mindset.
The one about intergenerational thinking and how to be a good ancestor
The Long Now and the 7th Generation Principle
Credit: Stewart Brand and Danny Hillis, and Roman Krnaric
Summary:
The “long now” is a mindset that seeks to promote intergenerational justice through long term thinking. It also serves as a counterpoint to contemporary culture’s instant gratification obsession and the ever accelerating pace of progress. The mindset is designed to challenge “short-termism” and our repeated failures to consider the long term implications of our current decisions.
Real world application:
Aligned to “seventh generation principle” and “future design“, the “long now” is a tool deliberately deployed to broaden our thinking about the future implications of our current decisions. One mechanism used to achieve this perspective in local government is for participants to explore at least two perspectives. The first view reflecting the present moment or near future, and the other projecting or forecasting the perspective of a citizen 100-150 years (seven generations) into the future. The goal is for participants to better explore and articulate the way decisions made today can impact the lives of future generations. The process actively promotes a more holistic and visionary approach; one that emphasises responsibility and empathy for future generations by weighting decision making toward the interests of a time we will not see.
