In this episode, I sit down with futurist Ari Wallach to discuss his insights on shaping a better future and his journey to becoming a thought leader in strategic foresight. Wallach emphasizes the importance of building agency, becoming great ancestors, and understanding how our actions today will impact generations to come. He introduces the concept of "protopia" as a realistic pathway towards progress, differentiating it from utopian ideals by focusing on practical, incremental changes that can lead to a hopeful future for humanity.

We dive into the themes of his upcoming series "A Brief History of The Future," premiering on PBS on Wednesday, April 3 at 9pm ET. Wallach explores multiple futures and the foundational pillars necessary for constructing a future that offers hope rather than despair. This episode is a journey from doom scrolling to hope, highlighting Wallach's belief in the potential to craft a future filled with opportunity and promise.

Highlights:

00:00 Intro and Episode Preview

02:00 Ari Wallach's Journey

08:39 Importance of Building Agency

10:21 Becoming Great Ancestors

15:33 Present's Impact on Future

19:06 Time Running Out for Action?

23:45 From Doom to Hope Scrolling

27:57 A Brief History Of The Future

29:30 Exploring Multiple Futures

32:30 Drake and Mbappé's Influence on the show

37:28 Embracing the Idea of Protopia

45:33 Pillars of Future Construction

49:55 Protopia: Hope for Humanity

52:42 First Chapter's Final Page?

About Ari:

Ari Wallach is a futurist, author, and host of the upcoming PBS docuseries, A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE. In 2023, he co-founded Futurific, a production studio that creates positive, hopeful stories about our collective future. Futurific premieres a six-part documentary series, A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE, in April 2024 on PBS. Ari is the founder and executive director of Longpath Labs, which helps people and organizations implement future-focused shifts in thinking, decision-making, and behavior. Ari is the author of Longpath: Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs.

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