World Futures: What Do We Need?

By ANDY ANDREWS
Los Alamos World Futures Institute

During the past 19 columns, each item in the List of 18 has been presented with, hopefully, enough background to better define each item and hint at the challenges in each area. Before moving on, a summary of the list is useful for contemplating the interaction between each item in affecting the future of earth and humanity. 

In scanning the list, keep in mind Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and that the lowest or basic level includes air, water, food, clothing, shelter and reproduction. Do you want to know more?

Here is the List of 18 for future reference and discussion:

Stuff

• Energy Storage (especially long term)/Energy Conversion/Energy System Efficiency/Energy Distribution.
• Product distribution efficiency.
• Distributed manufacturing – volume/density/mass.
• Infinite recycling.

People

• Medicine (non-Malthusian)– dna manipulation, invasive/non-invasive techniques, distribution, and how far do we go?
• Non-invasive observation technology (e.g., terahertz and overcoming the observer effect).
• Food production and dietary requirements.
• The Human/Machine Interface – who or what controls what or whom.
• Sustainable long term encapsulation for humans – including mental stimulation.

Information

•  Personal Information Filtering/Fact Checking to avoid information overload and enhance noise reduction.
•  Computing – what is really needed?
•  What and how do we teach people?
•  Communication, both near and long distances and what does it really mean, what is needed.
•  Data vs Information vs knowledge.

Society

•  Tools – simplified – to help the human existence and reduce production overhead.  Greatly affects philosophy of government and must contribute to unity of effort.
•  In transformation, how do we maintain integrity?
•  Commerce and financial – how do we do business, individually and collectively.
•  Governance.

In future columns a few issues will be explored demonstrating integration of need is essential.

The Los Alamos World Futures Institute website is at LAWorldFutures.org. Feedback, volunteers, and donations (501.c.3) are welcome. Email andy.andrews@laworldfutres.org or bob.nolen@laworldfutures.org.

Previously published columns can be found at http://www.LADailyPost.com or http://www.laworldfutures.org.