I'm not sure what equality has to do with it. But thanks anyway. I tend to disagree and think we are actually heading towards less equality. My logic, as weird as it might seem, is that the legal requirements for equality will increase (gay marriage, women in military, etc...) but the social constructs that divide people will also increase. For example, if a group of people don't like gays, they will only form a closer, more isolated group if laws pass to give gays equality.

Not that I think the laws should be otherwise but I firmly believe that level of hatred and bigotry in this world is more or less always at equilibrium. If you change it one place, it will balance on the other. Although I wouldn't say the same was true 60 years ago. The Internet has allowed people to have a global voice and create global circles of support. It used to be that if you went against the grain in your community, you would either have to change your attitude or be cast-out. But now people's social lives exist online and there are less checks and balances in the real world.

I think that people are going to start solidifying their beliefs no matter what they are because it will be so easy for them to get the positive feedback they need to reinforce those beliefs. For example, people who think the Earth is flat have their own community. Everyone is finding these pockets of strength for their cause and it's helping them to avoid change. Whenever you hear about terrorists being radicalized online, this is exactly what I mean. They find what they want online and become less tolerant of the society they actually live in.

If we cut the cord to the Internet and everyone was just forced to deal with each other in the real world I think much more progress would be made. But that's not going to happen. We are going to see more radicals in the next 20 years than we have probably seen in the past 100 years. And people will still be pointing the finger at guns, at mental health, at religious extremism. But the one thing these domestic terrorists or mainstream media bigots have in common is that they found support for their sick behavior online.