John (41), Ben (37)

Where do you see the world in five years?

Ben: Its gonna be a serious prolonged recession. I think our economy will retract.  I think we’ll gain a lot of wisdom over the next five years. As a      nation, it seems like we’ve all been high and clueless. I think people will start paying attention and realize what’s been going on. Maybe that’s idealism talking. I think our status internationally in the U.S. will improve.  We’ll start being more respectful. American people and the American government have been two different things in the last 10 years. But I think we’re forever lost as the golden child of the world. 

What are your hopes?

Ben: World peace, baby!

Do you think that’s an attainable goal?

Ben: I’ve heard the saying that we’ve outgrown war, how effective it is, that and our ability to annihilate each other. It’s got to shift towards diplomacy. We’re all in the same boat. I think that this recession is waking everybody up to realize how interconnected we are. 

John: I agree that anything is possible and putting your intentions towards to it. I think that is what’s going to change the world. It might not happen in five years. 

What do you think the most important thing should be?

John: The rest of the world, everything outside of yourself. If you treated everyone else as more 

I talked to Ben and John after the election to find out if their feelings about the next five years had changed at all and this is what they said.

Ben:  I’m more optimistic than before. And since the election, what I’ve been reading and feeling reinforces what I said, that the world is interconnected. We are a part of it but not the one’s in control. The other countries all feel really psyched. They are looking to America with hope and not disdain. I think that we will see some immediate changes but that the more difficult one’s will take awhile. I think it will take three years for us to get out of this recession and it’ll take time to correct the harm that’s been done over the last eight years. I think Obama is going to govern in a pretty centrist way and will avoid going to the left. He will truly have a bipartisan approach  and lead moderately. I think most Americans are centrist even thought the media portrays us as polarized. 

John: I still think that humanity can do anything, if we put our mind to it and I’m definitely excited he’s in there because there’s more hope and opportunity for that to happen. I think it sets a worldwide precedent that we’re not selfish assholes and it’s possible for anything to change globally.  We are one world and he will help unite the world as opposed to the last eight years  where it was decisively negative. 

What do you think Bush will do in the next couple months?

Ben: He’s already trying to push through some things with executive orders like lowering standards of poisons in water, expanding drilling and loosening all kinds of restrictions but I don’t think he’ll get any support in congress. I think he wants to get the hell out of there. I don’t think he’ll make it too difficult.

John: The feeling is that every thing’s gonna be ok. That’s what I’ve been hearing from people. PJH