EMERGING DYNAMICS hile these demographic, environmental, economic, and tech- nological trends are setting the stage, the story of the next 20 Wyears will be written primarily by the choices made at societal, state, and international levels. Emerging dynamics at all levels point to greater debate and contestation. Personal and policy choices will determine the co- hesiveness of societies, the resilience of states in all regions, and the types of interactions between states. In many countries, people are pessimistic about the future and growing more distrustful of leaders and institutions that they see as unable or unwilling to deal with disruptive economic, technological, and demographic trends. In response, people are gravitating to familiar and like-minded groups for community and security, including ethnic, religious, and cultural identities as well as groupings around interests and causes. Communities are more fragmented and in con昀氀ict; a cacophony of competing visions, goals, and beliefs are placing greater de- mands on governments. 66 Image / Bigstock