Future Cadets: Short Intro!
If you’ve ever wondered what the future holds, you’re not alone. With the world changing faster than ever before, it’s no wonder we’re all feeling a bit bewildered. But fear not, dear reader, because I’ve got some concepts and references to help guide you through this “Age of Bewilderment.” Welcome to the world of futures thinking!
First things first, let’s establish some foundational concepts. The future is not fixed, but open and malleable. It’s complex, uncertain, socially constructed, connected to the past and present, and ethical. Got it? Good.
Now, let’s dive into some questions you can ask yourself to think more deeply about the future. What’s probable, possible, preferable, preventable, predictable, and preposterous? Trust me, asking these questions will take you on a journey that’s both exciting and enlightening.
To really put these concepts and questions into practice, you’ll want to use the six pillars of futures thinking. Signal analysis, driver analysis, trend spotting, scenario planning, sci-fi prototyping, trendspotting, and worldbuilding are all essential tools in your futures thinking toolbox.
Of course, we can’t talk about futures thinking without giving a nod to the great thinkers who’ve come before us. From ancient philosophers to contemporary visionaries, the likes of Plato, Francis Bacon, Alvin Toffler, Kevin Kelly, Yuval Harari, and Michio Kaku have all contributed to our understanding of the future and how we can prepare for it.
So, what can we learn from these great minds? Alvin Toffler warned us about the disorienting effects of rapid technological and social change in “Future Shock.” Kevin Kelly celebrated the emergent and decentralized nature of technology in “Out of Control” and introduced the concept of the technium in “What Technology Wants.” Yuval Harari explored the past and future of human evolution in “Sapiens” and “Homo Deus” and introduced us to Dataism.
In conclusion, the future may be uncertain, but with futures thinking, we can navigate it with ease and even excitement. So, fellow future cadets, let’s get ready to boldly go where no one has gone before!
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