"What's Going On?" Futurism and our current crises. From Futurist Chet W. Sisk

45 years ago, singer Marvin Gaye asked a basic question in song --- "What's Going On?"  We find ourselves asking the same question in 2017. My job, and the job of other Futurists, is to help answer that question by paying attention to where we are trending as a collective. Trends are merely decisions we've already made and are now following through on them.

As a Futurist I can't, or shouldn't sugar coat the immediate future. There are major challenges we are facing in the world because of some of our decisions. But there is another side to these developments.  We are officially transitioning from one particular way of how the world works to another way. That new way will be entirely based on the decisions we make today. Here are some hopeful signs for those of you looking for a direction that is fundamentally better than the old ways. They should be better. We have more information, knowledge and technology at our hands than at any time in human history.
 

There is a movement to terminate "Terminator".  No matter how you cut it, autonomous weaponized robots is just a bad idea. So say tech gurus, citizens, scientists and activist groups. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/27/musk-wozniak-hawking-ban-ai-autonomous-weapons

There is a steady stream of businesses, organizations and institutions embracing the African philosophy of Ubuntu. The concept that "I am because we are...we are because I am" is trending well around the world. This is a dramatic development when you consider the philosophy of "survival of the fittest" and "rugged individualism" ruled the day for years. https://www.virgin.com/virgin-unite/business-innovation/how-ubuntu-philosophy-can-have-positive-impa...

China, India, Uruguay, Venezuela, Sweden, Morocco and Kenya are leading the world to a renewable energy future. Many emerging countries aren't burdened with the infrastructure many Western countries have, so they have more flexibility to get to the new technologies. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikescott/2014/10/31/emerging-markets-are-leading-the-way-on-clean-ener...

We are finally planning for economic systems outside of the Western style debt model. It took us a while to get to this point, but the planning is happening. Older models are simply not sustainable in a world that has a different set of requirements and priorities. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/12/doughnut-growth-economics-book-economic-model

The creativity of poorer nations may give the rest of the world a blue print on how to manage climate change. Creativity is the key when engaging in climate change preparedness. That creativity is something emerging countries are loaded with. http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/12/opinion/climate-change-africas-poor/index.html

Below is a video that may provide crucial tips on working with groups.

Yes,

Chet