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Imaginable: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything―Even Things That Seem Impossible Today
World-renowned future forecaster, game designer, and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Jane McGonigal gives us the tools to imagine the future without fear.
"An accessible, optimistic field guide to the future."—San Francisco Chronicle
"Reading this book is like sitting down with a creative, optimistic friend—and getting up as a new version of yourself."—Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of When
The COVID-19 pandemic, increasingly frequent climate disasters, a new war — events we might have called “unimaginable” or “unthinkable” in the past are now reality. Today it feels more challenging than ever to feel unafraid, hopeful, and equipped to face the future with optimism. How do we map out our lives when it seems impossible to predict what the world will be like next week, let alone next year or next decade? What we need now are strategies to help us recover our confidence and creativity in facing uncertain futures.
In Imaginable, Jane McGonigal draws on the latest scientific research in psychology and neuroscience to show us how to train our minds to think the unthinkable and imagine the unimaginable. She invites us to play with the provocative thought experiments and future simulations she’s designed exclusively for this book, with the goal to:
Build our collective imagination so that we can dive into the future and envision, in surprising detail, what our lives will look like ten years from now
Develop the courage and vision to solve problems creatively
Take actions and make decisions that will help shape the future we desire
Access "urgent optimism," an unstoppable force within each of us that activates our sense of agency
Imaginable teaches us to be fearless, resilient, and bold in realizing a world with possibilities we cannot yet imagine—until reading this transformative, inspiring, and necessary book
"An accessible, optimistic field guide to the future."—San Francisco Chronicle
"Reading this book is like sitting down with a creative, optimistic friend—and getting up as a new version of yourself."—Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of When
The COVID-19 pandemic, increasingly frequent climate disasters, a new war — events we might have called “unimaginable” or “unthinkable” in the past are now reality. Today it feels more challenging than ever to feel unafraid, hopeful, and equipped to face the future with optimism. How do we map out our lives when it seems impossible to predict what the world will be like next week, let alone next year or next decade? What we need now are strategies to help us recover our confidence and creativity in facing uncertain futures.
In Imaginable, Jane McGonigal draws on the latest scientific research in psychology and neuroscience to show us how to train our minds to think the unthinkable and imagine the unimaginable. She invites us to play with the provocative thought experiments and future simulations she’s designed exclusively for this book, with the goal to:
Build our collective imagination so that we can dive into the future and envision, in surprising detail, what our lives will look like ten years from now
Develop the courage and vision to solve problems creatively
Take actions and make decisions that will help shape the future we desire
Access "urgent optimism," an unstoppable force within each of us that activates our sense of agency
Imaginable teaches us to be fearless, resilient, and bold in realizing a world with possibilities we cannot yet imagine—until reading this transformative, inspiring, and necessary book
432 pages, Hardcover
Published March 22, 2022
About the author
Jane McGonigal
9 books399 followersJane McGonigal (born October 21, 1977) is an American game designer and author who advocates the use of mobile and digital technology to channel positive attitudes and collaboration in a real world context.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
April 16, 2022
Not gonna lie, pretty early on while reading Imaginable the future I was most fondly imagining was one where I’d finished it.
That’s because I went into it with the wrong expectations. I wanted the inside scoop on when I’d be buying my first flying car and vacationing on Mars. As it turns out, the “How to” part of the subtitle is pretty important here. This is really a self help book on how to become more open to an ever-changing world.
Jane McGonigal is a video game designer and future forecaster who actually created a video game simulation of a global pandemic about a decade ago that ended up being a heck of a lot like COVID-19. The participants of the simulation exercise found themselves better prepared and therefore able to adapt more easily to the rapid changes it forced into our lives. Through the book, she challenges readers to work through scenarios like a garbage-less future.
Let’s break that one down. The U.S.’s biggest export is waste. Eventually other countries are gonna be like, “Hey ‘merica? We don’t want your trash anymore.” So then what? McGonigal wants you to do things like write down 100 possible ramifications of that, or even have a Meet Up gathering to work through it in teams.
I’d say there was a 0% chance I’d ever get together with a bunch of random peeps for a fun game of “What will I do with my empty toothpaste tubes,” but the author ultimately makes a pretty solid case for never saying never. I knew she won me over when I started sharing random tidbits from the book with my husband over our nightly dinner salads. If I can get the hubs to say some variation of uh huh/wow/mm hmm/interesting at least 10 times about something, it’s a winner.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
That’s because I went into it with the wrong expectations. I wanted the inside scoop on when I’d be buying my first flying car and vacationing on Mars. As it turns out, the “How to” part of the subtitle is pretty important here. This is really a self help book on how to become more open to an ever-changing world.
Jane McGonigal is a video game designer and future forecaster who actually created a video game simulation of a global pandemic about a decade ago that ended up being a heck of a lot like COVID-19. The participants of the simulation exercise found themselves better prepared and therefore able to adapt more easily to the rapid changes it forced into our lives. Through the book, she challenges readers to work through scenarios like a garbage-less future.
Let’s break that one down. The U.S.’s biggest export is waste. Eventually other countries are gonna be like, “Hey ‘merica? We don’t want your trash anymore.” So then what? McGonigal wants you to do things like write down 100 possible ramifications of that, or even have a Meet Up gathering to work through it in teams.
I’d say there was a 0% chance I’d ever get together with a bunch of random peeps for a fun game of “What will I do with my empty toothpaste tubes,” but the author ultimately makes a pretty solid case for never saying never. I knew she won me over when I started sharing random tidbits from the book with my husband over our nightly dinner salads. If I can get the hubs to say some variation of uh huh/wow/mm hmm/interesting at least 10 times about something, it’s a winner.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
January 26, 2022
I had seen Jane McGonigal’s TED talk on SuperBetter and in general the positive impact well designed games can have on our happiness & even longevity. It is only when I picked up this audiobook that I realized that she is a futurist involved with the Institute for the Future.
I have found many of the articles written by futurists to be interesting, and that is what prompted me to take to this (audio)book. I did not know what to expect from this book specifically though. We are in a period when certain major challenges such as climate change, population explosion, job uncertainty and rising polarisation are looming. At the same time there is unprecedented pace of change driven by technology – genetics, artificial foods, connectivity, etc. As expected, all of this and more finds good a high degree of coverage in the book.
I found a lot of the advice in the book to be practical. For instance - thinking in terms of 10-year timeframes (even in short bursts of 20 seconds), You can project based on past experiences as well; in a 10-year timeframe – FB users crossed a billion, same sex marriages & marijuana were legalized in many US states & nations in Europe etc. While thinking (and as a result worrying) about the future may seem a depressing thing to do, apparently when our minds travel to the future for a period, we are better prepared when that future arrives. There are experts for various fields but we need to bring it all together for taking stock of our own lives and potentially others, since many problems today need community involvement. There are sprinklings of neuroscience research as many topics are discussed. A number of future thinking techniques and examples are provided, most of which were very good.
Overall, a fascinating and energizing book which I recommend for everyone. The level of detail in terms of current context is excessive at times though.
My rating: 4.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, OrangeSky Audio and the author for a free review audiobook.
I have found many of the articles written by futurists to be interesting, and that is what prompted me to take to this (audio)book. I did not know what to expect from this book specifically though. We are in a period when certain major challenges such as climate change, population explosion, job uncertainty and rising polarisation are looming. At the same time there is unprecedented pace of change driven by technology – genetics, artificial foods, connectivity, etc. As expected, all of this and more finds good a high degree of coverage in the book.
I found a lot of the advice in the book to be practical. For instance - thinking in terms of 10-year timeframes (even in short bursts of 20 seconds), You can project based on past experiences as well; in a 10-year timeframe – FB users crossed a billion, same sex marriages & marijuana were legalized in many US states & nations in Europe etc. While thinking (and as a result worrying) about the future may seem a depressing thing to do, apparently when our minds travel to the future for a period, we are better prepared when that future arrives. There are experts for various fields but we need to bring it all together for taking stock of our own lives and potentially others, since many problems today need community involvement. There are sprinklings of neuroscience research as many topics are discussed. A number of future thinking techniques and examples are provided, most of which were very good.
Overall, a fascinating and energizing book which I recommend for everyone. The level of detail in terms of current context is excessive at times though.
My rating: 4.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, OrangeSky Audio and the author for a free review audiobook.
November 10, 2022
Als sich durch Corona alles änderte, fühlte sich das für mich an, als wäre mein Leben zu Ende. Ich konnte nicht richtig verarbeiten, was da passierte. Plötzlich war da dieses Virus, von dem meine Mutter schon im Dezember angekündigt hatte, dass der auch nach Österreich kommen würde. In der nächsten Sekunde hielt ich einen Quarantänebescheid in der Hand und musste zusehen, wie meine Studienkolleg:innen plötzlich alle mit einem Virus krank wurden, den ich vor einer Woche noch nichtmal richtig ernst genommen hatte. Und dann ging alles schnell: Maskenpflicht, Lockdown, Onlineuni, grauenhafte Bilder von Massenbegräbnissen in den Fernsehnachrichten und in der Zeitung, Verschwörungstheorien online. Ich hatte Angst und war einfach überfordert. Und wie mir ging es wohl den meisten Menschen zu diesem Zeitpunkt.
Jetzt leben wir schon seit mehreren Jahren mit diesem Virus (der immer noch real ist) und ich habe mich an ein Leben damit gewöhnt. Was mir in diesen Jahren aber klar wurde, ist, dass ich mich in meinem Leben nie wieder so hilflos fühlen möchte, wie ich es zu Beginn von Corona getan habe. Das ist auch das Ziel von Jane McGonigal: Sie möchte mit ihren Büchern und Kursen Menschen dabei helfen, sich auf das Unvorstellbare vorzubereiten. Sie vergleicht ihre Methode des episodischen Zukunftsdenkens mit Impfungen. Durch ihre Gedankenspiele soll eine Art Erinnerung an eine imaginäre zukünftige Situation abgelegt werden. Und diese Erinnerung kann dann im Ernstfall abgerufen werden, wenn es doch zum "Unvorstellbaren" kommt - und dann soll der erste Schock und die daraus entstehende psychische Belastung nicht mehr ganz so arg sein. Immerhin hat man das Szenario schonmal durchlebt, wenn auch nur in seinem Kopf. Funktioniert also wie Antikörper bei Impfungen.
Hört sich doch nach einem schönen Versprechen an, oder? Also wollte ich das auf jeden Fall mal ausprobieren. Wenn es nichts bringen sollte, dann wird es mir wohl auch nicht schaden. Also bin ich in den letzten Wochen in Zukunftsszenarien verschiedenster Art eingetaucht. Ich bin durch Supermärkte spaziert, in denen Obst und Gemüse kostenlos für alle waren, habe mich am Tag der Dankbarkeit mit tausend Euro bei einem Menschen bedankt, der das Leben von Zukunfts-Mira erleichtert und habe über die fünfprozentige Chance nachgedacht, dass mein Heimatort in drei Jahren von einem Asteroiden getroffen werden könnte. Aktuell befinde ich mich im Jahr 2033 und bereite mich dort auf einen zehnjährigen künstlich geschaffenen Winter vor, der den Klimawandel verlangsamen soll. Das ist das Abschlussprojekt, an dem ich arbeite: Ich beschäftige mich zehn Tage lang mit diesem Szenario und lasse mein Zukunfts-Ich Tagebucheinträge verfassen.
Für mich besonders spannend war, wie sich meine Vorstellungen im Laufe des Buches entwickelt haben. Zu Beginn habe ich mich bei vielen Szenarien überfordert und hilflos gefühlt. Wie damals in den ersten Wochen von Corona. Bei meinem Abschlussprojekt sieht das schon anders aus: Mein Zukunfts-Ich recherchiert online und in der Bücherei über das, was uns bevorsteht, legt Vorräte an und spaziert mit ihrer Tochter (die heute noch nicht existiert und auch in der nahen Zukunft nicht existieren wird, in zehn Jahren laut meinem Gehirn aber schon) auf einen Berg, damit sie ihr vor diesem Winter die wichtigsten Sternbilder zeigen kann. Schön ist dieses Szenario immer noch nicht, aber ich bin nicht einfach nur noch eine passive Beobachterin, sondern arbeite aktiv daran mit, diese Situation so erträglich wie möglich zu gestalten. Mein Zukunfts-Ich ist von einer reinen Schablone zu einer Persönlichkeit geworden, die mir sympathisch ist und für die ich nur das beste möchte. Zu Beginn konnte ich gar nicht so weit in die Zukunft denken. Ich weiß, dass da hoffentlich eine Mira existieren wird, aber sie war für mich so weit weg, dass sie keine wirkliche Rolle spielte. Das ist jetzt anders. Ich mag Zukunfts-Mira, wie sie in meinen Vorstellungen ist. Nicht weil sie ein perfekter Tagtraum ist, das ist sie ganz sicher nicht. Aber sie fühlt sich nach mir an, nicht nach einer Fremden. Allein wegen dieser Entwicklung hat sich die Lektüre für mich gelohnt.
Ob diese Übungen tatsächlich etwas bringen und in Zukunft dafür sorgen, dass ich mich bei "undenkbaren" Nachrichten weniger hilflos fühle, werden wir sehen. Vielleicht danke ich mir in zehn Jahren dafür, dass ich dieses Buch gelesen habe, vielleicht hab ich keine Erinnerung mehr daran. Wir werden es sehen. Was auf jeden Fall passieren wird: Ich werde in zehn Jahren eine Online-Buchpräsentation der Autorin besuchen, zu der sie im Schlusswort dieses Buchs eingeladen hat.
Mein Fazit? Durch dieses Buch konnte ich total spannende Experimente ausprobieren, an denen ich sonst nicht teilgenommen hätte. Das war für mich ein komplett neues, aber sehr interessantes Erlebnis, das ich euch unbedingt auch empfehlen möchte.
Jetzt leben wir schon seit mehreren Jahren mit diesem Virus (der immer noch real ist) und ich habe mich an ein Leben damit gewöhnt. Was mir in diesen Jahren aber klar wurde, ist, dass ich mich in meinem Leben nie wieder so hilflos fühlen möchte, wie ich es zu Beginn von Corona getan habe. Das ist auch das Ziel von Jane McGonigal: Sie möchte mit ihren Büchern und Kursen Menschen dabei helfen, sich auf das Unvorstellbare vorzubereiten. Sie vergleicht ihre Methode des episodischen Zukunftsdenkens mit Impfungen. Durch ihre Gedankenspiele soll eine Art Erinnerung an eine imaginäre zukünftige Situation abgelegt werden. Und diese Erinnerung kann dann im Ernstfall abgerufen werden, wenn es doch zum "Unvorstellbaren" kommt - und dann soll der erste Schock und die daraus entstehende psychische Belastung nicht mehr ganz so arg sein. Immerhin hat man das Szenario schonmal durchlebt, wenn auch nur in seinem Kopf. Funktioniert also wie Antikörper bei Impfungen.
Hört sich doch nach einem schönen Versprechen an, oder? Also wollte ich das auf jeden Fall mal ausprobieren. Wenn es nichts bringen sollte, dann wird es mir wohl auch nicht schaden. Also bin ich in den letzten Wochen in Zukunftsszenarien verschiedenster Art eingetaucht. Ich bin durch Supermärkte spaziert, in denen Obst und Gemüse kostenlos für alle waren, habe mich am Tag der Dankbarkeit mit tausend Euro bei einem Menschen bedankt, der das Leben von Zukunfts-Mira erleichtert und habe über die fünfprozentige Chance nachgedacht, dass mein Heimatort in drei Jahren von einem Asteroiden getroffen werden könnte. Aktuell befinde ich mich im Jahr 2033 und bereite mich dort auf einen zehnjährigen künstlich geschaffenen Winter vor, der den Klimawandel verlangsamen soll. Das ist das Abschlussprojekt, an dem ich arbeite: Ich beschäftige mich zehn Tage lang mit diesem Szenario und lasse mein Zukunfts-Ich Tagebucheinträge verfassen.
Für mich besonders spannend war, wie sich meine Vorstellungen im Laufe des Buches entwickelt haben. Zu Beginn habe ich mich bei vielen Szenarien überfordert und hilflos gefühlt. Wie damals in den ersten Wochen von Corona. Bei meinem Abschlussprojekt sieht das schon anders aus: Mein Zukunfts-Ich recherchiert online und in der Bücherei über das, was uns bevorsteht, legt Vorräte an und spaziert mit ihrer Tochter (die heute noch nicht existiert und auch in der nahen Zukunft nicht existieren wird, in zehn Jahren laut meinem Gehirn aber schon) auf einen Berg, damit sie ihr vor diesem Winter die wichtigsten Sternbilder zeigen kann. Schön ist dieses Szenario immer noch nicht, aber ich bin nicht einfach nur noch eine passive Beobachterin, sondern arbeite aktiv daran mit, diese Situation so erträglich wie möglich zu gestalten. Mein Zukunfts-Ich ist von einer reinen Schablone zu einer Persönlichkeit geworden, die mir sympathisch ist und für die ich nur das beste möchte. Zu Beginn konnte ich gar nicht so weit in die Zukunft denken. Ich weiß, dass da hoffentlich eine Mira existieren wird, aber sie war für mich so weit weg, dass sie keine wirkliche Rolle spielte. Das ist jetzt anders. Ich mag Zukunfts-Mira, wie sie in meinen Vorstellungen ist. Nicht weil sie ein perfekter Tagtraum ist, das ist sie ganz sicher nicht. Aber sie fühlt sich nach mir an, nicht nach einer Fremden. Allein wegen dieser Entwicklung hat sich die Lektüre für mich gelohnt.
Ob diese Übungen tatsächlich etwas bringen und in Zukunft dafür sorgen, dass ich mich bei "undenkbaren" Nachrichten weniger hilflos fühle, werden wir sehen. Vielleicht danke ich mir in zehn Jahren dafür, dass ich dieses Buch gelesen habe, vielleicht hab ich keine Erinnerung mehr daran. Wir werden es sehen. Was auf jeden Fall passieren wird: Ich werde in zehn Jahren eine Online-Buchpräsentation der Autorin besuchen, zu der sie im Schlusswort dieses Buchs eingeladen hat.
Mein Fazit? Durch dieses Buch konnte ich total spannende Experimente ausprobieren, an denen ich sonst nicht teilgenommen hätte. Das war für mich ein komplett neues, aber sehr interessantes Erlebnis, das ich euch unbedingt auch empfehlen möchte.
August 3, 2022
Let's face it- we're terrible at predicting the future. We're even worse at dealing with unexpected changes in the present. If there's anything that we learned about the Coronavirus epidemic it's that American society doesn't do well with surprises and out-of-the-ordinary events. Most of us like to think that in the future, things will be pretty much like they've past, only a bit faster and shinier (or hotter and deadlier if you're a pessimist). Predicting the future is, of course, impossible, but preparing for the future is essential. So the best we can do is to look for trends and be open-minded enough that we're willing to change course when necessary.
Imaginable is a new book by Jane McGonigal that tries to show us how to think like a futurist and not get left behind as time rushes onward. McGonigal is a game designer and author who has penned two popular books about how to use game theory to improve your life- Superbetter and Reality is Broken. A member of the Institute for the Future, she has lately been using her game designs to help come up with future scenarios that help those in the present think about how to prepare for likely future scenarios.
We are all victims of normalcy bias- the tendency to look away from approaching dangers and cling to normalcy and the past no matter what. It's why the first lifeboats of the Titanic were half empty. It's why so many refused to wear masks or get vaccinated during the most recent pandemic. And it's why we stubbornly refuse to confront the causes of the world's changing climate even as evidence piles up year after year. Most of us like predictability and security, and any threat to that becomes too hard to even think about, so we shut it down. And for those who dare to think the unthinkable, the tendency sometimes is to give up, and say there's nothing you can do about it, so why even try.
This book should be given to every CEO, politician and thought leader to open their minds to where we are all headed, which is kind of their job. The rest of us can benefit from this knowledge as well, because in a democracy, we supposedly have agency over how our institutions handle the crises of the future.
McGonigal goes through important concepts that she uses in constructing her futuristic scenarios, and then uses hypothetical future events to illustrate them. This book will open up your thinking and force you to confront things, so be prepared. This is not light reading and might change the way you see the world going forward.
Here are some of her key concepts:
1- Try to open up a ten year window into the future. Ten years is far enough away that many changes are likely, but not so far away as to be unthinkable. Most of us are lucky if we have one year plans, but looking at your ten year goals and desires is a real stretch and can pay off in the long run.
2- Use your mind's eye. What will the physical environment of the future look like? What will you be doing on a typical day? Who will you be interacting with? Forcing your brain to imagine the future is what the author calls Episodic Future Thinking (EFT), and by pre-experiencing things you can uncover emotions, learn things you didn't know, and discover opportunities that will lead you closer to your desired future.
3- Play with future scenarios. Change the times, places, and people and look for ideas of how things could evolve. Suspend disbelief and truly open your mind to different scenarios, using internet research or books about the future to fuel your ideas.
4- Don't be afraid to be ridiculous. Futurist Jim Dator said that "any useful idea about the future should appear to be ridiculous." Challenge todays norms. Past assumptions don't always work in the future. No one predicted how central the internet would be today fifty years ago. The I-phone, streaming entertainment, and gluten free foods were unthinkable back then. There's no way to know what inventions and challenges the 21st century might provide, so a playful openness to the weird and new is essential.
5- Turn the world upside down. This is great advice for creativity in general. Take any statement that is assumed to be true today and state the opposite. For instance- change "the sky is blue" to "the sky is NOT blue". In the future, if geoengineering is used to combat climate change, scientists believe that the sky could change color to mostly white.
6- Look for clues about the future. What are trends that look likely to continue? What new things have popped up on your radar in the past few years? Drones are one thing that the author points to. They were unheard of not that long ago, and now they are expanding in usage everywhere. Network with others to get their sense of the trends. Read, listen, and strengthen your change radar to be aware of things before they become omnipresent.
7- Look at the big picture for the future forces that will change everybody's lives. This was my favorite part of the book. The World Economic Forum puts out a Global Risk Report every year detailing the biggest threats to society. Being global, it cuts through the usual BS that corporations and governments put out, and lays it all out there as threats that need to be dealt with. Here are some risks from the latest report that the author covers:
- Extremes in weather and climate change, including increasing needs for migration from affected areas.
- New and deadly infectious diseases
- Weapons of mass destruction (nukes)
- Increasing inequality and resulting social unrest and instability
- Cyberattacks and increasing dependence on digital technology
- Mental health deterioration
Mind you, this report can be depressing, but each discussion of each threat comes with reasonable steps to try to fix them. If you're curious- here's a link to the 2022 report.
8- Don't discount the good things that can happen in the near future! Obsessing over the threats and risks of the 21st century is a sure ticket to depression and paralysis. There are millions of people all over the globe working on solutions that will make our lives better, including:
- mRNA vaccines like the Covid vaccine.
- cheap solar and wind energy
- better social safety nets and guaranteed basic income
- bioprinting tech that can create replacement human organs
- living concrete from bacteria, gelatin and sand that can absorb CO2
- cultured meat that will be more ethical and carbon-friendly
- efforts to fight social isolation and mental illness
- free or low-cost learning for life
- anti-aging biotech
There are about 15 lengthy futuristic scenarios scattered through this book, and they are fascinating. Tick-born diseases make most of society allergic to meat. Geoengineers create a ten year winter globally to reset the climate. Asteroids become more common and threat levels become a part of life. Healthy fruits and vegetables are given out for free. The Internet goes down everywhere for one week. Paper dollars are replaced by digidollars. In each case she examines what might happen and how people would adapt, which is the entire point of future gaming scenarios.
In 2010, McGonigal debuted an online game called Evoke that challenged thousands of young people all over the world into a game that encouraged them to come up with creative solutions for solving hunger, poverty, climate change, and more. She also came up with a toolkit, Ethical OS, for tech workers to see the ethical issues that might result from their creations. At the age of 45, she has become a world leader in forward thinking, and I wish there were a lot more like her. Actually there is- Jane has a twin sister Kelly who is also a best-selling author of books on psychology and neuroscience, and the books of hers that I've read are equally inspiring.
At its core, this is a hopeful, optimistic book. It says that by taking more agency in creating a positive future for humanity, things don't necessarily need to turn out as bleak as many of us currently imagine. Our normalcy bias can be overcome, but it won't be easy. By expanding our brains and thinking about future scenarios as if they already happened, we open up ideas that will help us deal with the future as it comes and even before.
Imaginable is a new book by Jane McGonigal that tries to show us how to think like a futurist and not get left behind as time rushes onward. McGonigal is a game designer and author who has penned two popular books about how to use game theory to improve your life- Superbetter and Reality is Broken. A member of the Institute for the Future, she has lately been using her game designs to help come up with future scenarios that help those in the present think about how to prepare for likely future scenarios.
We are all victims of normalcy bias- the tendency to look away from approaching dangers and cling to normalcy and the past no matter what. It's why the first lifeboats of the Titanic were half empty. It's why so many refused to wear masks or get vaccinated during the most recent pandemic. And it's why we stubbornly refuse to confront the causes of the world's changing climate even as evidence piles up year after year. Most of us like predictability and security, and any threat to that becomes too hard to even think about, so we shut it down. And for those who dare to think the unthinkable, the tendency sometimes is to give up, and say there's nothing you can do about it, so why even try.
This book should be given to every CEO, politician and thought leader to open their minds to where we are all headed, which is kind of their job. The rest of us can benefit from this knowledge as well, because in a democracy, we supposedly have agency over how our institutions handle the crises of the future.
McGonigal goes through important concepts that she uses in constructing her futuristic scenarios, and then uses hypothetical future events to illustrate them. This book will open up your thinking and force you to confront things, so be prepared. This is not light reading and might change the way you see the world going forward.
Here are some of her key concepts:
1- Try to open up a ten year window into the future. Ten years is far enough away that many changes are likely, but not so far away as to be unthinkable. Most of us are lucky if we have one year plans, but looking at your ten year goals and desires is a real stretch and can pay off in the long run.
2- Use your mind's eye. What will the physical environment of the future look like? What will you be doing on a typical day? Who will you be interacting with? Forcing your brain to imagine the future is what the author calls Episodic Future Thinking (EFT), and by pre-experiencing things you can uncover emotions, learn things you didn't know, and discover opportunities that will lead you closer to your desired future.
3- Play with future scenarios. Change the times, places, and people and look for ideas of how things could evolve. Suspend disbelief and truly open your mind to different scenarios, using internet research or books about the future to fuel your ideas.
4- Don't be afraid to be ridiculous. Futurist Jim Dator said that "any useful idea about the future should appear to be ridiculous." Challenge todays norms. Past assumptions don't always work in the future. No one predicted how central the internet would be today fifty years ago. The I-phone, streaming entertainment, and gluten free foods were unthinkable back then. There's no way to know what inventions and challenges the 21st century might provide, so a playful openness to the weird and new is essential.
5- Turn the world upside down. This is great advice for creativity in general. Take any statement that is assumed to be true today and state the opposite. For instance- change "the sky is blue" to "the sky is NOT blue". In the future, if geoengineering is used to combat climate change, scientists believe that the sky could change color to mostly white.
6- Look for clues about the future. What are trends that look likely to continue? What new things have popped up on your radar in the past few years? Drones are one thing that the author points to. They were unheard of not that long ago, and now they are expanding in usage everywhere. Network with others to get their sense of the trends. Read, listen, and strengthen your change radar to be aware of things before they become omnipresent.
7- Look at the big picture for the future forces that will change everybody's lives. This was my favorite part of the book. The World Economic Forum puts out a Global Risk Report every year detailing the biggest threats to society. Being global, it cuts through the usual BS that corporations and governments put out, and lays it all out there as threats that need to be dealt with. Here are some risks from the latest report that the author covers:
- Extremes in weather and climate change, including increasing needs for migration from affected areas.
- New and deadly infectious diseases
- Weapons of mass destruction (nukes)
- Increasing inequality and resulting social unrest and instability
- Cyberattacks and increasing dependence on digital technology
- Mental health deterioration
Mind you, this report can be depressing, but each discussion of each threat comes with reasonable steps to try to fix them. If you're curious- here's a link to the 2022 report.
8- Don't discount the good things that can happen in the near future! Obsessing over the threats and risks of the 21st century is a sure ticket to depression and paralysis. There are millions of people all over the globe working on solutions that will make our lives better, including:
- mRNA vaccines like the Covid vaccine.
- cheap solar and wind energy
- better social safety nets and guaranteed basic income
- bioprinting tech that can create replacement human organs
- living concrete from bacteria, gelatin and sand that can absorb CO2
- cultured meat that will be more ethical and carbon-friendly
- efforts to fight social isolation and mental illness
- free or low-cost learning for life
- anti-aging biotech
There are about 15 lengthy futuristic scenarios scattered through this book, and they are fascinating. Tick-born diseases make most of society allergic to meat. Geoengineers create a ten year winter globally to reset the climate. Asteroids become more common and threat levels become a part of life. Healthy fruits and vegetables are given out for free. The Internet goes down everywhere for one week. Paper dollars are replaced by digidollars. In each case she examines what might happen and how people would adapt, which is the entire point of future gaming scenarios.
In 2010, McGonigal debuted an online game called Evoke that challenged thousands of young people all over the world into a game that encouraged them to come up with creative solutions for solving hunger, poverty, climate change, and more. She also came up with a toolkit, Ethical OS, for tech workers to see the ethical issues that might result from their creations. At the age of 45, she has become a world leader in forward thinking, and I wish there were a lot more like her. Actually there is- Jane has a twin sister Kelly who is also a best-selling author of books on psychology and neuroscience, and the books of hers that I've read are equally inspiring.
At its core, this is a hopeful, optimistic book. It says that by taking more agency in creating a positive future for humanity, things don't necessarily need to turn out as bleak as many of us currently imagine. Our normalcy bias can be overcome, but it won't be easy. By expanding our brains and thinking about future scenarios as if they already happened, we open up ideas that will help us deal with the future as it comes and even before.
April 13, 2022
“It’s a waste of what the future is really good for to try to predict it. The gift of the future is creativity.”
I have been on-record for almost a decade with my position that Jane McGonigal is one of the smartest, most visionary people of all time. In this, she outdoes even that lofty praise. Through discussion of how futurists and game designers approach learning to anticipate the future, she talks about crisis after crisis… and will leave you feeling oddly progressively hopeful through it all. This is now high in the running for my all-time favorite book, and I would recommend it to anyone who plans on being alive for more than just a couple years.
I have been on-record for almost a decade with my position that Jane McGonigal is one of the smartest, most visionary people of all time. In this, she outdoes even that lofty praise. Through discussion of how futurists and game designers approach learning to anticipate the future, she talks about crisis after crisis… and will leave you feeling oddly progressively hopeful through it all. This is now high in the running for my all-time favorite book, and I would recommend it to anyone who plans on being alive for more than just a couple years.
February 12, 2022
I finished this book more than two weeks ago and have been sifting through my notes and mulling how to review it. Disclosure: I received this advance review copy from the publisher Spiegel & Grau through Edelweiss.
One of the first things I try to determine after reading is who the target audience is...and with this, I had a hard time. I know it is not me. I concluded, rightly or wrongly but this is my impression, early in this book that this particular type of futurism - specifically episodic future thinking (EFT) - most closely resembled hypnosis. I cannot be hypnotized (this is true...some people cannot be, and I cannot.) Nor can I immerse myself in a movie, book or similar. My wife can. And she has vivid dreams (mindbogglingly vivid dreams!) My only remembered dreams can sometimes be vivid, but they are usually not dreams I want to remember. So my wife might be able to do the EFT. That sad, there is definitely a target audience, and I am not it. For "playing with a future scenario", Dr. McGonigal proposes two rules (Rule #2 is "See the future scenario from your unique point of view", and Rule #1 is...): "Suspend your disbelief. No matter how strange the scenario seems to you, accept that this future is possible and works as described. Don’t get into a mental argument with yourself about why it would never happen or how it could never work. Just go with it." Well, that is next to impossible for me ... in a movie, a television show, a book, ... and this. I like to say I need to see a movie a second time before the first, because incongruities just jump out at me and it goes against reason to ignore them (my wife always tells me "just watch it", so she's with Dr. McGonigal.) I am probably more of the exception than the rule in that. She does say about half through the book in a chapter on Hard Empathy that "Seeing the future from someone else’s point of view — someone whose circumstances, values, lived experiences, hopes, and worries are very different from your own - is not easy." I don't think any of this is easy, for me at least, but that comes a little easier than the other practices she outlines (again, for me).
And despite physical exercise and stretching, after 60 years, I am still not physically flexible. Why mention that? It seems by Dr. McGonigal's definition I might not be mentally flexible. I admit rigidity in some areas. And quite the opposite in others. I don't agree with her definition, but as it ties with what she's putting out here, I get the perspective.
Dr. McGonigal references Jim Dator's short essay "What Futures Studies Is, and Is Not" (the link may trigger a warning for an unsecure source, but it works), which helped make more sense of the theme of this book.
It is important to understand that the futurists like Dr. McGonigal are not quite like those of Kurzweil, Kaku, Medvedev, etc. (Nor should any of them be confused with the "psychic" Jeanne Dixons who “predict” futures - with the extremely infrequent hits.) These futurists imagine possibilities. Probably with a higher percentage of hits than “psychics”. This is an extended exercise in imagination. Deliberate word choice there... extended ... because I this this book is too long. Too overly explained. And that target audience might very well lose interest because of the repetition.
Takeaways: I do think I'll be reading the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risks Report in the future (too easy?) - that was a good recommendation. And this was good
Thoughts:
Dr. McGonigal looks ten years out, but I think there is higher value to most people in semi-futurist thinking now ... because most of what we stress about won’t matter in a few years, even just next year.
The lesson here is to recognize that like business, or {cringe} self-help, books that all tout the secret to … [fill in the blank]…, read this and everything with an open mind, and a cautious scepticism.
One of the first things I try to determine after reading is who the target audience is...and with this, I had a hard time. I know it is not me. I concluded, rightly or wrongly but this is my impression, early in this book that this particular type of futurism - specifically episodic future thinking (EFT) - most closely resembled hypnosis. I cannot be hypnotized (this is true...some people cannot be, and I cannot.) Nor can I immerse myself in a movie, book or similar. My wife can. And she has vivid dreams (mindbogglingly vivid dreams!) My only remembered dreams can sometimes be vivid, but they are usually not dreams I want to remember. So my wife might be able to do the EFT. That sad, there is definitely a target audience, and I am not it. For "playing with a future scenario", Dr. McGonigal proposes two rules (Rule #2 is "See the future scenario from your unique point of view", and Rule #1 is...): "Suspend your disbelief. No matter how strange the scenario seems to you, accept that this future is possible and works as described. Don’t get into a mental argument with yourself about why it would never happen or how it could never work. Just go with it." Well, that is next to impossible for me ... in a movie, a television show, a book, ... and this. I like to say I need to see a movie a second time before the first, because incongruities just jump out at me and it goes against reason to ignore them (my wife always tells me "just watch it", so she's with Dr. McGonigal.) I am probably more of the exception than the rule in that. She does say about half through the book in a chapter on Hard Empathy that "Seeing the future from someone else’s point of view — someone whose circumstances, values, lived experiences, hopes, and worries are very different from your own - is not easy." I don't think any of this is easy, for me at least, but that comes a little easier than the other practices she outlines (again, for me).
And despite physical exercise and stretching, after 60 years, I am still not physically flexible. Why mention that? It seems by Dr. McGonigal's definition I might not be mentally flexible. I admit rigidity in some areas. And quite the opposite in others. I don't agree with her definition, but as it ties with what she's putting out here, I get the perspective.
Dr. McGonigal references Jim Dator's short essay "What Futures Studies Is, and Is Not" (the link may trigger a warning for an unsecure source, but it works), which helped make more sense of the theme of this book.
It is important to understand that the futurists like Dr. McGonigal are not quite like those of Kurzweil, Kaku, Medvedev, etc. (Nor should any of them be confused with the "psychic" Jeanne Dixons who “predict” futures - with the extremely infrequent hits.) These futurists imagine possibilities. Probably with a higher percentage of hits than “psychics”. This is an extended exercise in imagination. Deliberate word choice there... extended ... because I this this book is too long. Too overly explained. And that target audience might very well lose interest because of the repetition.
Takeaways: I do think I'll be reading the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risks Report in the future (too easy?) - that was a good recommendation. And this was good
As the historian and activist David Swanson has said, “Almost everything important that’s ever happened was unimaginable shortly before it happened.” We have to actively try to overcome normalcy bias, so we can think more effectively, and creatively, about the future. We have to train the brain to recognize when this cognitive bias is no longer helpful.As was this
The world is jam-packed with trustworthy experts whose full-time job is to study, analyze, and warn others of future risks and disruptions: climate scientists, epidemiologists, technology ethicists, investigative reporters, human rights activists, national security researchers, economic forecasters. We just have to listen to them.
Thoughts:
Dr. McGonigal looks ten years out, but I think there is higher value to most people in semi-futurist thinking now ... because most of what we stress about won’t matter in a few years, even just next year.
The lesson here is to recognize that like business, or {cringe} self-help, books that all tout the secret to … [fill in the blank]…, read this and everything with an open mind, and a cautious scepticism.
January 20, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the audiobook for this title in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
The audiobook was read by the author, and her passion for all things future was evident throughout the narration.
Positives:
In general, I thought there were some great thought-provoking ideas throughout the text, as well as some useful questions and problem-solving techniques. I have made it a point to read and/or listen to more non-fiction this year, and I am happy that I gave this a try. In general, I see myself as someone future-focused (sometimes to the detriment of the present,) and there was a lot here to chew on.
Potential Negatives:
I think that there is a very good chance that if someone identifies as conservative politically, much of this book will rub them the wrong way. I don't personally lean right or left politically and see myself as a moderate, but her political affiliation is extremely evident throughout (which is fine,) and sometimes comes off as looking down on members of the other party and their beliefs (which may or may not be fine, I guess depending on one's own norms.)
I knew what I was getting into with Pandemic in the title, but I still felt like I was beaten over the head quite a bit with Covid discussion. I understand that this is front and center in all of our lives currently, but I still found it a bit off-putting personally - your mileage may vary.
I would encourage others to listen / read and make their own determinations. Overall, I did think it was well-researched and well-written.
3.5 stars
The audiobook was read by the author, and her passion for all things future was evident throughout the narration.
Positives:
In general, I thought there were some great thought-provoking ideas throughout the text, as well as some useful questions and problem-solving techniques. I have made it a point to read and/or listen to more non-fiction this year, and I am happy that I gave this a try. In general, I see myself as someone future-focused (sometimes to the detriment of the present,) and there was a lot here to chew on.
Potential Negatives:
I think that there is a very good chance that if someone identifies as conservative politically, much of this book will rub them the wrong way. I don't personally lean right or left politically and see myself as a moderate, but her political affiliation is extremely evident throughout (which is fine,) and sometimes comes off as looking down on members of the other party and their beliefs (which may or may not be fine, I guess depending on one's own norms.)
I knew what I was getting into with Pandemic in the title, but I still felt like I was beaten over the head quite a bit with Covid discussion. I understand that this is front and center in all of our lives currently, but I still found it a bit off-putting personally - your mileage may vary.
I would encourage others to listen / read and make their own determinations. Overall, I did think it was well-researched and well-written.
January 3, 2023
إذا نظرت إلى التاريخ الحديث، فإن عشر سنوات تبدو حقًا وكأنها رقم سحري. يمكنك العثور على عدد لا يحصى من الأمثلة على الأفكار والأفعال الجديدة التي تخلق واقعًا اجتماعيًا لا يمكن تصوره سابقًا ، على مدى عقد من الزمن . هذا صحيح بشكل خاص عندما يتعلق الأمر بالحركات الاجتماعية التي تحقق انتصارات تاريخية، والتقنيات الجديدة التي تحقق تأثيرًا عالميًا. لننظر في بعض الأمثلة :
_ عشر سنوات لحركة الحقوق المدنية ضد الفصل العنصري في الولايات المتحدة للانتقال من مقاطعة مقاعد الحافلات المنفصلة إلى إقرار قانون الحقوق المدنية الفيدرالي بنجاح (1955-1964)
_ أول عقوبات اقتصادية دولية ضد نظام الفصل العنصري في جنوب إفريقيا استغرقت عشر سنوات لإنشاء دستور جديد يمنح السود في جنوب إفريقيا والجماعات العرقية الأخرى حق التصويت (1985-1996)
_ عشر سنوات حتى انتقل زواج المثليين من كونه مثيرًا للجدل عندما تم تقنينه من قبل أحد البلدان لأول مرة (هولندا) إلى دعمه في الدراسات الاستقصائية العالمية من قبل غالبية الناس في غالبية البلدان (2001-2010)
_ عشر سنوات حتى تحولت الماريجوانا من التقنين لجميع الاستخدامات في ولاية أمريكية واحدة، كولورادو، إلى إلغاء تجريمها في أربع وأربعين ولاية من أصل خمسين (2012-2021)
.
Jane McGonigal
Imaginable
Translated By #Maher_Razouk
_ عشر سنوات لحركة الحقوق المدنية ضد الفصل العنصري في الولايات المتحدة للانتقال من مقاطعة مقاعد الحافلات المنفصلة إلى إقرار قانون الحقوق المدنية الفيدرالي بنجاح (1955-1964)
_ أول عقوبات اقتصادية دولية ضد نظام الفصل العنصري في جنوب إفريقيا استغرقت عشر سنوات لإنشاء دستور جديد يمنح السود في جنوب إفريقيا والجماعات العرقية الأخرى حق التصويت (1985-1996)
_ عشر سنوات حتى انتقل زواج المثليين من كونه مثيرًا للجدل عندما تم تقنينه من قبل أحد البلدان لأول مرة (هولندا) إلى دعمه في الدراسات الاستقصائية العالمية من قبل غالبية الناس في غالبية البلدان (2001-2010)
_ عشر سنوات حتى تحولت الماريجوانا من التقنين لجميع الاستخدامات في ولاية أمريكية واحدة، كولورادو، إلى إلغاء تجريمها في أربع وأربعين ولاية من أصل خمسين (2012-2021)
.
Jane McGonigal
Imaginable
Translated By #Maher_Razouk
January 7, 2022
This is a truly inspiring read. Its many scenarios, tools, and ideas have me thinking daily about what the future might hold and what I personally can bring to these potential futures.
June 14, 2022
Truly and amazingly mind-bendy. Tons of food for thought about ideation, which is not a strength of mine. If you are an audiobook fan, I do not recommend listening to the version narrated by the author - I'm sure she's a lovely lady, but her reading is wooden.
January 30, 2022
‘Imaginable’ is firstly motivating, and secondly quite practical. Additionally, Jane McGonigal provides scientific information to support her proposals. Therefore, we can understand a bit more about the process of making decisions and several techniques that can train the brain to be more prepared for future situations and changes..
There are many examples, clues and guidelines to strength the imagination and to take advantage of imagining vividly for a possible healing, a boost of confidence and broaden our outlook and opportunities. Paraphrasing the title, train your imagination to see the future coming and feel ready for anything―even things that seem impossible today’.
The audiobook is well structured. Jane McGonigal is also the narrator. So even though the speech might sound in a few parts at the beginning a bit robotic, she gets more fluent and adds an extra amount of passion, encouragement and energy that compensates.
Thanks to Netgalley, OrangeSky Audio and the author Jane McGonigal for an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#Imaginable #NetGalley
There are many examples, clues and guidelines to strength the imagination and to take advantage of imagining vividly for a possible healing, a boost of confidence and broaden our outlook and opportunities. Paraphrasing the title, train your imagination to see the future coming and feel ready for anything―even things that seem impossible today’.
The audiobook is well structured. Jane McGonigal is also the narrator. So even though the speech might sound in a few parts at the beginning a bit robotic, she gets more fluent and adds an extra amount of passion, encouragement and energy that compensates.
Thanks to Netgalley, OrangeSky Audio and the author Jane McGonigal for an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#Imaginable #NetGalley
July 21, 2023
Jane McGonigal has a knack for dealing with uncertainty in a hopeful way. Jane believes we do not have to be caught off guard by climate change or another pandemic, and the way to get ourselves ready is through EFT - Episodic Future Thinking. This is the practice of imagining future scenarios with intention. The trick is to imagine with enough specifics (who is with you, how do you feel, even down to what do you smell) such that you are creating a memory for yourself. Take yourself to the exact time and location of the future scenario and get yourself fully in character. If you imagine yourself lonely, who will you try to connect with? Who isn't there? Who will you look for? Where? How will you feel?
There is so much brain science packed into these pages! First of all, your prefrontal cortex will suggest motivation it knows from before. If you remember feeling better after running, it might suggest you go for a run. When you practice episodic future thinking, you are grafting experience into your brain before it happens. You are effectively time traveling. The putamen is the part of your brain that knows how to check your projection (if I run without training, I’ll be sore or hurt). The more new behavior you try out, even if just imagining, the more breadth your putamen has on any other future scenarios.
Jane presents several example scenarios for practicing EFT. A mass climate migration, a zero-waste world, a world with a nationalized Thank You Day, etc. She provides frameworks for helping start your EFT- Be Ridiculous at First, think of 100 things which are true today that you could flip in the future, look for clues, train your future sight with signals of change (for instance, demographic shifts). Try injecting urgency into your experiment. What if instead of climate migration, it's an asteroid impact? What if you have 90 days to relocate? What about 10 days?
Lastly, Jane encourages futurist thinkers to take control by choosing their future forces. Imagine yourself empowered. If your future scenario is a total mental health collapse in the United States in the year 2033, how can you practice psychological emergencies? Imagine a family member or a close friend is diagnosed with a serious mental disorder. How do you help? Do you get certified in mental health training?
There is so much brain science packed into these pages! First of all, your prefrontal cortex will suggest motivation it knows from before. If you remember feeling better after running, it might suggest you go for a run. When you practice episodic future thinking, you are grafting experience into your brain before it happens. You are effectively time traveling. The putamen is the part of your brain that knows how to check your projection (if I run without training, I’ll be sore or hurt). The more new behavior you try out, even if just imagining, the more breadth your putamen has on any other future scenarios.
Jane presents several example scenarios for practicing EFT. A mass climate migration, a zero-waste world, a world with a nationalized Thank You Day, etc. She provides frameworks for helping start your EFT- Be Ridiculous at First, think of 100 things which are true today that you could flip in the future, look for clues, train your future sight with signals of change (for instance, demographic shifts). Try injecting urgency into your experiment. What if instead of climate migration, it's an asteroid impact? What if you have 90 days to relocate? What about 10 days?
Lastly, Jane encourages futurist thinkers to take control by choosing their future forces. Imagine yourself empowered. If your future scenario is a total mental health collapse in the United States in the year 2033, how can you practice psychological emergencies? Imagine a family member or a close friend is diagnosed with a serious mental disorder. How do you help? Do you get certified in mental health training?
April 12, 2022
Lots of fun exercises and smart ideas but each chapter starts with a huge setup that doesn’t really add value. Same goes for the neuro-parts. This book could be shorter.
December 15, 2022
I’m just going to say it… someone else should have read the audiobook.
June 16, 2022
If the future is a time when many or most things in your life will be different than they are today, how long from now does that future start?
That's one of the first questions Jane McGonigal asks the reader in her book, Imaginable. Turns out the "best" answer is ten years. The rest of book contains exercises and guidelines for thinking about the future ten years from now. It is a very thought provoking and insightful book, even if you don't care about the future.
I was a bit torn about the amount of examples Jane includes. On the one hand, I think the book could be slimmed down by getting more to the instructional point. On the other hand, I enjoyed most of the example of future forces and signs of change. I generated a list of topics to search on my Future Fridays.
The writing is straightforward and welcoming. It's not overly conversational, but tackles some heady topics in a down to earth manner. There are moments when Jane talks directly to the reader but it's never overdone or cheesy.
One of the biggest points Jane makes about futurism is that it is not about predicting the future. There are many futures you don't want to happen, but thinking about them will help you prepare for them or even help prevent them. By thinking about the future like this you help expand your mind in a multitude of ways in the present.
Turn the World Upside Down
If you want to flip some facts about your own life, here's a quick challenge you can try. Make a list of at least five things that are true about your life today. Then rewrite them so that the opposite is now true, or offer a strange new alternative. Whatever alternative pops into your mind first, go for it. For example, on my own list, I wrote, "I'm an American citizen," "I have two daughters," "I'm a writer," "I sleep at night," and "I hate flying," and then I flipped those facts so they became, "I'm a British citizen," "I have three daughters," "I manage a doughnut shop," "I sleep during the day," and "I love flying."
Whatever you come up with, pick one flipped fact and take a quick mental time trip to the future to see how vividly and realistically you can imagine the change being true. What might lead to this change? (This is important - don't skip this part. Try to come up with a convincing explanation, no matter how absurd the change sounds at first!) How does it feel? What actions would you take in this upside-down future that you can't take today? Why do you think this particular alternative popped into your mind?
The point of this mini-game is not to come up with an actual plan to dramatically change your life. It's simply another way to train your imagination to be more flexible. And it may help you get a fresh perspective on what assumptions about your own life you might we willing to let go of. You might decide that every alternative you came up with has virtually zero probability of happening. Or you might feel liberated to become upside-down you, today.
Other parts of the book also flip or twist some popular notions. For example, she explains that "hard empathy" is about trying to understand a situation without having any personal experience. Rather than putting yourself in that person's shoes, as is often the advice in such a situation, she suggests putting yourself in the situation. So you take along all your personal thoughts and beliefs and imagine yourself in a different living scenario.
Jane also advocates for "urgent optimism", which is the desire to act immediately to tackle an obstacle, combined with the belief that we have a reasonable hope of success. This is some BS wishful optimism like The Secret. This is actually rolling up your sleeves and doing something about an issue you care about.
One fascinating flip I learned was about helplessness versus helpfulness. We are always taught that helplessness is learned while helpfulness is innate. This is based on an experiement done in the 1960s with electrifying dogs. But later research turned that notion around and showed that helplessness is actually innate and helpfulness must be learned. By learning helpfulness, we gain a sense of control over the world and feel less helpless.
Video Games Teach Learned Helpfulness
My research, and many others' since, has shown that gamers set higher goals for themselves in their everyday lives and are less likely to quit in the face of real-world setbacks. They are more likely to ask for help from, and offer real-world assistance to, friends and family they play games with regularly than non-gamers do from their friends and family. And they are more likely to volunteer to help with a social problem that others might feel is beyond their abilities or controls.
Where does this extreme sense of agency come from? Well, video games are like psychological experiments, designed to teach control over outcomes. Every game starts with a challenge or obstacle that is difficult to overcome, or a threat that is difficult to escape. (Think of the fast-moving ghosts in Pac-Man.) Players must experiment to discover for themselves what actions they can take, what resources they can collect, which allies they can recruit, what strategies they can adopt to deal with the aversive conditions of the game. Eventually, as players figure out the game, improve their skills, and achieve their goals, they build a powerful confidence in their ability to determine what happens next. And crucially, fMRI studies of gameplay show that all of this happens along the same neurological pathways in the vmPFC that teach us we have control over aversive stimuli. Gamers are, essentially, unlearning the freeze instinct and learning to fight, flee, or help others more effectively every time they play.
There are tons of exercises for the reader to perform while reading this book. It also inspired me to sign up for the Coursera course, Futures Thinking.
That's one of the first questions Jane McGonigal asks the reader in her book, Imaginable. Turns out the "best" answer is ten years. The rest of book contains exercises and guidelines for thinking about the future ten years from now. It is a very thought provoking and insightful book, even if you don't care about the future.
I was a bit torn about the amount of examples Jane includes. On the one hand, I think the book could be slimmed down by getting more to the instructional point. On the other hand, I enjoyed most of the example of future forces and signs of change. I generated a list of topics to search on my Future Fridays.
The writing is straightforward and welcoming. It's not overly conversational, but tackles some heady topics in a down to earth manner. There are moments when Jane talks directly to the reader but it's never overdone or cheesy.
One of the biggest points Jane makes about futurism is that it is not about predicting the future. There are many futures you don't want to happen, but thinking about them will help you prepare for them or even help prevent them. By thinking about the future like this you help expand your mind in a multitude of ways in the present.
Turn the World Upside Down
If you want to flip some facts about your own life, here's a quick challenge you can try. Make a list of at least five things that are true about your life today. Then rewrite them so that the opposite is now true, or offer a strange new alternative. Whatever alternative pops into your mind first, go for it. For example, on my own list, I wrote, "I'm an American citizen," "I have two daughters," "I'm a writer," "I sleep at night," and "I hate flying," and then I flipped those facts so they became, "I'm a British citizen," "I have three daughters," "I manage a doughnut shop," "I sleep during the day," and "I love flying."
Whatever you come up with, pick one flipped fact and take a quick mental time trip to the future to see how vividly and realistically you can imagine the change being true. What might lead to this change? (This is important - don't skip this part. Try to come up with a convincing explanation, no matter how absurd the change sounds at first!) How does it feel? What actions would you take in this upside-down future that you can't take today? Why do you think this particular alternative popped into your mind?
The point of this mini-game is not to come up with an actual plan to dramatically change your life. It's simply another way to train your imagination to be more flexible. And it may help you get a fresh perspective on what assumptions about your own life you might we willing to let go of. You might decide that every alternative you came up with has virtually zero probability of happening. Or you might feel liberated to become upside-down you, today.
Other parts of the book also flip or twist some popular notions. For example, she explains that "hard empathy" is about trying to understand a situation without having any personal experience. Rather than putting yourself in that person's shoes, as is often the advice in such a situation, she suggests putting yourself in the situation. So you take along all your personal thoughts and beliefs and imagine yourself in a different living scenario.
Jane also advocates for "urgent optimism", which is the desire to act immediately to tackle an obstacle, combined with the belief that we have a reasonable hope of success. This is some BS wishful optimism like The Secret. This is actually rolling up your sleeves and doing something about an issue you care about.
One fascinating flip I learned was about helplessness versus helpfulness. We are always taught that helplessness is learned while helpfulness is innate. This is based on an experiement done in the 1960s with electrifying dogs. But later research turned that notion around and showed that helplessness is actually innate and helpfulness must be learned. By learning helpfulness, we gain a sense of control over the world and feel less helpless.
Video Games Teach Learned Helpfulness
My research, and many others' since, has shown that gamers set higher goals for themselves in their everyday lives and are less likely to quit in the face of real-world setbacks. They are more likely to ask for help from, and offer real-world assistance to, friends and family they play games with regularly than non-gamers do from their friends and family. And they are more likely to volunteer to help with a social problem that others might feel is beyond their abilities or controls.
Where does this extreme sense of agency come from? Well, video games are like psychological experiments, designed to teach control over outcomes. Every game starts with a challenge or obstacle that is difficult to overcome, or a threat that is difficult to escape. (Think of the fast-moving ghosts in Pac-Man.) Players must experiment to discover for themselves what actions they can take, what resources they can collect, which allies they can recruit, what strategies they can adopt to deal with the aversive conditions of the game. Eventually, as players figure out the game, improve their skills, and achieve their goals, they build a powerful confidence in their ability to determine what happens next. And crucially, fMRI studies of gameplay show that all of this happens along the same neurological pathways in the vmPFC that teach us we have control over aversive stimuli. Gamers are, essentially, unlearning the freeze instinct and learning to fight, flee, or help others more effectively every time they play.
There are tons of exercises for the reader to perform while reading this book. It also inspired me to sign up for the Coursera course, Futures Thinking.
October 22, 2023
The content and ideas are non trivial and interesting, the format, style and length are intolerable. This is a book that should be rewritten in a less eager and nore concise tone without emphasising each cases outcomes in as much drtail but more what process makes sense.
There are frequent “lets turn this on its head” that make for a overly simplistic view of how games solve problems even though I have the utmost respect for the author’s real world ability and contributions to expanding how we address issues and visioning.
I have to admit i felt so bad about not finishing it it blocked me from reading anything else, but at 2/3 the way in i give up and i have had tolerance for some pretty difficult reading. This is just so forgettable…
There are frequent “lets turn this on its head” that make for a overly simplistic view of how games solve problems even though I have the utmost respect for the author’s real world ability and contributions to expanding how we address issues and visioning.
I have to admit i felt so bad about not finishing it it blocked me from reading anything else, but at 2/3 the way in i give up and i have had tolerance for some pretty difficult reading. This is just so forgettable…
April 4, 2022
Jane McGonigal has done it again - she’s taken difficult and painful topics and made them digestible and hopeful. It’s a fantastic read and I highly recommend it
Read
May 27, 2022Fascinating and well worth the time to sit with the ideas here and work them out on paper.
December 30, 2022
I liked the content but this probably wasn't best suited for audio format. For one thing, it was more of a workbook, I think? Also, her narration style isn't particularly engaging.
July 24, 2022
Amazing book that really inspires you to carefully consider future scenarios. Gonna have to re-read this a few times to let it all soak in before implementing its ideas.
October 17, 2022
Jane is a game designer and futurist. In this excellent book she lays out her belief that if we learn the basics of thinking about the future we can pursue it with less fear and worry, knowing what we can control, how to recognise signals of change.
Her purpose is to make the future less scary by using techniques to imagine what could happen and in doing so prepare your mind for change.
When does the future start? By that when do you think things will be significantly different from today? Most people say 10 years and so Jane focuses our attention on 10 years hence. Not too close and not too far away.
Since listening to the audio version I have been noticing signals of change all over the place.
Her large scale simulations have been put to use by large and small organisations from educators to big corporates. Perhaps most famously the World Bank ran a simulation she designed in 2015 which used global forces: geopolitical strife in Eastern Europe, polarised politics, misinformation campaigns via social media and … a global respiratory pandemic.
Global forces and major trends are all around us, she will argue, it’s a matter of tuning in. Not to predict them but to watch for signals and be aware what change they may indicate.
Highly recommended.
Her purpose is to make the future less scary by using techniques to imagine what could happen and in doing so prepare your mind for change.
When does the future start? By that when do you think things will be significantly different from today? Most people say 10 years and so Jane focuses our attention on 10 years hence. Not too close and not too far away.
Since listening to the audio version I have been noticing signals of change all over the place.
Her large scale simulations have been put to use by large and small organisations from educators to big corporates. Perhaps most famously the World Bank ran a simulation she designed in 2015 which used global forces: geopolitical strife in Eastern Europe, polarised politics, misinformation campaigns via social media and … a global respiratory pandemic.
Global forces and major trends are all around us, she will argue, it’s a matter of tuning in. Not to predict them but to watch for signals and be aware what change they may indicate.
Highly recommended.
Read
June 24, 2022When you think about a reality ten years in the future, you’re not necessarily preparing for a catastrophe. But instead, you get to bend your mind a bit. You can build up your mental resilience. If you start remembering the future in a way and imagining it, you can stay calm and practice urgent optimism when the time comes. Basically, you just got a bunch of tools that you can use to come up with some future scenarios.
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Learn to imagine the unimaginable.
Can you bear with me for a second? We’re going to do a little time traveling exercise. You can also grab a pen and paper and write things down. That could be helpful. I’ll wait till you have those.
Ready? Okay. Imagine yourself waking up tomorrow morning. Picture it in as much detail as you possibly can. Which room are you in? What woke you up – an alarm, a nudge? Is it light out? How do you feel? And now that you’re awake, what’s the first thing you’re going to do?
Cool – you just took your first mental time trip! Easy, right? Now let’s try it again. But this time, imagine waking up one year from today. Take a few seconds to vividly picture this future moment. Are you waking up somewhere different? Is someone else lying in bed next to you? Do you look or feel different? Has your morning routine after waking up changed?
How did that feel? Notice how easy – or hard – it was to think of the details.
Okay, last one: close your eyes, and this time, imagine waking up ten years from today. I know. This is a bit harder. I’ll give you a few seconds to really trace out where you are, who you are, who might be there with you, what you hear, smell, and feel, and what you’re going to do next.
So. How was all that? It was probably pretty effortless for you to picture waking up tomorrow morning. Expanding your imagination ten years ahead, on the other hand, might’ve been a bit harder – perhaps like you were grasping at thin air.
Stretching your imagination the way you just did is a really good practice – your brain has to invent a totally new reality instead of just remembering what it knows already. But see what you just did? You made the unimaginable imaginable!
You can use your “memory of the future” to plan and prepare for what’s to come. Revisit this memory as often as you want. Really focus on how it makes you feel. Does it spark joy? Does it fill you with dread? These so-called “pre-feelings” indicate whether you should change what you’re doing today to make a possible future more or less likely.
This kind of imagination – the mental ability to spring forward in time and pre-experience the future – is what scientists call episodic future thinking, or EFT. The name isn’t quite accurate though; you’re not just thinking about the future, you’re simulating it. Consider the difference between knowing it’ll be sunny tomorrow and actually imagining yourself in the sun, trying to pre-feel its warmth on your skin. The bright light blinding you. The smell of dry grass.
EFT includes asking yourself four specific questions: First, Where exactly am I in my future? Second, What’s true in this version of reality that isn’t true today? Third, What do I really want in this future moment, and how will I get it? And Fourth, How do I feel now that I’m here?
This tool helps you answer a simple but super powerful question: Is this a world I want to wake up in? And if the answer isn’t a resounding Yes! it helps you understand what you need to change in order to make it so.
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Future scenarios (and video games) can transform learned helplessness into helpfulness.
Do you play video games? If so, you may be boosting your well-being! Studies show that gamers generally set higher goals for themselves in everyday life than nongamers. They’re more resilient in the face of real-world setbacks. And they’re more likely to ask for assistance from, and offer help to, family and friends.
How come they have such a strong sense of agency? Well, every game begins with a challenge or a threat – just think of those Pac-Man ghosts. Often, players are given very little information and have to figure out what they’re even supposed to do. And they have to discover which allies to recruit, which resources to collect, and what strategies will allow them to succeed. Ultimately, as players untangle the game and accomplish their goals, their confidence zooms up.
In other words, video games, like future scenarios, offer a therapeutic practice: the chance to practice learned helpfulness.
Learned helpfulness is the opposite of learned helplessness – the feeling that nothing you do matters. Learned helpfulness is having a sense of confidence and control when it comes to tackling problems. Every time you fill an unmet need or help someone who’s suffering, you strengthen the neurological pathways that make you feel like you can sway an outcome.
Finding your own unique way to help – or “answering the future’s call to adventure” – is, according to McGonigal, the most vital future imagination skill of all. So every time you approach a future scenario, ask yourself three questions: What will people need and want in this future? What kinds of people will be especially useful in this future? How will I use my unique strengths to help others in this future?
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Spend ten days in a plausible future scenario to prepare for the real deal.
Okay, so maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as someone who has an active imagination . . . but I bet you’ve never played a long-form social simulation before either! To finish up, let’s try one last game – one that’ll immerse you in a world where something you take for granted today changes virtually overnight. That something is garbage. Close your eyes, and . . .
It’s June 1, 2032. You no longer have a garbage can. No more recycling bin either. Those services are obsolete, starting immediately. Luckily, compost is still being collected every week.
You thought the plan sounded cuckoo when the federal government announced it last year. But now we’re here. And to be fair, it’s not a total shock. Recycling never really worked, the landfills were overflowing, and the waste-to-energy plants were all shut down when it became obvious that burning trash was making people sick (duh).
So bye-bye trash cans. And hello 1,000 percent sales tax on any item sold with noncompostable packaging. You want an Americano in a plastic cup? That’ll be $22, please! On the other hand, you’re looking forward to a potential cash bonus to the tune of $10,000 – if the country can reduce its annual collective waste by 80 percent within a year. And the government used to spend trillions of dollars every year to bury and burn trash. Now that money goes toward health care, education, and universal basic income.
People aren’t mindlessly accumulating stuff anymore; instead, they spend money on experiences. Zero waste is the new normal. It’s a vibe – and you’re feeling it. You’re not the only one. People are feeling so good about the situation that psychologists have come up with a new word: Zerophoria.
It’s a brave, new world – and one you’re going to sustain over the next ten days!
We want to give the scenario enough time to simmer and really develop its flavors. So as you go through your daily activities in your current, real life over the next week and a half, keep the scenario playing in the back of your mind. Everything you do, each interaction you have, or place you go – how would they be different in that future scenario?
Record your immediate reactions in your future journal. This can be a physical notebook, emails, a video diary – whatever you want. Here are some prompts to get you started: Describe what you’re feeling in one word. What habit could you change that would decrease your trash right now? What would be the hardest thing to change or give up? Will you embrace this new post-trash society? Or will you resist it? Why?
Every day, set a timer for five minutes and take notes in your future journal. Freewrite about all the strange and surprising things you imagine without editing what you write. And share the experience with at least one other person – it’ll make the simulation feel more real, like you’re in a collective dream.
This scenario is based on real future forces and signals of change – just search “the global waste crisis” or the “the zero-waste movement.” So when it’s really ten years from now, who knows? You might have an eerie sense of déjà vu. But your experience of having seen and felt it coming will have prepared you to handle the real deal with confidence and optimism.
---
Learn to imagine the unimaginable.
Can you bear with me for a second? We’re going to do a little time traveling exercise. You can also grab a pen and paper and write things down. That could be helpful. I’ll wait till you have those.
Ready? Okay. Imagine yourself waking up tomorrow morning. Picture it in as much detail as you possibly can. Which room are you in? What woke you up – an alarm, a nudge? Is it light out? How do you feel? And now that you’re awake, what’s the first thing you’re going to do?
Cool – you just took your first mental time trip! Easy, right? Now let’s try it again. But this time, imagine waking up one year from today. Take a few seconds to vividly picture this future moment. Are you waking up somewhere different? Is someone else lying in bed next to you? Do you look or feel different? Has your morning routine after waking up changed?
How did that feel? Notice how easy – or hard – it was to think of the details.
Okay, last one: close your eyes, and this time, imagine waking up ten years from today. I know. This is a bit harder. I’ll give you a few seconds to really trace out where you are, who you are, who might be there with you, what you hear, smell, and feel, and what you’re going to do next.
So. How was all that? It was probably pretty effortless for you to picture waking up tomorrow morning. Expanding your imagination ten years ahead, on the other hand, might’ve been a bit harder – perhaps like you were grasping at thin air.
Stretching your imagination the way you just did is a really good practice – your brain has to invent a totally new reality instead of just remembering what it knows already. But see what you just did? You made the unimaginable imaginable!
You can use your “memory of the future” to plan and prepare for what’s to come. Revisit this memory as often as you want. Really focus on how it makes you feel. Does it spark joy? Does it fill you with dread? These so-called “pre-feelings” indicate whether you should change what you’re doing today to make a possible future more or less likely.
This kind of imagination – the mental ability to spring forward in time and pre-experience the future – is what scientists call episodic future thinking, or EFT. The name isn’t quite accurate though; you’re not just thinking about the future, you’re simulating it. Consider the difference between knowing it’ll be sunny tomorrow and actually imagining yourself in the sun, trying to pre-feel its warmth on your skin. The bright light blinding you. The smell of dry grass.
EFT includes asking yourself four specific questions: First, Where exactly am I in my future? Second, What’s true in this version of reality that isn’t true today? Third, What do I really want in this future moment, and how will I get it? And Fourth, How do I feel now that I’m here?
This tool helps you answer a simple but super powerful question: Is this a world I want to wake up in? And if the answer isn’t a resounding Yes! it helps you understand what you need to change in order to make it so.
---
Future scenarios (and video games) can transform learned helplessness into helpfulness.
Do you play video games? If so, you may be boosting your well-being! Studies show that gamers generally set higher goals for themselves in everyday life than nongamers. They’re more resilient in the face of real-world setbacks. And they’re more likely to ask for assistance from, and offer help to, family and friends.
How come they have such a strong sense of agency? Well, every game begins with a challenge or a threat – just think of those Pac-Man ghosts. Often, players are given very little information and have to figure out what they’re even supposed to do. And they have to discover which allies to recruit, which resources to collect, and what strategies will allow them to succeed. Ultimately, as players untangle the game and accomplish their goals, their confidence zooms up.
In other words, video games, like future scenarios, offer a therapeutic practice: the chance to practice learned helpfulness.
Learned helpfulness is the opposite of learned helplessness – the feeling that nothing you do matters. Learned helpfulness is having a sense of confidence and control when it comes to tackling problems. Every time you fill an unmet need or help someone who’s suffering, you strengthen the neurological pathways that make you feel like you can sway an outcome.
Finding your own unique way to help – or “answering the future’s call to adventure” – is, according to McGonigal, the most vital future imagination skill of all. So every time you approach a future scenario, ask yourself three questions: What will people need and want in this future? What kinds of people will be especially useful in this future? How will I use my unique strengths to help others in this future?
---
Spend ten days in a plausible future scenario to prepare for the real deal.
Okay, so maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as someone who has an active imagination . . . but I bet you’ve never played a long-form social simulation before either! To finish up, let’s try one last game – one that’ll immerse you in a world where something you take for granted today changes virtually overnight. That something is garbage. Close your eyes, and . . .
It’s June 1, 2032. You no longer have a garbage can. No more recycling bin either. Those services are obsolete, starting immediately. Luckily, compost is still being collected every week.
You thought the plan sounded cuckoo when the federal government announced it last year. But now we’re here. And to be fair, it’s not a total shock. Recycling never really worked, the landfills were overflowing, and the waste-to-energy plants were all shut down when it became obvious that burning trash was making people sick (duh).
So bye-bye trash cans. And hello 1,000 percent sales tax on any item sold with noncompostable packaging. You want an Americano in a plastic cup? That’ll be $22, please! On the other hand, you’re looking forward to a potential cash bonus to the tune of $10,000 – if the country can reduce its annual collective waste by 80 percent within a year. And the government used to spend trillions of dollars every year to bury and burn trash. Now that money goes toward health care, education, and universal basic income.
People aren’t mindlessly accumulating stuff anymore; instead, they spend money on experiences. Zero waste is the new normal. It’s a vibe – and you’re feeling it. You’re not the only one. People are feeling so good about the situation that psychologists have come up with a new word: Zerophoria.
It’s a brave, new world – and one you’re going to sustain over the next ten days!
We want to give the scenario enough time to simmer and really develop its flavors. So as you go through your daily activities in your current, real life over the next week and a half, keep the scenario playing in the back of your mind. Everything you do, each interaction you have, or place you go – how would they be different in that future scenario?
Record your immediate reactions in your future journal. This can be a physical notebook, emails, a video diary – whatever you want. Here are some prompts to get you started: Describe what you’re feeling in one word. What habit could you change that would decrease your trash right now? What would be the hardest thing to change or give up? Will you embrace this new post-trash society? Or will you resist it? Why?
Every day, set a timer for five minutes and take notes in your future journal. Freewrite about all the strange and surprising things you imagine without editing what you write. And share the experience with at least one other person – it’ll make the simulation feel more real, like you’re in a collective dream.
This scenario is based on real future forces and signals of change – just search “the global waste crisis” or the “the zero-waste movement.” So when it’s really ten years from now, who knows? You might have an eerie sense of déjà vu. But your experience of having seen and felt it coming will have prepared you to handle the real deal with confidence and optimism.
June 4, 2023
This is one of those rare books where I listen to the audiobook, and then turn around and run out to buy several copies of the hardcover: one for me to keep, and two or three to give away immediately to friends.
Jane McGonigal is famous, in part, because she created a scenario (with thousands of real life players) that simulated a novel respiratory pandemic that shut down the world. Players donned masks, thought deeply about how to avoid the virus, and dealt with disinformation pumped out by people who wanted you to believe that the virus was just a cold. It was everything we know from 2020… except she ran it in 2009.
Is she a modern-day Cassandra? A genius? Spy?
No, she’ll tell you: she is an urgent optimist. She, along with her colleagues at the Institute for the future, look at the small signals of radical change today to try and predict tomorrow.
Why spend time focused on something so unpredictable? Because, McGonigal argues, spending time deeply imagining a radically different, sometimes unsettling, future helps us adapt more quickly to change when it inevitably happens. Participants in her 2009 scenario reported that the COVID-19 pandemic felt less like an intense shock and more like a memory. Participants were more prepared than the average person because they had spent time imagining what they would do in a pandemic, how they would adjust to masks and isolation, and how they would be able to use their unique skills to help others.
In an age of climate crisis, rising fascism, rapidly changing technology, and an increasingly interconnected globe, waking up in a world that looks radically different from the one that we once knew is all but guaranteed. In order to help ourselves prepare - both to preserve our mental health, and to help others - McGonigal argues that stretching our imagination is critical right now.
To help you do so, she runs through about a dozen example scenarios in her book. Some of the scenarios are joyful and fun, some of them are deeply frightening. All of them left me feeling excited and more prepared for whatever the world has to throw at us. The scenarios are based on real world changes that are happening now, all of which are currently comparatively small, but that could reach a tipping point where they dramatically alter the world.
This book, though very different in topic, reminded me of Braiding Sweetgrass: both books permanently shifted my understanding of the way the world works, and both books have driven me to be more optimistic about the way the world will work in the future. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to look to the future with hope and a readiness to help when we get there.
Jane McGonigal is famous, in part, because she created a scenario (with thousands of real life players) that simulated a novel respiratory pandemic that shut down the world. Players donned masks, thought deeply about how to avoid the virus, and dealt with disinformation pumped out by people who wanted you to believe that the virus was just a cold. It was everything we know from 2020… except she ran it in 2009.
Is she a modern-day Cassandra? A genius? Spy?
No, she’ll tell you: she is an urgent optimist. She, along with her colleagues at the Institute for the future, look at the small signals of radical change today to try and predict tomorrow.
Why spend time focused on something so unpredictable? Because, McGonigal argues, spending time deeply imagining a radically different, sometimes unsettling, future helps us adapt more quickly to change when it inevitably happens. Participants in her 2009 scenario reported that the COVID-19 pandemic felt less like an intense shock and more like a memory. Participants were more prepared than the average person because they had spent time imagining what they would do in a pandemic, how they would adjust to masks and isolation, and how they would be able to use their unique skills to help others.
In an age of climate crisis, rising fascism, rapidly changing technology, and an increasingly interconnected globe, waking up in a world that looks radically different from the one that we once knew is all but guaranteed. In order to help ourselves prepare - both to preserve our mental health, and to help others - McGonigal argues that stretching our imagination is critical right now.
To help you do so, she runs through about a dozen example scenarios in her book. Some of the scenarios are joyful and fun, some of them are deeply frightening. All of them left me feeling excited and more prepared for whatever the world has to throw at us. The scenarios are based on real world changes that are happening now, all of which are currently comparatively small, but that could reach a tipping point where they dramatically alter the world.
This book, though very different in topic, reminded me of Braiding Sweetgrass: both books permanently shifted my understanding of the way the world works, and both books have driven me to be more optimistic about the way the world will work in the future. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to look to the future with hope and a readiness to help when we get there.
December 31, 2022
loved it at the start but got a bit repetitive, also had a lot of talk about visualising which isn’t really possible with aphantasia so found that a bit meaningless for me personally
July 31, 2022
Some parts of this book I really loved. The focus of this book is helping us develop our ability to think like a futurist. There are some really wonderful exercises that end, from putting out imaginary scenarios and making us react to them to giving us reflection questions and even showing how to identify clues in the culture that point to possible future changes.
However, the book spends as much time talking about social issues and political issues as it does futurism. And it is not subtled that the author is a left leaning, pushing progressive policies. She makes comments like “people who won’t follow commonsense policies” and “are we ready yet for [liberal policy]?” And I don’t just mean these are part of the examples. She has actually spends chapters focused on explaining major problems and how we got here—all with a very slanted narrative.
So, I alternated between delight at the futurism and rolling my eyes at the issue preaching. It would’ve been a stronger book if it just focused on futurism, in my opinion. It muddied the waters and made the book much longer than it needed to be.
However, the book spends as much time talking about social issues and political issues as it does futurism. And it is not subtled that the author is a left leaning, pushing progressive policies. She makes comments like “people who won’t follow commonsense policies” and “are we ready yet for [liberal policy]?” And I don’t just mean these are part of the examples. She has actually spends chapters focused on explaining major problems and how we got here—all with a very slanted narrative.
So, I alternated between delight at the futurism and rolling my eyes at the issue preaching. It would’ve been a stronger book if it just focused on futurism, in my opinion. It muddied the waters and made the book much longer than it needed to be.
May 16, 2022
Woah. This book took weeks to read! It was like taking a course. I filled a notebook. It was a great mental work out. Although I feel like people with anxiety are already really good at imagining unimaginable futures! I'm not sure if I'll be at the book club meeting in 2033 but I'll be thinking about this book until then probably. As much as I love Jane McGonigal and the more of her in the world the better I found this book could have been edited down a little bit more to be punchier and keep the enthusiasm goings bit more strongly. It went over the same points a lot. And there's a spelling mistake on page 205.
September 6, 2022
Ugh...I don't know how to rate this book. It was just not for me. I was really into the first chapter, but as someone who often thinks too much (...catastrophizes...) this book just fed into more anxiety and worry about the future. The premise is that by thinking deeply about future scenarios you are more prepared and can think creatively and openly about solutions to whatever comes your way. For me, I don't need more scenarios like this. It also felt like the book just repeated itself over and over after the first few scenarios. Anyway, not for me, but if you are someone who actively does not think about the future, this might be for you!
June 29, 2022
Very good, much better than her previous book, improved writing style and tone. Highly recommended if you want to think seriously about the future. Here is what I want to remember:
Even brief (10 min) vivid visualizations about future scenarios help your brain be more resilient when similar scenarios come to pass.
Global trends: extreme heat and drought from climate change, post-pandemic trauma, radicalization (of young people) via social media and conspiracy theories, widespread adoption of facial recognition tech, universal basic income, reinvention of higher education to be more affordable and lifelong
Future forces (e.g. social movement, technology, consumer behaviour, demographic shift, from the Global Risks Report): extreme weather, sea-level rise and global warming; infectious diseases, long-term impacts of COVID-19m, preventable diseases like malaria and future novel pandemics; weapons of mass destruction; social unrest due to lack of economic opportunity, widespread job loss, debt and underemployment; cyberattacks on digital networks and critical infrastructure like water supply and electrical power grid; mRNA vaccines, super-inexpensive solar and wind energy, prioritization of social safety nets over economic growth, bioprinting tech, living concrete, direct cash transfers, cultured meat, efforts to combat social isolation, free or low-cost learning for a lifetime, antiaging biotech
Future forces that you might choose to engage with: the climate crisis, post-pandemic trauma, social justice movements, increasing economic inequality, social and political tensions caused by refugee crises and mass migration, automation of work, decreasing birthrates in Western countries and youth boom in Africa, shifting religious majorities and increasing theological diversity, the global switch to renewable energy sources, alternatives to capitalism and market-based economies, social media-driven misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories, rise of authoritarianism and loss of faith in democracy, widespread adoption of facial recognition and surveillance tech, digital currencies/cryptocurrency/programmable money, universal basic income/ direct cash transfers, internet shutdowns mandated by government or law enforcement, the "right to disconnect" movement and 4-day work weeks, lifelong learning and re-skilling at the workplace, job guarantees, regenerative design and the circular economy, genomic research and CRISPR genetic modification, the Internet of Things, augmented and virtual reality, satellite networks and space internet
Practice empathy when it is hard to do it.
Learn about mesh networks, in the event of a telecommunications shutdown
Even brief (10 min) vivid visualizations about future scenarios help your brain be more resilient when similar scenarios come to pass.
Global trends: extreme heat and drought from climate change, post-pandemic trauma, radicalization (of young people) via social media and conspiracy theories, widespread adoption of facial recognition tech, universal basic income, reinvention of higher education to be more affordable and lifelong
Future forces (e.g. social movement, technology, consumer behaviour, demographic shift, from the Global Risks Report): extreme weather, sea-level rise and global warming; infectious diseases, long-term impacts of COVID-19m, preventable diseases like malaria and future novel pandemics; weapons of mass destruction; social unrest due to lack of economic opportunity, widespread job loss, debt and underemployment; cyberattacks on digital networks and critical infrastructure like water supply and electrical power grid; mRNA vaccines, super-inexpensive solar and wind energy, prioritization of social safety nets over economic growth, bioprinting tech, living concrete, direct cash transfers, cultured meat, efforts to combat social isolation, free or low-cost learning for a lifetime, antiaging biotech
Future forces that you might choose to engage with: the climate crisis, post-pandemic trauma, social justice movements, increasing economic inequality, social and political tensions caused by refugee crises and mass migration, automation of work, decreasing birthrates in Western countries and youth boom in Africa, shifting religious majorities and increasing theological diversity, the global switch to renewable energy sources, alternatives to capitalism and market-based economies, social media-driven misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories, rise of authoritarianism and loss of faith in democracy, widespread adoption of facial recognition and surveillance tech, digital currencies/cryptocurrency/programmable money, universal basic income/ direct cash transfers, internet shutdowns mandated by government or law enforcement, the "right to disconnect" movement and 4-day work weeks, lifelong learning and re-skilling at the workplace, job guarantees, regenerative design and the circular economy, genomic research and CRISPR genetic modification, the Internet of Things, augmented and virtual reality, satellite networks and space internet
Practice empathy when it is hard to do it.
Learn about mesh networks, in the event of a telecommunications shutdown
December 30, 2021
"Normalcy bias is a result of the brain’s preference for stable patterns."
I have taken several courses by and read all the books of Jane McGonigal's twin sister, Kelly. Even though I'd watched her TED talk, before this, I'd never read Jane McGonigal's work and didn't know anything about her work with Institute for the Future. When I saw this book, I thought it was remarkable and decided I wanted to learn more.
The premise of this book is about practicing ways to start imagining different potential futures. She introduces different ways to stretch your mind and many, many different scenarios of what possible futures could look like. They are far ahead enough to make most of these scenarios plausible (all are based on some type of fact or development from today) but not so far that you can't connect to the timeframe.
"Nearly fifty years ago, psychology researchers discovered something remarkable: if you want someone to believe that a future event is likely, you just have to ask them to imagine it happening, in as much vivid detail as possible."
She presents many different scenarios and then asks a lot of questions to help you imagine it. If this scenario were true, what would you do? There are many different areas where she encourages you to stretch your mind, your thinking and of course your imagination. Some scenarios resonated more with me than others, of course, but I found myself caught up in almost all of them. It didn't take me long to visualize them and almost viscerally feel many of them.
"Collect and investigate “signals of change,” or real-life examples of how the world is becoming different. Let these signals spark your curiosity. Follow the trail of clues wherever it takes you."
I loved this idea of collecting "signals of change" because it really enhances your ability and willingness to pay attention to the world. I love how she talks about the ways in which she challenges her students to come up with things that they think are absolute truths and then goes hunting for signs that those "facts" could in fact change.
This book will stretch your mind. Jane's playful and really inspiring tone is hard not to get swept up in. It's encouraging, motivating and a really mind-opening book to read.
with gratitude to edelweiss and Spiegel & GrauIngram for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have taken several courses by and read all the books of Jane McGonigal's twin sister, Kelly. Even though I'd watched her TED talk, before this, I'd never read Jane McGonigal's work and didn't know anything about her work with Institute for the Future. When I saw this book, I thought it was remarkable and decided I wanted to learn more.
The premise of this book is about practicing ways to start imagining different potential futures. She introduces different ways to stretch your mind and many, many different scenarios of what possible futures could look like. They are far ahead enough to make most of these scenarios plausible (all are based on some type of fact or development from today) but not so far that you can't connect to the timeframe.
"Nearly fifty years ago, psychology researchers discovered something remarkable: if you want someone to believe that a future event is likely, you just have to ask them to imagine it happening, in as much vivid detail as possible."
She presents many different scenarios and then asks a lot of questions to help you imagine it. If this scenario were true, what would you do? There are many different areas where she encourages you to stretch your mind, your thinking and of course your imagination. Some scenarios resonated more with me than others, of course, but I found myself caught up in almost all of them. It didn't take me long to visualize them and almost viscerally feel many of them.
"Collect and investigate “signals of change,” or real-life examples of how the world is becoming different. Let these signals spark your curiosity. Follow the trail of clues wherever it takes you."
I loved this idea of collecting "signals of change" because it really enhances your ability and willingness to pay attention to the world. I love how she talks about the ways in which she challenges her students to come up with things that they think are absolute truths and then goes hunting for signs that those "facts" could in fact change.
This book will stretch your mind. Jane's playful and really inspiring tone is hard not to get swept up in. It's encouraging, motivating and a really mind-opening book to read.
with gratitude to edelweiss and Spiegel & GrauIngram for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2022
The early gist of the book is that imagining the future makes you more creative and more able to deal with (and shape) change. The first chapter talks about imagining yourself ten years out and what goals would you be excited about in that time.
After a slow start, it gets into some interesting scenarios. The first is if there is a national Thank-You Day. The second involves an astroid heading for earth and how people would react. The author uses this as an allegory for climate change, but doesn't mention the movie Don't Look Up, which used the exact scenario last year. Another fun one was reimagining colleges with not majors, but instead learning about a specific project/problem to be solved.
With each chapter, the book adds a layer to how you should imagine the future. First, say something you are sure is true. Then imagine that it isn't true in ten years and figure out how that could be. Another approach is to pick something from everyday life (she picks shoes) and make 100 true statements about them. Then reverse those statements and see how they may become possible.
Any scenario you imagine should be ridiculous at first (Dator's Law), so you should play with it and see if there are indicators that the future scenario is possible or even probable.
A lot of her early work is encouraging you to think about the future so you can shape it, but then she looks at "future forces" that are beyond our control, such as the economy or climate change. She encourages us to pick the ones that affect us and estimate how they might change in ten years. Look for indicators that suggest changes, such as in technology or society, and then imagine how you will adapt to them. She eventually builds up to some detailed scenarios that we can envision and imagine how we would react and fit it.
The concept is very interesting, but I didn't love the writing style. It reads like she is doing a lecture and manipulating us forward. It might have worked well in-person, but made it more difficult to read for me. And it gets repetitive. I recommend it for the content, but recognize that it may not always be a fun read.
After a slow start, it gets into some interesting scenarios. The first is if there is a national Thank-You Day. The second involves an astroid heading for earth and how people would react. The author uses this as an allegory for climate change, but doesn't mention the movie Don't Look Up, which used the exact scenario last year. Another fun one was reimagining colleges with not majors, but instead learning about a specific project/problem to be solved.
With each chapter, the book adds a layer to how you should imagine the future. First, say something you are sure is true. Then imagine that it isn't true in ten years and figure out how that could be. Another approach is to pick something from everyday life (she picks shoes) and make 100 true statements about them. Then reverse those statements and see how they may become possible.
Any scenario you imagine should be ridiculous at first (Dator's Law), so you should play with it and see if there are indicators that the future scenario is possible or even probable.
A lot of her early work is encouraging you to think about the future so you can shape it, but then she looks at "future forces" that are beyond our control, such as the economy or climate change. She encourages us to pick the ones that affect us and estimate how they might change in ten years. Look for indicators that suggest changes, such as in technology or society, and then imagine how you will adapt to them. She eventually builds up to some detailed scenarios that we can envision and imagine how we would react and fit it.
The concept is very interesting, but I didn't love the writing style. It reads like she is doing a lecture and manipulating us forward. It might have worked well in-person, but made it more difficult to read for me. And it gets repetitive. I recommend it for the content, but recognize that it may not always be a fun read.
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