Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1973 – Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best mates.
2023 – Police are called, an Armed Response Unit arrives, and they arrest Johnny and Mark. Mobiles with video of the fight are confiscated as evidence. They are charged with assault, ASBOs are taken out, and both are suspended, even though Johnny started it. Diversionary conferences and parent meetings were conducted. The video is shown on 6 internet sites.
Scenario: Jeffrey won’t sit still in class, disrupting other students.
1973 – Jeffrey is sent to the principal’s office and given 6 of the best. He returns to class, sits still, and does not disrupt the class again.
2023 – Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Counselled to death. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. The school gets extra funding because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks the window of his neighbour’s car, and his dad gives him the slipper.
1973 – Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2023 – Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself, and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mum has an affair with the psychologist. The psychologist gets a promotion.
Scenario: Mark, a college student, brings cigarettes to school.
1973 – Mark shares a smoke with the school principal out in the smoking area.
2023 – Police are called, and Mark is arrested for drug possession. His car is searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Mohammed fails high school English.
1973 – Mohammed retakes his exam, passes, and goes to college.
2023 – Mohammed’s cause is taken up by a local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. Civil Liberties Association files a class action lawsuit against the state school system and his English teacher. English is banned from the core curriculum. Mohammed is given his qualification anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers, puts them in a model plane and blows up an anthill.
1973 – Ants die.
2023 – MI5 and the police are called, and Johnny is charged with perpetrating acts of terrorism. Teams investigate parents. Siblings are removed from the home. Computers are confiscated, and Johnny’s dad goes on a terror watch list.
Scenario: Johnny falls during break and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying and gives him a hug to comfort him.
1973 – Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2023 – Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy and now identifies as a cat.
