Postrel's main thesis is "stasism" vs. "dynamism," or central planning or rigid tradition vs. individual choice and free markets. She handles it generally well, with some nice examples. However, she leaves some of the most important probable features of the future neglected.In particular, there is no mention of such topics as life extension and anti-senescence research or cryonics or nanotechnology, which are among the most revolutionary and personally significant likely developments in the first half of the next century.Nanotechnology will probably have a far greater economic effect than a bit of tilt toward or away from stasism.Whether you will die on the traditional schedule, or whether you will greatly extend your life through anti-aging research and cryonics, will have a far greater motivational impact than anything Ms. Postrel discusses.Robert Ettinger