Ralph Mercer & Claire Nelson

A FUTURES THINKING JAM ON THE FUTURE NEVER PAUSES

By Ralph Mercer & Claire Nelson

Ralph

Reading this issue of Human Futures reminded me of two quotes, The first from the German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, who penned the opening words to his poem;

The future: time’s excuse to frighten us; too vast a project, too large a morsel for the heart’s mouth.

The words like the images in this issue give a silent framing to the human boundaries we create through fearing the accelerating change and despairing at the scale of problems that accompany a better future.

However, the articles also echo the words of American Poet James M. Morris’s optimism as he gives voice to human tendencies to strive to reduce the complexity of human futures through literacies and competencies.

A future time, a future place Here on Earth or out in space The doors are open, come on through Learn the skills, it’s up to you

A FUTURES THINKING JAM ON THE FUTURE NEVER PAUSES

Claire

Ralph, I love these poems.

My riff on these poets is like this…

From Rainer Maria Rilke…

The future never pauses

The future: time’s excuse to inspire us; so vast a space, light beams shining for the heart’s gaze.

From James M. Morris…

A future time, a future place

Whether on Earth or

Whether in space

The paths are emerging, converging, diverging

Which way we ask but do we hear;

Listen to the voices calling us onward for the Future Never Pauses.

Ralph

Philosopher Jacques Rancière saw the creation of Fiction stories as not bereft of reality but as saturated in reality. The saturation of Fiction brings to the future (I would add so does friction) a challenge to reality to be more than it is; to bend, transform and reshape itself. The friction resulting from the deconstruction of the present becomes the catalyst that shapes the future we need. We need to make room for the voices of new realities.

Claire

Indeed. We need to make room for the voices of new realities, and that is what we are trying to do at Human Futures. We want to help people tell stories about the future they want or want to avoid. Stories that are saturated in the reality of their aspirations always emerging in a future that never pauses. For those who say they see no room at the table, do what I do – bring a folding chair for as noted by the late great Hon. Shirley Chisholm, “You don’t make change by standing on the sidelines whimpering and complaining.

Here’s another thought also from Chisholm, “It is not female egotism to say that the future of mankind may very well be ours to determine. It is a fact. The warmth, gentleness, and compassion that are part of the female stereo-type are positive human values, values that are becoming more and more important as the values of our world begin to shatter and fall from our grasp.

Ralph

I would agree and to paraphrase Chisholm by saying we must reject not only the stereotypes people have of futurists but also the stereotypes futurists have of themselves. See you in the next issue of Human Futures.

Layout Artist: Jeremae Jumao-as

PHOTO CREDITS

Main Cover Image - Justin Roy - Unsplash Inside Cover Image - Pawel Czerwinski - Unsplash Pages 4-5 - Freepik Pages 6-7 - Devin Avery - Unsplash Pages 8-9 - Steinar Engeland - Unsplash Pages 10 - Alireza Irajinia - Unsplash Page 12-13 - Pawel Czerwinski - Unsplash Page 14-15 - Engin Akyurt - Unsplash Pages 16 - Dmitry Ratushny - Unsplash Pages 18 - Finan Akbar - Unsplash Page 21 - Zmorph - Unsplash Page 22 - Martin Sanchez - Unsplash Page 24 - Uriel Soberanes - Unsplash Page 26-27 - Janita Sumeiko - Unsplash Page 34 - Henry Co - Unsplash Page 35 - JR Korpa - Unsplash Page 36 - Kazuend - Unsplash Page 37 - Markus Spiske - Unsplash Page 38-39 - Etienne Martin - Unsplash Page 40 - Alex Alvarez - Unsplash Page 41 - Larm Rmah - Unsplash Page 43

- Dylan Gillis - Unsplash Page 44 - Zachary Keimig - Unsplash Pages 45 - Sigmund- Unsplash Pages 46 - Christina Wocintechchat - Unsplash Pages 47 - Austin Distel - Unsplash Pages 48-49 - Patrick Tomasso - Unsplash Pages 50-51 - Giammarco ZeH - Unsplash Pages 52-53 - Pagie Page - Unsplash Pages 54-55 - Ben Selway - Unsplash Pages 56-57 - Andrew Schultz - Unsplash Page 60 - Jason Leung - Unsplash Page 61-62 - Bharath - Unsplash Page 63 - Helena Lopes - Unsplash Page 64 - Shane Rounce - Unsplash Page 65 - Christina Wocintechchat - Unsplash Page 66 - Christian Lue - Unsplash Page 67 - Greg Rosenke - Unsplash Page 68-69 - Adrien Olichon - Unsplash Page 70-71 - David Van - Unsplash Page 72 - Joseph Gonzales- Unsplash