Just got off the phone with one of the world's leading thinkers at the convergence of science, social change, and spirituality (and no, he's doesn't wear a hemp necklace and live in a commune - he lectures at MIT). An [almost] direct quote:
"It's quite clear to most informed people that if we go down the same road we're currently on, then the years from 2010 to 2020 are going to be very, very rough."
Warning: objects in the future may be closer than they appear