Main future view categories (numbers in parentheses are percentages for each category – 25 years and 100 years, with question three overviews in the narrative within each question).
1. No real change over 25 years (or even 100 years?) (0%/7%).
An intriguing category because these people recognize that environmental changes are occurring and will continue to occur for the foreseeable future, but they are not a big deal. The fact that no one in the 25 year category said there would be any changes in the next 25 years means that they must be placed into another category for personal predictions about the next quarter century. A small number (7%) still believe that these negative environmental changes will not be a problem 100 years from now and that environmental problems are not really significant since they believe that human ingenuity and technology will always save the day. While I can see why they believe that technology will resolve the issues (when one considers how far we have come technologically in just the last century), I find it fascinating how many people fail to see that it is technology that is at the root of many of the issues. It’s not technology per se, but inappropriate technology or an unwillingness to modify technology because of monetary/profit priorities. Some of the reasons for believing that no real change will happen is that the everyday world in which these people live shows no environmental catastrophes. They recognize pollution exists but it is literally ‘out of sight, out of mind’ for most of this category! I think that many of this category will not believe the seriousness of environmental problems exist until they hit them, or someone they know, on a more personal level to make them more empathic to the suffering of others.
2. Technology will save the day – has so far – JETSONS (12%/4%).
This category is unique because it is linked directly to category 1. The main difference here is that these people specifically acknowledge environmental problems exist but fervently believe that technology will save the day. Many mentioned specific technological beliefs that will ameliorate environmental problems and stated a firm belief that future technologies will be like a cartoon series that ran in the 1960s (The Jetsons – many quoted this specifically). Apparently, this cartoon has been reissued as a new streaming video series, which would explain why so many young people know about it. Intriguing is the fact that many thought technology would resolve environmental issues in the near future (12%) so that they are not even a problem in a 100 years (7% that moved to category 1 in the 100 year group).
So, if you were trying to convince some friends (I’m assuming that if you’re reading this blog you know we have environmental problems) that you identified as being in category 1 or 2, what would you say to convince them that environmental issues were a real and present problem. After all they have a firm belief that environmental issues and problems are not real or bad enough to think about, and technocrats will solve the problems for us. When someone has their head buried in the sand, what do you say to get them up look up and notice the problems are real? Fortunately, the category 1 and 2 group is only about 10% of the population, but even so, it is disconcerting.
3. A dark despondent future of environmental catastrophes – BLADERUNNER (82%/80%).
Now this incredibly large group is consistent in their views – the future sucks and we are all trapped in a downward spiral into hell. OK, that’s not all of them in this group, but overall this massive group doesn’t have much optimism. Many mentioned the film BLADERUNNER (a dark despondent technological future) as what they perceive is coming. When you look at modern films about the future (e.g. Maze Runner, Terminator, Hunger games, etc…) the future is bleak for most people with despotic hierarchies controlling the world, even if the heroes and heroines do fight back and rally the people. This unbridled pessimism is only to be expected when one looks at the world news and sees what the mass media want us to see! Then Hollywood adds to the problem with his plethora of negative future films.
The message for this group is not that problems exist and they need to recognize them (as in groups 1 and 2), but that the future can be positive if we choose it. We need to show them the positive news that all these positive changes are already occurring all over the planet. There is a lot of great positive news out there, but the mainstream media are not interested in showing anyone that news. What sells media time and space is doom and gloom spectacular stuff. Fear sells, and fear also keeps in under control. The hierarchies know that once we know what they are up to in trying to control us, the game is over for them. And they must be doing a good job since over 80% of people buy into the hierarchies dystopian sales pitch. Category 3 is so disempowered about their ability to affect the future. Many (about 50%) are the far-external LOCs (believe that powerful others have all the power) that I talked about in the last post. However, some (about are what I call near eternal LOC’s in that they just need to see hope and possibilities, and that they do have the power to make choices that make a difference. Let’s help paint a different picture of a positive future to empower people to make better choices. Just think about it for a second – if we can convince the 80% that is currently apathetic what will happen when they make a choice for a better world.
4. A sustainable future. (hope of change or forced to change to a positive lifestyle) (6%/9%).
In 2005, I was in a meeting with a film director from Hollywood. He asked what I thought would be a good framework for a film about sustainability? Recently the film I Robot had been released with Will Smith playing the main character in a technological future with robots and artificial intelligence controlling everyday life. I said that a big budget blockbuster like that set in a sustainable future as the backdrop to everything else in the film work help a lot. In some spiritual films we see a beautiful future, but how many people watch spiritually framed films? How many people have seen ‘The Last Mimzy’? Probably a lot less than have seen The Hunger Games. In a positive future, Will Smith could be chasing a bad guy, but everything you saw in the film would be sustainable technology with thriving and safe communities – OK we have that one bad guy Will Smith is chasing, so it’s a thrilling adventure with renewable energy bullet trains running past fields of organic crop fields, and towns epitomizing sustainable buildings and community building. Category 4 respondents all expressed that a positive future would happen, but some did think it would take a major event of some kind to force the change. Yet, the overriding belief of this group was that a sustainable future was more likely and that people could be convinced to change. The messaging for this group? Give them the tools and information to explain how the world can change, where the main barriers exist, and what needs to be done to move forward. While only 6% are currently positive about the future, it was encouraging that 9% saw it as more likely once the environmental issues become obvious and could not be ignored any further. What we need to do is show everyone, especially group 3, is that a positive future is just a choice away and can happen now! We have to be aware we have a choice, otherwise we cannot make a choice.
“If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it.” Lyndon B. Johnson
“We have reached a new milestone as a human family. With seven billion of us now inhabiting our planet, it is time to ask some fundamental questions. How can we provide a dignified life for ourselves and future generations while preserving and protecting the global commons – the atmosphere, the oceans and the ecosystems that support us?” Ban Ki-moon
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