Over the weekend, I saw a great post on the future. John Grant, author of the book Green Marketing Manifesto and the blog Greenormal, asks us in a recent post Today’s Work, Tomorrow’s Heritage, to consider what we will leave behind as a useful cultural heritage for our great grandchildren…the generation who will be taking over in one hundred years time. Here are his top picks of the legacy we might leave behind (In his words)
1. Music. My hunch is people will still listen to the Beatles. That the folk music distribution system of the middle ages will return; and good tunes will endure.
2. Women’s empowerment. Probably the single greatest social change in recent centuries and the absolute key to future development and population control.
3. Buildings. Especially skyscrapers. These (along with landfill mining) will likely be the primary source of materials for making things in future; a deconstruction industry. As well as providing a standing reminder of our follies. In both ways they may function rather like ancient monuments.
4. Postmodernism. Not the confusing academic theory. But the idea of blending and bricolage - the delight of making new cultural ideas out of old (EaKo’s fire-hose fashion accessories being a current example).
5. The social venture. Where corporations were, community hybrids (public-private) ie cooperative-style organisations will be. We may still see massive global franchises for proven formulae (and not reinventing the wheel) but with local and/or employee ownership.
6. Open source. Restrictive IP and the modern cult of the patent is from a broader perspective, a key block on development and flexibility. And most breakthrough ideas originate in science parks and universities, not corporations.
7. Know-how. The stock of knowledge we have developed in the fat times may support us through the lean times; from medicine to nutrition to design.
8. Permaculture Design. The more I read about this, the more I think this is probably the key set of ideas of our age. One of its founders David Holmgren was profoundly influenced by Odum too. Permaculture will likely revolutionise agriculture; including their calls for turning every garden into a home farm.
9. The internet. I seriously doubt that current trivial uses will be affordable, but as an essential means to share good ideas, crowd-sourced innovation processes, support efficient markets and a global sense of belonging…
10. A cautionary tale. Our whole (from a future view) totally mad modern lifestyle will probably be taught as a negative example, to support the new culture. ‘Imagine a day when people used to throw things away’!
I really like John’s thinking and “future envisioning” exercise. John also mentions in the article that he would be surprised if the current marketing and advertising industry exists at all in 100 years–a bold and thought provoking statement! Here are a couple of thoughts from my side on his article:
#1. Music: I am not really sure people will still listen to the Beatles in 100 years. I don’t listen to anything from 1908 right now…and what is the folk music distribution system John is referring to? Does he mean bands will have to constantly tour to survive? If so, that is already starting to happen now as the internet has turned the music world & business model “on its head”.
#5. Social Ventures: I would love to see John build more on this point. This is a very exciting area…we are already seeing new social venture funds (e.g. the Acumen Fund) spring up to help entrepreneurs come up with ways to solve pressing social issues–I recently posted about this here.
#9. Internet: Even in a constrained resource future, I believe the internet will still be at the center of how we communicate and interact globally. I don’t think that trivial internet usage will become too expensive…it will be fundamental to how all business is conducted and we will find innovative ways to keep it cheap and accessible (I hope!)
#10. Caution: Agree…consumer (& corporate) behavior needs to change dramatically soon or we will put our great grandchildren’s future at risk.
Here is another article to get you thinking about this topic…
What will be our Legacy?
Ryan Jones is interested in marketing and good causes. He currently works in Global Brand Management at Procter & Gamble and resides in Geneva, Switzerland.