Look into the crystal ball

The past is history and nothing more than a mere memory. The future, however, is in our hands. A better way to put it is that the 'now' that builds the future is entirely up to us. There are many quotes that support this stand, such as 'Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.' and 'Now is pregnant with the future.'. As such, we must do whatever we can to shape our future. There are many forecasting techniques that gives us a better understanding of the prospective future, such as brainstorming and cost-benefit analysis.Forecasting has become a very valuable asset today.

In today's world, every individual has access to the same information from the same sources, and at the same speed and time. In short, everyone is equal. Therefore, it is definitely harder to shine in the corporate world now as compared to before. One method of distinguishing oneself from others is innovation. Innovative individuals who can make their ideas work generally get promoted quickly. There is another way, and it is to become a leader of the future. The accuracy of the futuristic story you tell is the key to your success. At the same time, it allows you to be ever-ready for the constantly changing world, giving you an edge over everyone else.

Forecasting has allowed us to comprehend the fact that the world will run out of fuels soon. There is an interesting video (shown below) that reports about a man who has stumbled upon a new fuel while researching for a cure for cancer. By passing radio waves through saltwater, which happens to be the most abundant entity in this planet, he was able to create a flame that burned up to 150 centigrade. Despite it being an unintended discovery, our forecast of vanishing fuels could find a cure in saltwater, and that is only because we know what the future encompasses.

However, the future is not as cherry as it seems. There are many critics of being too forward-looking. There is a saying with goes like this - we should not worry about the future, because it is extremely uncertain and our mentalities then will most probably be different. They are two very valid arguments. The uncertainty of the future has made many plans redundant, and forcing many people to play by ear. At the same time, if our philosophy and ideology have altered from the past to now, it is possibly similar for the future as well. With a different mentality, many things can change, elevating the level of uncertainty of any event. However, does this mean that we should not attempt to forecast at all?

The answer is no. It is precisely because of the uncertainty of the future that necessitates forecasting. Regardless of how small a difference it makes, it will reduce the probability of being unable to react when variability kicks in. The idea above is mainly to assist people in reducing their anxiety when dealing with matters of the future. Its purpose is to stop us from worrying about the future. But this does not mean we should not plan and forecast. If we do not do that, it is unlikely that the human race would survive and expand over a period of a few thousand years. It is what distinguishes us from other living organisms.

The class has been very interesting, leaving me with much food for thought and many captivating quotes. However, I feel that the downside of this lesson is that it is very one-sided. There is no arguments against forecasting and looking toward the future. It seems as though it has been taken for granted that everyone agrees that the future is paramount and nothing can surpass its importance. This may or may not be true, and can be a very debatable topic.

After so many lessons, it is finally time for the students to teach and present our future.

8/10