are not mutually connected, Bims control to what degree they use technology. This self-control stands at the heart of a Bim. The value of deciding one's own course, without the necessary need for technology does make life less convenient and efficient, yet for a Bim, the advantage of regulating your own life outweighs any disadvantage technology brings.

In a world with endless opportunities; you could become either a Bim or a Bam. Technology comes in handy, but is convenience and efficiency worth the costs? Privacy will be almost non-existent if everything is connected and controlled by Muddy. Moreover, what if technology fails? Would you able to think for yourself, or will you be completely dependent on your Muddy? On the other hand, is privacy really that important? Should we not embrace all new technologies and live a life without worries in which everybody is able to make the most of it? Artificial intelligence has many upsides, but do we want to give it this much power over our lives, and above all can we steer it?