Tomorrow’s Challenges are Today’s Choices
Part 2 of ?
I’m blessed to be able to spend most of my time thinking of ways to make things better tomorrow than they are today. I form my future-looking opinions best I can from observed trends, an open mind, and a healthy-dose of sustained optimism. Some days are better than others 😀
There’s no denying that technological progress is connecting the world in new, yet somewhat familiar ways, which means we need to work extra hard to just be human. The good news is, I think life remains constantly simple today just like yesterday. Though the complexity of busy schedules can feel paralyzing, we have remarkably simple choices: happiness, frustration, health, despair.
What do you choose?
Our challenges
In order to address tomorrow’s challenges, I’ve attempted to simplify where I think we need to focus global efforts:
Water
Not enough of it where we need it, too much where it shouldn’t be.
Impacts: species extinction, agriculture, food sustainability and security, city planning, energy production …
Labor
The impact of automation, globalization, and interconnectedness will have untold intra-generational labor challenges, the likes of which we have never seen.
Impacts: employment, corporate disintermediation, measuring productivity, social welfare …
Nationalism
The ability of states to govern, protect, support, and empower its citizens.
Impacts: immigration, borders, freedom, personal privacy vs. state security …
For me, the choice is how I devote my time and effort. For all of us, as the Dalai Lama puts it, we need to work even harder and together to create a more compassionate society.
Selflessness and joy are intertwined. The more we are one with the rest of humanity, the better we feel.
— Dalai Lama c. 2016
In a future post, I’ll present technologies I believe will help us address modern societies biggest challenges.
More soon.
— SW
