Whats a futurist?
Let’s start by saying what a futurist is not. A futurist is not someone who “tells the future.” We don’t read tea leaves, tarot cards, crystal balls, or tell fortunes. Those who confuse us with soothsayers have never had any dealings with a futurist. Instead, a futurist is someone who spends time thinking about what might happen in the future, and especially what are the forces at work that will shape and affect our futures. This is not magic, it merely takes time and effort. A professional futurist is someone who takes time to research, study, and think about the future, just as a biologist is someone who takes time to research, study, and think about biology. The end result of a futurist’s efforts is, or should be, a better understanding of the future so that it is easier to make intelligent plans about the future. In short, then, a futurist is a planner, not a prophet.
