1966: Children imagine life in the year 2000 | Tomorrow’s World | Past Predictions | BBC Archive

Pupils from Marlborough college, Roedean and Chippenham schools predict what life will be like for them in the year 2000. With concerns ranging from nuclear armageddon, overpopulation, automation, battery farming and mass unemployment, it's fair to say that most of them aren't especially optimistic about the prospect.

Clip taken from Tomorrow's World, originally broadcast 28 December 1966.

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[cameron]

"People will be viewed as statistics more than actual people" this kid hit the nail on the head

[joshua]

These kids sound smarter than some adults today. They are very articulate.

[Tonybaga_laughs]

Does it frighten anyone how mature these children sound in comparison to today’s adult?

[glenmale]

I was in primary school in 1966 and the nuclear threat was very, very real. How it hasn't happened yet staggers me.

[SteveSilverActor]

The kid who predicted factory farming and the treatment of farm animals got it exactly right. Did the BBC only take the most dystopian answers? Or were British children that pessimistic about the future? There were one or two that had positive views of the future, but the vast majority envisioned quite a horrible state of affairs.

[Tinybeario]

"People are gonna be out of work due to automation" Pretty much nailed it.

[benjones]

It would be funny if someone said "I think the Rolling Stones will still be touring".

[karenbell]

I would have been around their age then. But more importantly, these kids were amazing. They were so on target. One of them spoke about diseases, computers and the people having a hard time getting jobs. These children from England were absolutely inspiring. I would love to hear their stories now.

[garurumon]

Some very dark prescience in these kids, but what a pleasure to listen to how articulately they convey their ideas

[kdjoshi]

The girl talking about flats & houses being rather small was 100% correct as it's happening in my country

[paigecourtier]

As a 23 year old, I resonate a lot with the kid at the end being afraid to live in the world in 50 years time.

[projectx]

These kids are more well spoken than most of today's 30 year olds, let alone today's kids and teenagers

[canigetanoorah]

What intelligent well spoken children. It’s sad that several of them mentioned atomic warfare as a reflection of the world that they lived in

[tinakev]

I was gobsmacked when watching the young lad at 4:06. His prediction of intensive battery farming was completely spot on.

[waynejfoster]

It's amazing how accurate those kid's were.

"People will be seen as nothing more than statistics instead of real People".

How accurate was that prediction. Totally spot on

[samuelcreighton]

Really quite sad... So young, yet their vision of the future seemed to induce only fear. - Would so love to see them interviewed again today.

[Gaurav_]

" Jobs only for people with computer knowledge " these kids predicted this in 1966.

[shaolinwisdom]

They'd have to be at least 70 years old now. It would be fascinating to do a follow up 62 years after these were done. Plus it's been 22 years since 2000 as well. I'd like to see how they feel about seeing their younger selves. Their kind sci-fi predictions. Or how they feel about the world now, for better or worse.

[flippoint]

The kid talking about population and automation. Wow. Insane how smart that kid is.

[guidedbyvoices]

These kids are mostly very intelligent and articulate for their age, my how times have changed..