Photo: David Moreira
Stretching our Empathy to Future Generations
14. Mar 2023Imagine a world where the right to vote is granted from birth, and every decision always has future generations in mind. Can we do away with the short-termism of our society?
By Anders Folmer Buhlet, Academy Director at the Social Innovation Academy, and Sara Gry Striegler, Director of Social Transition at DDC – Danish Design Center
In many parts of the Western world, there is a growing awareness and orientation to time. One that extends far beyond what we are used to.
The climate crisis and the consequences it may have for future generations is one of many perspectives that have set this movement in motion. It has raised the question of whether we can continue to make decisions without considering the people who will be affected by them in the future and whether there is an alternative way to address this issue.
However, in some cultures, this way of thinking is not a new concept. It has been present for centuries and is rooted in traditional values. For instance, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in northeastern North America has a long-standing democratic tradition of incorporating the “seventh generation principle.”
This ancient yet highly pertinent philosophy is founded on the idea that today’s decisions should pave the way for a sustainable world seven generations into the future. It encompasses decisions related to infrastructure, energy supply, and natural resources and includes relationships, care, responsibility, and other social and societal issues.
Similarly, the Maoris in New Zealand and several other cultures also incorporate this philosophy into their decision-making processes, looking both backward and forward to ensure that they make sound judgments.
Stuck in short-term thinking
Changing our behavior to address the climate crisis is a struggle we all face. One of the main reasons for this challenge is our disconnection from the real-life and immediate impacts of climate change, both in terms of geography and time.
Unfortunately, the consequences of our actions are one-sided, with people living in wealthier countries emitting the most while being the least affected by the impacts of climate change. Although the most severe natural disasters resulting from our current trajectory will not occur in our lifetimes, they will happen in the lives of our descendants, possibly multiple generations down the line
This paradox, as described by Kenney Warne in National Geographic, is understandable given the distance but nonsensical because we are, in the end, all part of the same tribe.
Despite this, we still fail to consider the needs of future generations in our decision-making processes. Short-sighted thinking has become an existential threat to humanity, particularly in politics, business, and society, where the demand is for quick results to either win re-election or meet quarterly financial targets.
"Changing our mindset is easier said than done – especially in a world that values the short-term. It calls for something new: decisions, structure, and focus. Fortunately, such structures already exist in some countries and can serve as an inspiration to us all"
Photo: Søren Malmose
Our current structures do not support or reward long-term thinking, and our democracy and voting rights do not accommodate those who will be affected by political decisions the longest. Our focus on the near future leads to decisions that may jeopardize the future of our species.
Changing our mindset is easier said than done – especially in a world that values the short-term.
It calls for something new: decisions, structure, and focus. Fortunately, such structures already exist in some countries and can serve as an inspiration to us all.
Incorporating long-term perspectives into legislation
In 1993, the Finnish Parliament established a ‘Future Committee,’ similar to various committees in the Danish Parliament, such as the Committee on Children and Education and the Finance Committee. The Finnish Future Committee serves as a think tank for future science and technology policy in Finland, with a mission to create a dialogue with the government regarding critical future challenges and opportunities.
During its term, the government submits a statement called the ‘Government Future Report,’ which contains long-term perspectives, goals, and proposals for future development. The Prime Minister submits the report to Parliament, and then the Future Committee prepares the ‘Parliament’s Future Report,’ representing Parliament’s response.
This approach enables the Finnish government and parliament to identify important policy issues at an early stage, when various alternatives and policy lines are still open, rather than solely addressing acute problems or snapshots. In this way, decisions are made based on a comprehensive set of information, projections, wishes, and ideas about the future.
Several other countries, such as Chile, the Philippines, Iceland, Lithuania, Paraguay, and Uruguay, have similar future committees in their parliaments. In addition, Wales introduced the “Well-being of Future Generations” Act in 2015 to improve the quality of life for current and future generations. This law imposes a legal obligation on public bodies in Wales to improve social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being and to consider the long-term impact of their decisions.
In essence, considering the future and coming generations in politics is, in fact, more widespread than one might presume.
Danish reforms require long-termism and courage
At a time when the Danish government is seeking to implement a series of reforms without a clear plan, it’s not only reasonable but also imperative to adopt a longer-term perspective when considering these challenges.
"Imagine if the Danish government were to establish a Futures Committee to explore the long-term possibilities of rethinking the mechanisms and structures of our welfare society. Such a bold move would require courage, patience, and a comprehensive understanding of our society and our role in it"
Photo: Oliver Herlitschek
The dictionary definition of “reform” describes it as “a change that leads to the improvement of an existing relationship.”
Imagine, then, if the Danish government were to establish a Futures Committee to explore the long-term possibilities of rethinking the mechanisms and structures of our welfare society. Such a bold move would require courage, patience, and a comprehensive understanding of our society and our role in it.
By taking this approach, the government can ensure that reforms lead to sustainable improvements that benefit current and future generations. If we sow these seeds today, they will bear fruit for generations to come.
Intergenerational solidarity and far-sighted planning
How long is a long time? It sounds like a question a young child might ask her parents. However, in the fast-paced and short-term times we live in, this question is pretty relevant.
We need a new perspective on the decisions we make and the things we do. Also, we have a moral obligation to consider the consequences for future generations – our descendants.
To create this cultural shift in a fast-paced and thoroughly short-term world, we must adopt what The Long Time Project calls “long-timism” – a genuine concern for the world beyond our lifetimes – and “long-termism” – extensive planning for future benefits and goals. This requires skills that we do not prioritize and cultivate in today’s society.
Capacities and competencies to work long-term
We need leaders with visionary long-term missions and investments in all sectors of society, along with political decision-makers who can think and act with greater foresight to tackle the significant societal challenges we face.
Challenges include the crisis of well-being among young people, the lack of resources for healthcare and the elderly, demographic trends, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and darting inflation. These issues are complex and interrelated, affecting many areas of our welfare society, and cannot be solved during the next election period. Waiting to address them is not an option either.
Our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke, recently criticized our country, Denmark, for lacking crisis awareness and urged citizens to understand the gravity of our challenges. Without change and collective sacrifice for the good of the community, these challenges could have catastrophic consequences for our society over time. Thus, Løkke called for us to embrace a broader, longer-term perspective that extends to future generations.
Future citizens and social shapers
In today’s educational system, children are still taught traditional skills, but we may still need to cultivate their imagination and creativity. These skills are essential for tackling future challenges, questioning the status quo, and developing alternative solutions.
"A design-based approach has the unique ability to provide impetus in situations characterized by ambiguity and internal contradictions, which is particularly valuable in complex systems with multiple actors, processes, and structures"
When we do not thrive in our lives and feel unhappy, the ability to imagine that our lives could be different diminishes. So, shouldn’t we consider adding imagination and long-termism, popularly referred to as ‘future skills,’ to the modern curriculum?
Design is one approach that can help foster these skills. While many people associate design with aesthetics, it is also an approach to concretize, investigate, and challenge. A design-based approach means considering social, human, co-creative, interdisciplinary, and meaningful qualities and values. And this exact approach has the unique ability to provide impetus in situations characterized by ambiguity and internal contradictions, which is particularly valuable in complex systems with multiple actors, processes, and structures.
Major international players such as UNESCO and the OECD have already recognized the importance of these skills and, with them, the ability to challenge the underlying worldview and imagine that the future can be different. For example, UNESCO promotes “future literacy” as a crucial element in educating children and young people. And when they declared December 2nd as “International Futures Day,” they emphasized the importance of these competencies as some of the most central skills of today.
Additionally, the OECD’s lab for Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), which advises and supports governments in using new approaches to achieve political priorities, has also strengthened and developed these competencies in recent years.
In Denmark, several organizations are already working on future competencies and building capacity around it, including the Institute for Future Studies, the Academy for Social Innovation, and us at DDC. In addition, more and more organizations and businesses are looking for new ways to focus on the future and the long term to deal with our uncertain and ambiguous reality.
Currently, we see an increasing need to mobilize collective imagination and long-term vision to address our complex social challenges. It’s no longer enough to rely solely on our political leaders; each of us plays a role in caring for future generations and society. The future is not something we can predict but something we create through our actions, decisions, and the choices we make today.
Anders Folmer Buhelt works as Academy Director at the Social Innovation Academy. He was previously director of The Danish Red Cross Youth and Head of the Department at The Danish Institute for Human Rights.
Sara Gry Striegler is Director of Social Transition at DDC – Danish Design Center and leads the work to address complex societal challenges through mission-oriented innovation and scenario design.
This article was first published in Impact Insider on February 20, 2023. Read it in Danish here.
Can’t get enough of design and innovation? We hear you. And we have you covered.
Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest from our world delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the ddc newsletter