How to listen to the future in 10 min.


Gather: pen and index cards, post-its or paper scraps

  1. Set a watch or timer for 10 minutes.

  2. Place the stack of index cards or small papers in front of you.

  3. Read this question to yourself a few times: 

    If we can remake our world the way we desire it; what will the world be like?

  4. Write your first idea on the top index card. You can focus on tiny details, general ideas, practical concerns or impossible dreams. Use the list of categories below if you need starting points.

  5. When you have written your thought (or fragment), flip to the next card and write another one.  It can be a  continuation of the previous thought or a brand new one. One thought per card. Thoughts can be single words, phrases, sentences or drawings - however the thought comes to you.

  6. Continue re-imagining the world until the beep!

  7. Share with #listeningtothefuture on Instagram, however you wish. Marvel at your accomplishment. Your ideas are a small slice of a large collective effort, and they are beautiful.

some tips:

You will probably start with correcting what you don't like about our current situation. That's great! Get it out of your system! Many of your lines will probably start with "we wouldn't have..." or "We would be done with.." go for it.

Then you might write in generalities about what you DO want. "we will all heave good healthcare." etc. "racism will end" etc.

Once you have laid that stuff out, get specific. This is where imagination comes in. In a world without racism, what would our cities and rural areas be like? How might a street be designed? What would we eat for breakfast?

Sometimes it helps to pick a category and see what ideas are ready to come out.

Categories:

aging

ancestors

anthropology

architecture

art

astronomy  

audio environment

beauty

body

celebration

cinema

childbirth  

communication

the commons

cyberspace

death

decision-making

defense

economy

ecology

education

emotions

family structure

friendships

gender

government

healthcare

infancy

journalism

justice

labor

landscape

language

literature

manufacturing

media

medicine

memory

mental health

military

oceanography

parenting

philosophy

public policy

religion

science

seasons

security

sex

sexuality

space

spirituality

technology

transportation

time

race

relationships

rehabilitation

ritual

trade

urban planning

visual environment

work

youth

Of course, once you have done your 10 minutes, you may want to make an idea visual. You might want to dance it, sing it, sculpt it, bake it, put it in an altar, bury it in the ground, photograph it, draw it, paint it, make it a novel, sleep with it under your pillow.

do it and share it.

#listeningtothefuture