I'm a single father for that reason, lol.

A major influence IMO is generation direction steering, media and advertising lost Gen Y but regained them recalling them Millennial's https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/fashion/move-over-millennials-here-comes-generation-z.html
Factoring in with Trump at the helm of the West and the trade sanction's placed on so many in the past decade.

With a currency system like this over the next 20 year's or so we can give job's to the robot factorie's while most people can earn a living showing how cool their life is....like getting $20 to post a pic of your dinner on SteemBook.

This is just a small part as well of one direction I can see society's evolving, but the main word in my post was HOPE, because as your saying Hindsight isn't looking good for it.
Just a quick post, I need to go to work so have a good day :)