Gaston Berger, born in 1896 in Senegal, was a French philosopher and public administrator who founded 'La Prospective,' a method of futures studies aimed at understanding future dynamics to inform present decisions. Berger developed 'La Prospective' to extend planning from short-term problem-solving to long-term, systematic anticipation, aiding policymakers and leaders in making visionary decisions. His legacy continues to influence futures studies in France and globally. Maurice Béjart
Endless wars Destruction Deforestation Water problems Overpopulation Extreme urban density Waste disaster 250 years of peace A society of arts and culture Ecosystem sustainability No waste society Giant cities High comfort and leisure Still inspiring today In 2 generations Transition ̋ The Edo shift
SLOW DOWN SHIFT NEW REALITY 1 2 3 What business models, interactions, symbols and value propositions are you creating that help slow down? In your communities, in your work, how are you guiding and helping people envision the great shift ahead? How do you help people visualize a better society? A new paradigm is needed, where we reinvent how wee co-exist.
The only space race that makes sense is a race to clean up the mess we’ve made while we build a Star Trek civilization. Prioritize that, then we can talk about going to Mars. But let's forget about interstellar Monopoly.
SLOW DOWN 1 Design sustainable business models, from big money with some impact, to big impact with some money. Reverse the priorities. Stop promoting your tools and your methods, promote their outcomes. Stop individualizing and depoliticizing issue.
SHIFT 2 Be honest, it is 100% political. Find ways to protect institutions, public good infrastructures and public services. Be a lot more critical with the narratives of the old system. What does design mean in a world of increasing violence and disasters?
NEW REALITY 3 Be a storyteller. Be creative. Use your imagination. Enagage in building narratives and conversations about our shared collective preferable futures. How can design help us build strong social foundations and remain below an ecological ceiling?
A system established in violence will maintain itself in violence. Only a pacifist revolution can enable the shift and sustain itself in a new paradigm.
1. Trusted and transparent institutions 2. Inclusive urban design and shared spaces 3. Efficient and resilient infrastructures 4. Universal and reliable public services
What is design doing in each three phases? We design and facilitate the co-creation journey. —Take any industry, add disasters and low carbon budgets, universal services, reinvent it and tell the story!
What is a slow travel dirigible-based airport experience for a three-generation family? What is a low-tech and local seasonal festival? What is everything needed for a child's youth as a universal basic service? What if menstrual management products were a cosmo-local + universal basic service?
Moving away from design challenges about products, apps and services inside of for-profit briefs. The challenge is more about finding ways to design the conditions for interventions that allow new conversations to emerge, starting with collaborative sensemaking.
Write your own briefs Own the conversation Engage in a "rapport de force" Change the narrative with imagination Reveal the future you prefer Bee the glitch you wish to see in the world
Remember, you can't navigate the unknown without a compass, and that compass is you —You're not just learning the rules of this new game but also unlearning the old one. In the face of constant change and uncertainties, know yourself; it's your first step to hacking the future.
Most people can't even identify the wicked problems screwing us over, let alone tackle them. Start by getting a clue about the mess we're in. Think like a sensemaker—deconstruct the mess, and be courageous. Look at who holds the power and who’s getting the short end of the stick.
Also, there's no shame in playing the old game to keep food on the table. Just remember, once you've collected some resources, some privilege, a slice of comfort—use it. Bend reality to shape a better world for those who come after us. Because the future isn't going to hack itself.
SLOW DOWN SHIFT NEW REALITY 1 2 3 EXTINCTION ̋ Only a revolution rooted in pacifism can pave the way for sustainable future pathways and achieve enduring change. —Thank you