Week 22.32 Go Long

I was looking at some of the new images from the Webb telescope, and I find them mesmerizing and spectacular. Seeing all those stars and galaxies, it is hard to understand our place in that massive expanse. Candidly, I find it challenging to understand my place in the context of almost 8 billion people on earth. We have a proximity bias. The people in front of us making the most noise get more attention than people far away who are not heard. We care more about our neighbors than people in foreign countries. It makes sense that we pay more attention to what is right in front of us.

There is a group of people who we rarely think about and should be essential to us - our descendants. Parents care for their children, and grandparents will do anything for their grandchildren. Generations to come are rarely considered. And we can make their lives dramatically better if we consider our actions’ long-term impact. And we can make their lives better. To help others as much as possible, we must consider our actions’ long-term implications. It would mean we act as trustees for future generations and create intentional change for a better future. William Macaskill, author of the upcoming book "What We Owe The Future," states it nicely. Future people count. There could be a lot of them. We can make their lives better. The two main ways he focuses on impacting the future are reducing the risk of unrecoverable civilization collapse and improving the lives of future generations by avoiding social calamities such as perpetual totalitarian states or an AI system that renders civilization valueless.?

Change is not only possible; it has a history. Consider the changes that have been accomplished. In 300 years, life expectancy went from 40 to 70. Extreme poverty went from 80 percent to 10 percent. Women had few rights, and there were no democracies. Today, over half the world does. Most of that came from the massive change that created unprecedented growth. For much of human history, growth was close to zero. Even before the industrial revolution, it took hundreds of years for the economy to double. Today it takes 19 years. Our ancestors strived for a better life by migrating to new opportunities or working and saving to provide a future for their children. We certainly owe as much to future generations.?

There are ways forward. In his paradigm-shifting manifesto for transforming our thinking, Futurist Ari Wallach offers a radical new way forward called “longpath.” He presses us to move from reactionary short-termism to the long-term, widening our scope beyond today, tomorrow, and a hundred years from now. Longpath teaches us to strengthen our ability to look ahead, relieve reactions to stressful events, increase capacity for cooperation, and even boost creativity. Wallach challenges us to ask ourselves, “to what end?”—what is my ultimate goal, and how does my choice align with my values? And even more provocatively, Wallach challenges readers to ask “to what end?” for civilization at large.

It is hard to imagine a better time to be alive or a time when the actions we take today will profoundly affect how we are remembered. In life and leadership, we must consider those who trust us with their present and future. The momentum appears to be moving toward longtermism, but the window of opportunity is narrow. We are offered an opportunity and responsibility to play a pivotal role, and leaders, great and small, will have to play a part. We are specks in the universe, but in our world, we can have a massive impact as individuals and groups. There is no better time than the present to impact the future.

Longpath: Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs – An Antidote for Short-Termism (Ari Wallach: releases August 16)

A paradigm-shifting manifesto for transforming our thinking from reactionary short-termism to the long-term, widening our scope beyond today, tomorrow, and to even five hundred years from now to reclaim meaning in our lives. Many of the problems we face today, from climate change to work anxiety, are the result of short-term thinking. We are constantly bombarded by notifications and “Breaking News” that are overwhelming our central nervous systems, forcing us to react in the moment and ultimately disconnecting us from what truly matters. But there is a solution. Futurist Ari Wallach offers a radical new way forward called “longpath,” a mantra and mindset to help us focus on the long view. Drawing on history, theology, neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and social technologies, Longpath teaches readers to strengthen their ability to look ahead, relieve reactions to stressful events, increase capacity for cooperation, and even boost creativity. Wallach challenges readers to ask themselves, “to what end?”—what is my ultimate goal, and how does my choice align with my values? And even more provocatively, Wallach challenges readers to ask “to what end?” for civilization at large. Whether it’s work, marriage, parenting, or simply trying to be a good human on the planet, framing decisions from a much larger scale creates a more fulfilling and sustainable life now and for future generations.?Watch Ari's TEDTalk 3 ways to plan for the (very) long term

What We Owe the Future ?(William MacAskill: August 16)

The fate of the world is in our hands. Humanity’s written history spans only five thousand years. Our yet-unwritten future could last for millions more — or it could end tomorrow. Astonishing numbers of people could lead lives of great happiness or unimaginable suffering, or never live at all, depending on what we choose to do today. In What We Owe The Future, philosopher William MacAskill argues for longtermism, that idea that positively influencing the distant future is a key moral priority of our time. From this perspective, it’s not enough to reverse climate change or avert the next pandemic. We must ensure that civilization would rebound if it collapsed; counter the end of moral progress; and prepare for a planet where the smartest beings are digital, not human. If we make wise choices today, our grandchildren’s grandchildren will thrive, knowing we did everything we could to give them a world full of justice, hope and beauty. Watch MacAskill's TEDTalk What are the most important moral problems of our time?

Navigating Peer Relationships While Climbing the Ladder by Amii Barnard-Bahn

As you near the C-suite, your peer working relationships grow exponentially in risk and complexity. The very people you need to collaborate with to get your work done and who affect your satisfaction and joy at work are also your competitors in a game of Survivor. The author offers three strategies to effectively navigate these potentially messy — and critically important — relationships: 1) Don’t expect friendship. Invest in relationships outside your company to meet your emotional needs; 2) Manage sideways. Your reputation with your peers becomes an important factor as you’re being considered for senior ranks; and 3) Hone your political skills. Be strategic, and broker partnerships with colleagues who are in favor, finding common ground for advancing mutually beneficial agendas.