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Why don’t we believe in a brighter future? Concepts of a better world that deserve attention
When science fiction paints hell, it’s a cry for a lost paradise. What could tomorrow be like?
Diagnosis of an era: why the apocalypse became mainstream
According to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2022), 78% of science fiction works of the last decade contain elements of post-apocalyptics. But what if this obsession with failure is not a prediction, but a symptom? Neuropsychologist Dr. Alice Roberts. The human brain is programmed to fixate on threats. When reality becomes too complex, we project fears into the future.”
Historical paradox: the better we live, the darker the fantasy
Paradoxically, the golden age of technological progress (1990-2020) coincided with the heyday of dystopias. Pew Research Center sociologists attribute this to the “crisis of the progress narrative”: old ideologies have collapsed, new ones have not offered a clear picture of tomorrow.
Seven concepts of a better world that are already being tested
Case: How Games Are Changing Our Perceptions of the Future
NASA's ExoColonization game isn't just entertainment, it's crowdsourcing solutions for Martian settlements. For 3 years, players have offered 17 patents in the field of closed ecosystems.
From mirror to spotlight: how to rewrite the scenario of the future
Oxford Institute for the Future of Humanity Andres Sandberg It offers a three-stage model:
“The problem is not that we dream too big, but that we don’t dream enough.” – Kim Stanley Robinson
Techno-optimism 2.0: when technology serves the environment
The Genesis project in the UAE demonstrates a revolutionary approach: artificial coral reefs, 3D-printed from calcium carbonate, restore marine ecosystems 40% faster than natural counterparts.
Conclusion: The future as a verb
Historian Yuval Noah Harari rightly notes, “Humanity survived not because we are stronger than mammoths, but because we can create unifying myths.” It is time to create a new myth – not about escaping disaster, but about gradually ascending to a dignified society. As the Copenhagen experience (the goal of carbon neutrality by 2025) shows, this is not a utopia; it is a matter of priorities.
Diagnosis of an era: why the apocalypse became mainstream
According to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2022), 78% of science fiction works of the last decade contain elements of post-apocalyptics. But what if this obsession with failure is not a prediction, but a symptom? Neuropsychologist Dr. Alice Roberts. The human brain is programmed to fixate on threats. When reality becomes too complex, we project fears into the future.”
Historical paradox: the better we live, the darker the fantasy
Paradoxically, the golden age of technological progress (1990-2020) coincided with the heyday of dystopias. Pew Research Center sociologists attribute this to the “crisis of the progress narrative”: old ideologies have collapsed, new ones have not offered a clear picture of tomorrow.
Seven concepts of a better world that are already being tested
- Solarpunk (Solarpunk) A hybrid of renewable energy and Art Nouveau aesthetics. Example: The Venus Project by Jacques Fresco
- Partisan Democracy 2.0 Blockchain platforms for direct participation of citizens in lawmaking (Switzerland, Estonia)
- Economic virtue Replacing GDP with Quality of Life (Bhutan: Gross National Happiness)
- Biomimetic cities Urban studies that mimic ecosystems (Singapore supertrees)
Case: How Games Are Changing Our Perceptions of the Future
NASA's ExoColonization game isn't just entertainment, it's crowdsourcing solutions for Martian settlements. For 3 years, players have offered 17 patents in the field of closed ecosystems.
From mirror to spotlight: how to rewrite the scenario of the future
Oxford Institute for the Future of Humanity Andres Sandberg It offers a three-stage model:
- Admit: Dystopias are a diagnostic tool
- Create “libraries of opportunity” – catalogs of successful cases (from ozone layer restoration to megaproject crowdfunding)
- Introduce “futurological literacy” into educational standards
“The problem is not that we dream too big, but that we don’t dream enough.” – Kim Stanley Robinson
Techno-optimism 2.0: when technology serves the environment
The Genesis project in the UAE demonstrates a revolutionary approach: artificial coral reefs, 3D-printed from calcium carbonate, restore marine ecosystems 40% faster than natural counterparts.
Conclusion: The future as a verb
Historian Yuval Noah Harari rightly notes, “Humanity survived not because we are stronger than mammoths, but because we can create unifying myths.” It is time to create a new myth – not about escaping disaster, but about gradually ascending to a dignified society. As the Copenhagen experience (the goal of carbon neutrality by 2025) shows, this is not a utopia; it is a matter of priorities.
What is a development crisis and how to overcome it
Critical thinking: how not to become a hostage of your own mind