Over the course of
two and a half days, starting July 19, some 900 futurists are expected to
gather at the Chicago Hilton for the World Future Society’s 2013 convention.
With a view toward the 22nd century, visionaries will explore
humanity’s “next horizon.” More than sixty sessions, workshops, and special
events will feature future studies, as well as reports of progress toward
achieving a coveted, one-world order. Eager attendees will enjoy a series of
compelling presentations aimed at modeling and, then, forecasting (toward
implementing) preferred scenarios deemed suitable for turn of the next century.
All bases will be
covered—geopolitical, socio-economic, and religious. Former Danish ambassador
and adjunct professor Joergen Oerstroem Moeller will flesh out an appropriate
geopolitical model—one that manages “big data,” transcends economic obsession
with the social justice model, and pulls anchor out from under the
presumed-to-be defunct nation-states paradigm. Stephen Aguilar-Millan will
address the provocative question, “Will We Still Have Money in 2100?” With a
religious mandate to save Gaia-Mother Earth,[i]
science fiction writer Brenda Cooper will call participants to “step backwards
into Eden” and take personal responsibility for “gardening the world” by
attending to climate change, finite fossil fuels, disappearing forests,
dwindling fish and freshwater supplies.
· Future-proof
Mindset (Human Choice)
Since forecasting
can succumb to outcomes that are “self-fulfilling,” “self-negating,” or
“judgmental,” W.F.S. prognosticators hold that future events are determined by
human choices, not external forces.[ii] Case in
point, chief executive officer of the Jefferson Area Board for Aging, Marta M.
Keane will explore how technology increasingly supports human choices to live
longer, better, and more independent lives.
Israeli director of
the Center for Strategic Futurist Thinking Tsvi Bisk will address a broad range
of venturesome forecasts—e.g., food production via vertical urban agriculture;
recycling carbon dioxide via artificial photosynthesis; enabling energy
autonomy via nanotechnology; and converting human waste, garbage, and trash to
gas via depolymerization units. His progressive mindset is promisingly
future-proof.
· Future-plex Mindset (Augmented Human
Intelligence)
Drawing from his
forthcoming book, The Naked Future: What Happens in a World That Anticipates
Your Every Move? Patrick Tucker will address the dangerous future of
humanity’s greatest would- be “invention,” the future itself.[iii]
Biblically
speaking, humans have been granted the power “to will.” Nevertheless,
exercising a future-proof mindset cannot “will” the future into existence, as
visionaries would have us believe.[iv] Doing so
requires more than mere human will and choice.[v]
Rather than acknowledge need for God, however, prognosticators elect instead to
surpass a “future-proof” mindset with an intelligence-augmented, “future-plex“
one.[vi]
Futurists posit
that, in order to address grand challenges, it’s necessary to create and, then,
use new information geared to solving big problems. Inspired not by the Holy
Spirit, but rather by science fiction writers, Dr. Marvin Minsky and his ilk
seek creative ways to enhance brainpower—e.g., by means of a brain co-processor
that allows two-way interface of a machine working alongside the human brain.[vii]
To keep pace, one
must apply exponential technologies toward mapping/electrically shocking the
brain, harnessing the subconscious for accelerated performance, detecting
emotions, fashioning virtual realities and synthetic genes, refining futuristic
robotics, and equipping humanity to flourish in space.[viii]
Identifying as
“humankind’s best investment” the pairing of futures technologies with
cradle-to-grave, learning-by-doing, Ray Kurzweil started the Singularity University . Its mission is to
educate, inspire, and empower global leaders to overcome humanity’s most
perplexing obstacles. A forecasting advisor at Singularity University,
conference presenter John Smart will suggest a twenty-year strategic horizon,
coupled with useful leadership skills, for key areas of technological change
inclusive of nano- science/technologies; resource/information/ engineering
technologies; health/ social/ educational/cognitive technologies;
socio-economic and security technologies.
But here’s where
the real fun begins: Futurist and self-proclaimed cacophonist, Heather Schlegel
will explore the intersection of technology and culture—specifically, the
impact of technology on identity creation and complementary currencies
transactions. Given “’Heathervescent’s cacophonistic flair,” attendees are
promised “a wild romp through the future.”
Humanity’s “Bright,
Happy [Manmade] Future”
Purportedly because
of exponential growth of technology, life expectancy, wealth, and education
over the last two hundred years, Kurzweil predicts for humanity a bright, happy
future.
Cosmic humanists
believe that a mass quantum leap (global transformation) will mark a new age of
group-conscious enlightenment. This misguided notion is promoted to the public
by eco-occultists, illumined progressives, and futurists. To the undiscerning,
the right use of energy among intuitive friends united by earth stewardship,
sustainability, collectivism, and illumination sounds like the real deal; but
it isn’t.
Vice president and
senior futurist at the Institute for Alternative Futures, Eric Meade looks to
the 22nd century for a “wisdom web” of enlightened overseers who, by
means of “virtual” models, formulate visionary goals and, then, realize goals
by compassionately placing global citizens in positions that best suit the
needs of local- and/or global- communities.
Known in many
circles as the hierarchy, wise men (also called the Elder Brothers)
presumptuously claim to have evolved to the point of godhood and thereby
qualify themselves as guides over less gifted underlings. By design, humanity’s
“preferred future” will feature a self-appointed “wisdom web” of mega-managers,
empowered under headship of a “free-world supra-national political being” to
enforce totalitarian rule over a trans-federal “democratic” dictatorship.[ix] Utopia? I
think not.
Conclusion
Yes, remarkable
techno-vations greatly enhance modern life but, unless guided by grace, human
knowledge is but folly. [x] The young
Solomon[xi]
understood that reverential regard for God is “the beginning of knowledge.”[xii]
Discerning what’s right and, then, responding with good judgment are hallmarks
of true knowledge.[xiii]
Notwithstanding, upon wresting the reigns from God,
strong-minded, progressive futurists are destined to produce a wilderness of
“stony waste.”[xiv]
Fantasy of a one-world, wanna-be utopia is just that—fantasy subject to “sudden
destruction.”[xv]
[i] In Greek
mythology, Gaia or Ge is goddess of the Earth. Worship of Mother
Earth is the basis for ancient mystery religions, cosmic humanism, and radical
environmentalism, whose proponents see Gaia-Earth as an interconnected,
living ecosystem whose delicate nature requires protection of world government.
[ii] 2 Corinthians 4:18 —“While we look not at the things which
are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen
are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
[iii] Jeremiah 29:11—“For I know the plans I have for
you," declares the LORD, "… plans to give you hope and a future.”
God unfolds the future, along with hope for it; the future is no invention
of humanity.
[iv] Romans 7:18 —“For I know that in me [that is, in my
flesh] dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to
perform that which is good I find not.”
[v] Yes, in order to
speak the future into existence, more is required than human will and choice,
however, futurists err by omitting God from the equation. In reality, humans
are uniquely created with a sense of eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11 ). As Creator, God alone acts upon and
fulfills that sense of timelessness. He knows the end from the beginning, and
only His purposes will stand (Isaiah 46:9-10). Apart from God, humans are
powerless (John 15:5). Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/man-live-without-God.html#ixzz2Yqy1gNCR.
[vi] #Lecturer
Fabienne Goux-Baudiment is associate professor of Foresight and Innovation at
the University of Angers (France ). Her talk aims
at describing the context of the coming century, explaining how it might
generate a wildly future-proof mind-set, and identifying tracks that should be
cleared to develop a future-plex mind-set for a hyper-complex world.
[vii] Dr. Ed Boyden,
Optogenetics Neuro-engineer and Neuro-scientist at MIT, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4W1ypBf9us&.
[viii] Beyond creating
“a new mankind” that no longer wastes resources, futurists expect to develop
manageable matter and new energy sources. Flying cars and artificial
intelligence round out their vision that culminates in transferring an
individual’s personality into a more advanced, non-biological carrier. Focusing
on nano-, bio-, info-, cognitive-, genetics-, and robotic- technologies, Global
Future 2045 neuro-scientists, neuro-engineers, and futurists call upon the U.N.
General Assembly to facilitate transition to what’s dubbed “neo-humanity.”
[ix] Nelson
Rockefeller referenced a powerful “free-world supra-national political being”
(also, a single, benevolent world “Administrator”) while lecturing at Harvard University in 1962. See
also: Nelson Rockefeller, The Future of Federalism (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard
University, 1964). Scripturally, a latter-day visionary, called Antichrist,
will become the greatest dictator the world has ever known. In time, he will
demand loyalty, and eventually worship (Revelation 7:14 and 13:7b-8). While
opposing Christ, he will pretend to be Christ.
[x] Proverbs 1:5—“
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands
obtain guidance.” Proverbs 1:7—“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
[xi] 1 Kings
3:5-12—“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a
dream by night, and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘
… Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that
I may discern between good and evil…” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had
asked this. And God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not
asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have
asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do
according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that
none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.’”
[xii] Proverbs
1:7—“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom
and instruction.”
[xiii] — Psalm 119:66 “Teach me good judgment and
knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.”
[xiv] Jeremiah
17:5-6—“This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who
draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD. For he
will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes—but
will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without
inhabitant.’”
[xv] 1 Thessalonians 5:3—“While they are saying, ‘Peace and
safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a
woman with child; and they will not escape.”
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