Futures Studies: A Very Short Introduction

"Futures Studies is the art and science of taking responsibility for the long-term future consequences?of our decisions and actions today."?- Jennifer M Gidley: 'The Future. A Very Short Introduction'

From the beginning of time, mankind has been driven by a fear of the unknown and a yearning to know what the future holds. It was always believed that 'The Future' was set in stone and therefore predictable, and anyone who claimed to see into the future would gain enormous advantage.

But in 1925 classical physics was swept aside by quantum mechanics and we discovered there never was a single, predictable future, meaning all those tea leaves had been read in vain! What science realised was there are multiple possible futures and we are not victims of Fate, but powerful agents of creative change.

Importantly, Futures Studies is not short-term 'trendspotting', the darling of the data-driven and high-tech worlds, still trying to predict a highly selective future, with 'trend-as-destiny' thinking, by relying on a narrowly curated past.

So we know there is not one predictable future, and that makes us free to imagine alternative futures and work towards creating those futures we prefer—for self and humanity.

By working collaboratively for positive change, whether in the area of climate change, alternative energy, humanitarian causes, health, economics, or transforming education, we can create a critical mass for creating positive futures.

Far more than most of us realize, we all have the capacity to create our desired futures. As the only space where we have a degree of freedom, the future is a site of great power. Who holds that power in your life? The type of future we actually create reflects our values, ethics, morality, and level of consciousness.

To find out more check out my Oxford book: The Future: A Very Short Introduction.

Or go to my Website: Gidley Education