Our why...
In this age of uncertainty, many of us might feel like we are lacking agency and power to shape our individual futures let alone our shared future. The hegemonic governments & corporations are hugely influential in how our societies function and how our societies believe the future will turn out. Big data, artificial intelligence and accelerative machine learning controlled by these players seem insurmountable and immovable. New, trendy technologies and services come onto the market but is anyone thinking of their long-term impacts on society, particularly for those on the margins? Are there enough movers with enough power & influence to regulate, analyze, and consider the long-term impacts of new products and services? Some of these huge organizations are practicing foresight and futures thinking systematically in much farther time horizons than we might be in our daily lives. At the Futures Network, we aim to democratize futures thinking, teaching how to apply futures thinking to our communities, cultures, societies and personal lives to ensure our futures are moving in a direction that we actually want. If we want to see more equity, justice, healing, living systems thriving, and less war, oppression and violence, then we've got to envision it, plan for it and take action on it.
Refer to one of our influences: Theory U, which references the idea that we have found ourselves in this day and age, in a world that none of us actually wanted - the very planet we live on is struggling, we are going through a mass extinction of species, masses of people do not have basic necessities to survive and thrive on this planet and capitalism maintains a competitive, transactional, and male-dominated world.
We ask questions like:
We can look deep in ourselves and generate our own images and narratives of futures we prefer. Images of the future for the world, our countries, our communities, lifestyles, relationships with food, with the Earth, with technology and with each other, with all living things that we would love to experience or that we want to come to fruition for future generations. If we align our visions, values and priorities and, if we couple that with approaches to take action then we can make great change.
Take a look at other inspiring resources we've come across along this journey!
Refer to one of our influences: Theory U, which references the idea that we have found ourselves in this day and age, in a world that none of us actually wanted - the very planet we live on is struggling, we are going through a mass extinction of species, masses of people do not have basic necessities to survive and thrive on this planet and capitalism maintains a competitive, transactional, and male-dominated world.
We ask questions like:
- What is a vision I have for the future of my community? 10 years out? 30 years out? 70 years out? 200 years out?
- What is my preferred future for my life? For the world? What kind of governance systems would there be? What would education systems look like? How might work or money transform?
- What is the connection between humanity's collective psychology and our relationship to futures?
- What is our definition of societal progress and how do we envision it and build it? (What is our criteria for progress?)
- What can we learn from history and ancient wisdom traditions that can inform us about how we go about shaping the future? What can we learn from tapping in to our spirit or soul and listening to its wisdom?
We can look deep in ourselves and generate our own images and narratives of futures we prefer. Images of the future for the world, our countries, our communities, lifestyles, relationships with food, with the Earth, with technology and with each other, with all living things that we would love to experience or that we want to come to fruition for future generations. If we align our visions, values and priorities and, if we couple that with approaches to take action then we can make great change.
Take a look at other inspiring resources we've come across along this journey!