Judy Nagel, Upward Mobility Signals Team (with guest authors Paula Breese, Lynn Coriano, and Sarah Inman)
Upward mobility is driven by policy – which can catalyze or sabotage. In the United States, due to our policies, it takes five generations to move from low income to the middle class. The world’s top five countries in terms of social mobility all have this in common: a solid foundation for early childcare and development. Read about our local childcare crisis.
Nanette Nelson, Economic Transformation Signals
Read Burge’s insightful book to meet this increasingly significant group – Americans who say they have no religious affiliation. Read the review here.
Nan Nelson, Upward Mobility Signals Team
A recent American Library Association report found younger generations using public libraries, both in person and digitally, at higher rates than older ones. And they’re not just reading, but gaming, playing music, hanging out — essentially reimagining learning. Read the story here.
Nan Nelson, Upward Mobility Signals Team
With AI’s future still unwritten, Nightshade, a project from the University of Chicago, gives artists recourse from AI theft by rendering data useless or disruptive to AI model training. Ben Zhao, a professor who led the project, compared it to “putting hot sauce in your lunch so it doesn’t get stolen from the workplace fridge.” Read the story here.
Heidi Selberg, Envision Board President
Economic challenges come with a shrinking working-age population. An analysis published in the New York Times Interpreter newsletter describes how depopulation (primarily because of declining birthrates) leads people to become particularly receptive to far right politics. This is why: As the population decreases, the economy slows down because fewer workers generate tax revenue. The government pulls back services—schools close, public transportation becomes less available, even hospitals might close. People begin to feel neglected and undervalued by politicians.
Immigrants and disadvantaged populations can be scapegoated by far-right politicians as a way to attract voters. Then immigration – a partial way to address depopulation – becomes less likely. The authors conclude the article by saying, “ ..being able to attract and integrate large numbers of immigrants will be an important competitive advantage for countries in the coming decades. Doing so, however, will require overcoming political barriers that arise, partly, out of the same demographic shifts.”
Read the article here. “How Shrinking Populations Fuel Divisive Politics” by Amanda Taub and Lauren Leatherby, New York Times-The Interpreter, February 2, 2024.
Nan Nelson – Envision Board Member
Consider the Artificial Intelligence Revolution: A.I. tools like ChatGPT seem to think, speak, and create like humans. But what are they really doing? Leading experts explore what A.I. can – and can’t – do today, and what lies ahead: cancer cures and prediction, wildfire spotting, artificial limbs, and much more. Watch this 54-min. episode of PBS NOVA
Nan Nelson, Economic Transformation Signals Team
The concept of personhood is important – “persons” have rights. The trend of expanding the concept of personhood (to include pets?) began in ancient times and is likely to continue. Let’s look at the arc of change and what the implications might be for food, medicine, computing (AI) and the law. Read about the rights of personhood.
Jim Golembeski, Upward Mobility Signals Team
Everyone faces obstacles going through life. Some things just happen, and others are self-inflicted. Sara Williams has used her challenges to build an even better life. She’s the Community Organizer and spokesperson for JOSHUA, promoting the worth and dignity of every human person through social justice. Read about Sara’s work.
Amanda Johnson, Howe Community Resource Center
I participated in the Envision training due to its novelty and unique approach. Initially, I approached it with a degree of skepticism. However, what I learned fundamentally shifted my perspective and fueled my curiosity. Read how signals improve decision making.
Dave Wegge, Foresight Committee
Scholars have long tried to identify and explain generational differences. Classic theories tend to focus on major events as the primary explanatory factors. As we study the future and apply Strategic Foresight to identify plausible futures, we need to pay attention to these generational differences. I have found a new book on that topic that I highly recommend. Learn about the book on generational differences.