Brain Bar The Next 25 Years

The first quarter of the century has passed, and over the past decades, humanity has undergone radical transformations. The internet has permeated every aspect of our lives, social media has reshaped human relationships, cryptocurrencies and AI have ushered in a new economic and technological era, while the climate crisis and global pandemics have shaken our sense of security to its core—far from what we expected at the turn of the millennium. The theme of Brain Bar 2025:

We will think together about whether the next quarter-century will be just as unpredictable as the last one—or if we can foresee the future more accurately, can we change our behavior to live happier, with less anxiety, and in greater security than before? We'll also dive into what are mere myths, what are the most exciting predictions, and what are the facts in the following key fields and topics:

Are national borders as stable as we think? Will tariffs shatter the global economy? Could a global competition emerge for scarce resources like rare earth metals? At Brain Bar, we won’t just focus on the geopolitical map of the future but also on what lies ahead in the coming decades in a world so vulnerable that every decision carries global risks.

Hungary’s role will also be discussed: we’ll shed light on how international conflicts impact our country and which nations have a character similar to ours—those with whom we can truly find allies.

What would it really mean if the average lifespan were 100 years? How would we spend our days? Would the pace of the world change?

At Brain Bar, we won’t just examine the consequences of the much-desired long life from a societal perspective—we’ll also explore whether death is actually a biological purpose that helps sustain the cycle of life. If that’s the case, would our lives lose meaning? Do we set and insist on goals precisely because we know our time is limited? This year, the festival will seek answers to these thought-provoking questions related to longevity.

How would you react if the internet suddenly shut down? Would you finally feel at peace, or would you panic? At Brain Bar, we'll seek to understand how humans function in a world where the online reality is all the reality we have.

We’ll discuss how the internet has shifted from being an information source to a marketplace—where not only brands pull us into their “cults,” but political forces also sell themselves. We’ll also explore what lies ahead if the blurring lines between society and technology continue at dangerous levels—when humanoid robots and the hidden underworld of the dark web become realities surrounding us.

Vinyl records, analog cameras, Nintendo consoles, and retro furniture—memories from a past many of us never even lived through are experiencing a strange renaissance. Could it be that we’re escaping into the olden days to avoid the uncertainties of the decades ahead?  

At the festival, we’ll explore how nostalgia shapes our creativity and vision for the future—but we won’t stop at the individual level. We’ll also discuss why, while a century ago people envisioned flying cars and robot butlers for our time, today we dream much smaller when thinking about the future and have far less faith in our ability to innovate.

Human life began in water—and it may very well end due to the lack of it. Through evolution, we gained increasing control over water, yet in the 21st century, it seems we are losing our grip on it. Instead of a life-giving resource, water is increasingly turning against us as a destructive force—all the while, we drain floodplains and artificially induce rainfall without fully understanding the long-term consequences.  

Where do humans stand in the hierarchy when it comes to water? What can we not control, and where do we still have the power to act—and how can we do it responsibly? Who will own water, and for how long? These are the questions we’ll explore at Brain Bar.

Finding common ground is increasingly difficult. Social and communication gaps are widening, and we all experience living in parallel realities with others. For younger generations, Western culture offers a mix of childlike entertainment and comfortable living—beanbag-filled offices, Mickey Mouse T-shirts, and the safety of living with parents—something older generations struggle to understand. Meanwhile, we’re realizing that science doesn’t always tell the truth: unreliable studies are on the rise, AI isn’t helping, and many once-famous experiments are now being exposed as misrepresented or even falsified.

The trust we once placed in young generations, leaders, and scientists is eroding. That’s why at Brain Bar, we invite you to talk, question, and debate—so we can find out what we can truly agree on.

When was the last time you found yourself surrounded by complete silence? Life is noisy, of course, but finding our own sense of peace is essential. That doesn’t mean we have to be lonely, though. But where—or rather, how—do we meet and connect with others? There was a time when striking up a conversation on the bus, in line at the store, or at a café was completely natural. Why have we lost this sense of spontaneity?

Brain Bar is exactly that kind of "third place" between school and work—a space where we can talk, connect, and rediscover what it’s like to interact in a truly analog way.