There’s always a “but” isn’t there? But…in this case, it’s not a terrible “BUT”, but rather it’s more of a clarification and refinement of what is being predicted for our future… Predicted by whom, you ask? And who dares to predict a brighter future, despite all evidence to the contrary?
Well, this time I am “news-jacking” and commenting about a recent article posted on www.LinkedIn.com, written by noted thinker and writer Vivek Wadwha. The headline of the article/post finishes by stating, “…but more Disruptive.” A brighter, but more disruptive future is ahead? Sounds like a future I can live with! Tell me more, so I can prepare for the disruptiveness! Click here for the full article post on LinkedIn…
The LinkedIn/Vivek Wadhwa article was posted a week after another, similarly disruptive, positive, solution-oriented, glimpse-of-a-possible-brighter-future video post I saw on www.Mashable.com, which presented and commented on a stunning, fantastic, upsetting-and-re-setting-the-applecart type of talk (video on TED) given by noted scientist (climatologist) Allan Savory. In that one, a brilliant, but chagrined, Mr. Savory offers up a 180-degree reversal of his own, previous scientific views, to offer up a solution to reverse climate change, halt and even reverse desertification of our planet, restore agriculture, and promote healthy livestock roaming in herds again–all by mimicking nature–a disruptive view indeed!! Click here for the full article post on Mashable… 
Click the video screenshot above, or here, to go directly to the video on TED…
My thinking, feeling, and purpose in posting about these predictions about our future is simple – I am a lifelong, dedicated, sworn optimist (ask any of my friends and colleagues!), but in recent years have struggled to come up with my own, believable prediction of a bright future. From the slings and arrows of life’s realities (yes, I’m mixing metaphors!), including the steep, undeniable increase in devastating, climate-related, natural disasters over the past decade, it is no longer possible to blindly believe in a bright future. From time-to-time, hope needs a little re-fueling by reality, tangible proof, and possibilities!
These two separate posts (articles, videos, etc.), and the clever people behind them, present viable, positive views of our future on this planet–based on hard facts, and great ideas being already implemented–worthy of our attention, and even HOPE for our future!! I was in need of some good news and possibilities, to re-fuel my hope and optimism…done! I am re-fueled… Maybe you could use a little of the same, reality-based hope and optimism, and if so, click the links, read, view and be hopeful!
To pull it all together…I want to point out that there is ONE underlying theme in both article/posts–something in which I believe 100%–that NEW, DIVERGENT, DISRUPTIVE thinking is what will allow us to envision, create and build a bright future. Disruptive thinking IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW; it is good, and real, and it is replenishing my supply of hope and optimism. As Vivek Wadhwa (and others) have said, the rate of discovery and advances in science/technology is accelerating, and will continue to do so. If this were not true, we could not hope for, contemplate, or create a brighter future! Luckily, fortunately, the old adage, “necessity is the mother of invention” is being proven once again–brilliantly!!! It is the primordial, archetypal, human “survival instinct” re-packaged, and re-purposed, with almost daily updates, new discoveries, new ways to look at old problems and newer ones too, while preparing for the problems we do not yet know about…
I’m feeling pretty hopeful these days–not daft enough to think it will be easy, without challenges, or that I don’t have to make my own personal effort to realize it–that a bright future is possible… Looking forward to seeing you in a brighter future… 🙂
– Russ Murray
PHOTO CREDITS:
1. The “sunset/halo through the grass” image (reminiscent of the on in the article on LinkedIn) is mine, copyright Russ Murray / “REMAGES” / www.remages.com 2013.
2. The other image is a screenshot from a TED Talk video, as was used to illustrate the article on Mashable.com, presented here as news/commentary only, with all rights belonging to and retained by its copyright holders.
Russell Murray 