Archive: futurist.com

June 19th, 2013 | By Glen Hiemstra | Posted in Society & Culture | No Comments

What does a Futurist read?

This is the month when annual summer reading recommendations come out. The other day I was scanning my Kindle homepage and realized that Futurist.com visitors might like to know what I’ve been reading. So here is a list, slightly annotated, that covers the last couple of years.

Class A Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere, by Lucas Mann. The story of one season of the Clinton (Iowa) Lumberjacks. While this Seattle Mariner farm team interests me from a sports perspective, the author’s terrific writing and poignant reflections on the losses of small town life, unions, and big business make this one of the best summer reads with lots of implications for the interplay of history and the future.

Transforming History, by William Irwin Thompson. A more recent work of one of the most insightful writers ever, on the subject of the future. I’d lost track of Thompson and it was nice to get reacquainted. His At the Edge of History, Darkness and Scattered Light, and Pacific Shift influence much of my early thinking about futuring.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. My education missed this book, and when the recent movie appeared I thought it wise to read it first. It was startling how modern it felt, a commentary on our times, thus for all times.

The Future, by Al Gore. The former VP explores 6 trends shaping the future. No big surprises but a useful book for seeing the bigger picture.

A Serpent’s Tooth and The Longmire series by Craig Johnson. This several book series follows a Wyoming sheriff as he solves crimes and battles personal demons. When you’ve got some time for recreational reading, recommended. Start with the first book in the series though, and read in order as there is an ongoing narrative.

Blowout, by Byron Dorgan and David Hagberg. A thriller about how the powers that be try to delay change in the energy sphere. Not too believable but interesting take by a U.S. Senator.

Galapagos, by Kurt Vonnegut. Descendants of humans living a million years in the future remember when “big brained” people ran the show.

Salt, Sugar, Fat, by Michael Moss. An inside look at when and how the big food industry discovered how to use salt, sugar and fat to hit our consumer “bliss point” and the obesity epidemic really took off.

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mocking Jay, by Suzanne Collins. I wanted to know what the fuss was about as The Hunger Games movie came out, and I had missed the series. While clearly written for the young adult market, the series riveted me with its take on a future world in which people are controlled by an all-powerful state, and the effort to fight back begins. When I saw Donald Sutherland, an actor in the first movie, comment in the DVD extra’s that he thought this would become an important movie series in the early 21^st Century I was intrigued. Recent revelations about the security state make it more relevant. Read the books first (and learn what the kids were excited about) then watch the first movie to see how well Jennifer Lawrence captured the main character. And think about the series as an allegory of our time, as Sutherland suggests.

Lord of Mountains, by S.M. Stirling. This the latest in the sprawling series, novels of the change, in which an unexplained event causes all machines to stop working, and the world is plunged back into medieval technology. Love this series (again, start at the beginning with Dies the Fire), perhaps in part because it is set primarily where I spent all my youth, in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Scenario Planning, by Thomas Chermack. Nice overview of scenario planning approaches and issues.

Winter of the World, by Ken Follett. Always one of my favorite authors, in this second of a three-part “Century” series, Follett takes us from World War I to the end of World War II. A master of historical fiction, love his work.

Nexus, by Ramez Naam. This associate of Futurist.com makes his debut as a novelist, and it is a smash, can’t put it down thriller. Implantable nanotech enables brain-to-brain communication, and the international intrigue begins.

Existence, by David Brin. Eagerly awaited new novel by Brin, an alien artifact is found in orbit and suddenly similar artifacts seeded on earth activate – allowing a glimpse into other worlds and confronting Earth with a choice. Captivating. Brin is a master, by the way, of dropping in numerous forecasts of future technology as matter of fact observations on life.

The Creative Fire, by Brenda Cooper. Another associate of Futurist.com and long-time friend starts a new sci-fi series. This is a starship traveling the galaxy heading, it turns out, back home, to a changed world. But the action in this first book is about who controls the destiny of the people on board.

The Social Conquest of Earth, by Edward O. Wilson. Evolution explained by the master.

Tomorrow Now, by Bruce Sterling. I re-read this book recently. Sterling is one of the only must-read authors on the future, whether his fiction or in this case non-fiction. He is the best, period. Want to know what the future holds? Read Sterling. Read all of Sterling, any book.

Abundance, by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler. A believer in technology solutions to current problems takes us on a tour de force of how and why tech can indeed be the answer.

Infinite Progress, by Byron Reese. I actually read this in hard cover after meeting the Author in February 2013. A surprisingly persuasive case for why the Internet does indeed change everything and why the end of poverty, disease, war and hunger are nearer than you think. Worth consideration.

2312, by Kim Stanley Robinson. Probably my favorite science fiction writer, as a novelist and a person. Just a great guy. In this book, very highly recommended, humans have spread into the Solar System, living on Mars, moons of Jupiter, and even, as the book opens, on Mercury. To find out how, and how they move around in space, get this book.

Galileo’s Dream, by Kim Stanley Robinson. Suppose that what actually happened was that Galileo was given the telescope by an advanced civilization and enabled to travel to the outer solar system. Learn a bit about the real story in this alternative history.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire, and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, by Stieg Larsson. Riviting mysteries, violent, admirable heroin and hero. Wish they would find a way to do the next (American) movie.

More…

Last Days of the Incas, by Kim MacQuarrie

Black Swan, by Bruce Sterling

Third Industrial Revolution, by Jeremy Rifkin

The New Rules of Retail, by Robin Lewis and Michael Dart

In the Garden of the Beasts, by Erik Larson

The Bridge at the End of the World: Capitalism, the Environemnt and Crossing from
Crisis to Sustainability, by James Speth

Storms of My Grandchildren, by James Hansen

Art of the Start, by Guy Kawasaki

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization, by
Peter F. Drucker

2030, by Albert Brooks

Hopes and Prospects, by Noam Chomsky

Fast Forward, by William Antholis and Strobe Talbott

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June 13th, 2013 | By Glen Hiemstra | Posted in Site News | No Comments

Global Visitors to Futurist.com

Here is the map of visitors to Futurist.com for May 2013. Fascinating to see the interest in the future from all over the world, 128 different nations last month. This includes 4500 visitors from the U.S and 6000 from around the world outside the U.S.

Visitors from 128 Nations to Futurist.com in May 2013

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May 17th, 2013 | By Contributing Writer | Posted in Business & Economy | Comments Off

Safeguarding your child’s financial future

Guest blog by Aimee Claire

Planning for a child’s financial future used to be considered a luxury, with only the wealthiest families able to provide for their life and education through trust funds or estates. Today, tools for safeguarding the financial security of a child are available to everyone, and parents will want to take advantage of these many tools and schemes throughout their child’s life, often starting from birth.

There are several reasons why it is wise to plan for a child’s financial future. Many parents simply want to save for their child’s educational future, putting aside money from an early age for a college education. Providing for the child in the event of parents becoming ill or dying is also a consideration and an important reason to make financial plans for their protection. Other parents may wish to leave property or other wealth to their child – a financial legacy with meaning.

Whatever direction a family chooses to go will be guided by their own personal financial goals and situation. The one constant investing principle throughout is that regardless of what financial plan is chosen, it is vital to start saving for the child’s future as early as possible.

Ways to secure a child’s financial future

The first step for anyone looking to provide for their child is to make sure that their will is up-to-date. A well-written will may provide for not only the financial protection and future of a child, but also for their physical well being in the event of the death of the parent(s). For a young child, establishing a trust will see to it that assets are handled appropriately while at the same time protecting the interests of the child.

Life insurance should also be a consideration. A life insurance policy is a valuable way to provide for loved ones after death, and also to provide a source for emergency funding during life. A life insurance policy can be maintained by the parents for a relatively small monthly investment.

There are many different ways to save for college, but by far one of the most popular and successful is the 529 college savings plan. Named for the IRS Code that authorizes its existence, the 529 is flexible and offers parents numerous tax advantages and the ability to retain control of their assets.

Other options for saving for a child include savings accounts and custodial brokerage accounts. Savings accounts, such as the Uniform Transfer to Minors Account (UTMA) or the Uniform Gift to Minors Account (UGMA), may be opened and managed through online banking; the child will get control of the Discover online banking account when they reach legal age.

For broader savings options many parents consider custodial brokerage accounts. Easy to open, flexible and inexpensive, these accounts are taxed under a lower child’s rate and are filed under the child’s social security number rather than that of the parent(s). Like the savings accounts, the child will gain access to the money at legal age.

*About the Author: Aimee Claire is an enthusiastic, well-educated freelance writer with big ideas for the future. She is fascinated by the possibilities of modern technology, and what it could do for businesses in the future.

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May 16th, 2013 | By Glen Hiemstra | Posted in Current Choices for a Better Future, Society & Culture | Comments Off

The Future of Gen Y: an interview with the co-Editor of Share or Die

We are the time when the future begins to be passed fully into the hands of a new generation, in this case the Millennial Generation, young people born basically between 1980 and 2000, and thus now ranging in age from the middle teens to their early 30′s. Two of them are Neal Gorenflo and Malcolm Harris, co-founder and Life/Art Editor, respectively, at Shareable Magazine. Now they have collaborated in producing an intriguing new book, Share or Die: Voices of the Get Lost Generation in the Age of Crisis. In the book they have collected the stories of a number of millennial gen young people, mostly in their 20′s, who are creating and sharing their own ideas about how to manage in the new economic and environmental realities that we are moving into.

I had an opportunity to do a short email interview with co-editor Neal Gorenflo.

GH: What is going on with the job market for Gen Y?

NG: Young adults are faced with two huge problems. Unemployment rates that are sometimes double and more national averages. And unprecedented student loan debt, especially in the United States.

Malcolm Harris’ article in Share or Die, “Bad Education: The Student Debt Complex” covers this in gruesome detail.The average college senior in 2009 graduated with $24,000 student loan debt. And they are graduating into the worst job market for their age group in a generation. The result is that the most indebted generation in history is without the dependable jobs it needs to escape debt.

Young adults have no choice but to explore new options and even redefine what the American Dream means. Robin Chase, founder of Zipcar, said this recently at the Mesh 2013 conference, “My dad had one job his whole life, I’ll have seven, and my kids will have seven jobs at the same time.”

This is not all bad. The lack of jobs opens space for Gen Y to create work with meaning. And also have multiple streams of income, which can offer more financial stability.

GH: How do we adapt to disappearing jobs and stagnating wages?

NG: By lowering our spending, doing more for ourselves, and creating our own work. In the past, this has often been seen as sacrificing. But the peer to peer ethos that’s emerging valorizes this approach. It’s not sacrificing. It’s cool and even heroic, especially if you empower others with a valuable platform like Etsy, Airbnb, or Techshop that supports people on this path.

GH: What are your thoughts on working from home and the “stint” job lifestyle?

NG: More and more people have the flexibility to work from home, but they are also experiencing its limitations. This along with the freelancing lifestyle have fueled the growth of the coworking movement. In coworking, freelancers, startups, and remote corporate employees share office space in an open plan format. There’s also a conscious attempt to foster community and collaboration. Often coworking space are themed like the one where I work, Hub SoMa, in San Francisco. There’s evidence that this raises productivity and the quality of work life. Some people long for a sense of belonging at work even if the steady corporate job is a thing of the past.

GH: What are some easy ways for Gen Yers to build a meaningful work-life balance?

NG: One way is to have work you love with people you love and live near work. The walls between work and play seem to be collapsing and this is not all bad if you love your work and coworkers. And if you don’t have a commute, that’s more time and less stress in your daily life. Young adults are flocking to cities where they can escape commuting, find or create work more easily, and become part of a real community.

Still, I believe people need downtime. But I think Gen Yers maybe doing this differently than the typical two-week American vacation. They are increasingly taking their work on the road as freelancers, and mixing work and play as they experience new places and cultures. Or they are taking long stretches of time off for personal growth.

You can keep with news on the book or buy the book now.

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May 7th, 2013 | By Mallory Smith | Posted in Current Choices for a Better Future, Society & Culture | Comments Off

Be a Superhero…For Real

I love superheroes. I always have. That’s why I was so happy to hear last year that I could be one in real life. Thanks to an exciting game called Cyberhero League anyone can be a hero. At last year’s State of the Arts conference, Dr. Dana Klisanin presented the idea of merging philanthropy and gaming into one engaging, adventurous package called the Cyberhero League. Apparently I wasn’t the only one to find the idea appealing. Last year Cyberhero League was selected as a winner in the World Future Society’s Beta Launch Tech competition.

Great! Everyone thinks this game is an awesome idea (because it is). Now comes the part where the idea becomes a reality. First comes funding. They’re off to a great start! According to their Indiegogo page, they’ve already raised over $31,300 for the game that’s being called, “An Adventure to Save the World.”

Cyberhero League is the first part of “Project Milky Way,” an epic transmedia adventure. The aim of this first game is to establish an online headquarters that will serve as a gathering place and training ground for cyberheroes. The game is to protect and serve the world online by completing missions and gathering enough points for non-profit partners to donate real aid to real world problems. One of my favorite things about this game is that you get to extend your game play into the real world by using GPS-enabled smartphones to find museums, parks, and World Heritage sites to visit. Once you make the trip and explore the location, you unlock in-game mysteries and get more points. Gamers also get to build a hideout, complete dangerous missions, solve riddles, and complete other tasks, all while continually donating aid to nonprofit partners.

“In the process of playing, gamer’s will be providing people with water, food, medicine, shelter; they’ll be saving acres of rainforest, protecting endangered species, preserving World Heritage Sites, even defending the night sky!” It’s an exciting time we live in when these kinds of ideas are possible. We can make a game our children can play to learn, develop relationships, and contribute to something they are passionate about through philanthropic organizations. They truly can be superheroes. We all can!

If you like gaming and changing the world, this is the perfect game for you. But it needs to get funded first! There are 7 days left in this Indiegogo campaign, so please go to the Cyberhero League fundraiser page, learn more about the project, and contribute what you can. Then show all of your friends and ask them all to donate what they can. This game opens up endless possibilities for everyone, so let’s make it happen!

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