In this time of growing planetary environmental, social and governance crisis, humanity is often chasing the next wave of future panaceas. But what if a broad range of solutions to our challenges are already in the making?
Terminator I and II (before the whole franchise went down the SFX enabled path of Fonzie jumping over an AI shark) are two of my lifelong favourite films. Partly because this early 80s baby has big places in her heart for fluoro lycra, shoulder pads, big hair, brooding sci fi and dramatic electro synth, partly because I love a badass post-apocalyptic world saviour woman power narrative and kind of dream of being Sarah Connor sometimes. Having worked in edgy social change focussed communities for most of my adult life, often in the ecosystem niche of the kid yelling out to the emperor that he's nude, I've often related to her challenges dealing with a world that wasn't ready to at least grab him a dressing gown already.
One of the things that has me hooked me on the films is the central refrain of the iconic and many would say best one, Terminator II - “No Fate” or “The future's not set. There's no fate but what we make for ourselves.”
This is a fairly reassuring refrain which somewhat calms the troubled millennial soul facing down the barrel of a complicated logjam of what will likely be life long problems. Sociopolitical, military industrial, environmental, pandemic. Challenges around our naive obsession with applying ever advancing technology and increasing resource use and consumption as a misguided silver bullet solution to all of our problems (*cough* capitalism *cough*).
At this time of rolling and complex planetary crisis, we’re seeking answers to make a better future for ourselves, for our loved ones, for our communities, and for the world.
Do we need to wait for the future though? Another brooding but a lot more laconic and witty sci fi great, William Gibson once wrote “The future is already here - it’s just not evenly distributed.”
While mainstream media continues to capitalize mostly on dismay and fear around many of the biggest problems we face as a society - a curly current global pandemic, climate change, terrorism, trade standoffs, religious and resource wars, you name it, a vast global network of initiatives are enacting mature, proactive solutions right now.
Many of these solutions circulate within small subcultures or sector silos, and there is tremendous potential in bringing them together for greater impact. There’s a lot of people working on positive change initiatives worldwide but they are not having the broad impact they might have. There’s a need to amplify their messages to a wider audience and connect them with like-minded people they can collaborate with.
So, I’m launching Future Shakers - an event series and media platform exploring disruptive progressive shifts in our society, the economy and how we relate to the environment. My core goal is bringing people working practically towards positive social change together, amplifying their reach and impact and shaking up the current trajectory of the planet for the better.
Developed in partnership with a broad range of social enterprises and change makers, this series of events and insights will explore emergent better ways of being human, and how we can more actively bring them into the world, building stronger foundations for a better future.