Think Forward EP 143 - Rivers, Cities and Invisible Futures with Sherman Cruz

Fashion Futures and The Trap of Novelty with Clarice Garcia | Think Forward Show 147

Trends aren’t just a fashion problem. They’re a system for manufacturing novelty, and right now that system is running at TikTok speed. I sit down with Clarice Garcia, a futurist and designer who moved from architecture in Brazil to studying fashion in Milan, only to realize the real story isn’t clothing at all. The story is the logic behind “new,” and what that logic does to sustainability, culture, and our sense of belonging. We get specific about how trend forecasting works in the fashion industry, why it becomes a worst-case scenario for sustainable consumption, and how microtrends shorten the life span of taste from months to days. We also unpack the luxury contradiction: brands that talk about sustainability while destroying unsold inventory to protect scarcity and symbolic value. That tension forces a bigger question: if we don’t change what luxury and status mean, how can the system ever change? Clarice then walks me through fashion futuring, her speculative design and futures thinking toolkit built to spark imagination and provoke a values-driven transition toward sustainability. The method uses fiction to create artifacts and narratives, then extracts the values inside them and turns those values into action through backcasting. We explore how the same “fashion logic” shows up in electronics, automotive, and cosmetics, and why values-centered work can reveal real pathways beyond greenwashing and futures theater. If you care about sustainable fashion, design fiction, systems change, or values-driven innovation, this conversation will stretch your thinking. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves “the new,” and leave a review with the value you think your industry should put first. ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Thinking Liquid: Navigating Neverending Change w/ Geoff Livingston | Think Forward Show 146

Many of us are navigating a world defined by relentless change—and AI is transforming every part of it faster than we can keep up. But what if the key isn’t resisting these shifts, but mastering how to flow with them?  Geoff (a storytelling tech veteran and AI integrator) reveals how to turn the chaos into opportunity by cultivating a mindset of fluidity and continual reinvention. In this candid conversation, he shares how storytelling, your ability to craft an authentic narrative, is more crucial than ever in a landscape overwhelmed by content and noise. He debunks the myth of “long-term jobs” in a volatile economy and explains why roles like the “AI orchestrator” are the future of work. From navigating the ethics of AI development to understanding how your organization can adapt quickly and ethically, we explore concrete strategies for thriving amid systemic upheaval. We chat about many things, including: - Why “speed of slop” in marketing and design damages quality—and how to combat it - How AI tools like Claude Coworker are reshaping collaboration and productivity without sacrificing human nuance - Why the role of the “orchestrator” will become essential in managing complex AI-driven processes - The importance of mindse, like staying liquid and resilien, in facing political, societal, and technological chaos - Practical advice for future-proofing your career and business skills in a world where change is the only constant This isn’t just a discussion about AI; it’s a blueprint for building mental resilience, embracing fluidity, and turning systemic shifts into breakthroughs. If you believe adaptability is your strongest asset, this episode is your essential guide toward navigating the future confidently—whatever it holds. Perfect for entrepreneurs, executives, creators, and anyone feeling overwhelmed by the rapid pace of change. Tap into Jeff’s insights, leverage AI ethically, and learn how to stay ahead of the curve—without losing your human edge. Connect with Geoff on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffliving/  and stay tuned for his upcoming book arriving this June. This is your call to embrace the ongoing journey of reinvention—because in a world where nothing stays still, the only way forward is to stay fluid. Order Now Is Gone: Think Liquid to Navigate Neverending Change (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Now-Gone-Liquid-Navigate-Neverending-ebook/dp/B0GHNMM383/ You can find us on all the major podcast platforms under www.thinkforward.com as well as on YouTube under ThinkForward Show. ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Think Forward EP 145 - The Mind at the End of the Universe with Richard Yonck

You can feel the ground shifting under AI right now, but the hardest question isn’t “When do we get AGI?” It’s this: if we can’t prove whether something is conscious, how would we ever know when a machine deserves rights and protection? That single uncertainty turns today’s AI excitement into a genuine ethical dilemma with real stakes for business, policy, and daily life. We follow futurist and author Richard Yonck from a childhood obsession with technology into the real craft of forecasting, where methods matter more than titles. We pressure-test AGI hype, unpack why LLMs feel human, and confront the ethical trap of building minds we cannot prove are conscious. • Richard’s path from science writing to futures research and consulting • How the futurist label evolved from think tanks to LinkedIn noise • What corporate foresight work reveals about prior knowledge and hidden politics • Big history and the pattern of rising complexity against entropy • Why “AGI” is a misleading idea and why human intelligence is not “general” • Why generative AI and LLMs are powerful tools but limited • The hard problem of consciousness and what AI personhood could mean • Ethical risks from digital feudalism to digital serfdom • Future of work questions including automation, meaning, and UBI • Why education must shift toward lifelong learning and rapid upskilling • Hybrid intelligence as the realistic near-term model • How writing techno-thrillers can explore futures without selling hype You can reach Richard and find out about his books and more at RichardYonk.com. You can find us on all the major podcast platforms at www.thinkforward.com ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Think Forward EP 144 - A Stone Age Body In An AI World with Tom Meyers

We explore how an evolutionary mismatch between ancient biology and modern culture keeps our stress response switched on and quietly shapes health, behavior, and society. Tom shares how future thinking helped him rebuild his own life and why “eustasis” is a practical north star for resilience and meaning in a fast-changing world.  • Tom’s journey from hospitality work to futurist thinking through a personal crisis  • The “ideal day in 10 years” prompt as a tool for direction and agency  • Letting the future pull you forward rather than the past pushing you  • Why many modern pain patterns are “software” problems, not hardware injuries  • Autonomic nervous system dysfunction, chronic stress, and dysautonomia as root drivers  • Evolutionary mismatch explained through everyday triggers and nonstop activation  • Eustasis as good balance through change across biological, psychosocial, and spiritual needs  • The risk of “no Project Human” as technology accelerates without shared purpose  • How transhuman paths could fracture humanity into diverging “species”  • The Reset Approach for resilience, including low-tech self-regulation skills for space travel  You can find us on all the major podcast platforms under www.thinkforwardshow.com as well as on YouTube under Think Forward Show.  ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Think Forward EP 143 - Rivers, Cities and Invisible Futures with Sherman Cruz

We explore why fear-based futures work narrows imagination and how an indigenous lens replaces control with respect for the unknown. Sherman shares how futures literacy, decolonizing foresight, and relationship-centered thinking change the way leaders prepare for crisis, technology, and the long term. • Sherman’s journey from governance and risk work to full-time futures studies and strategic foresight  • How Future Shock shaped a generation’s view of disruption and adaptation  • Why we do not get to choose our crises and what that means for preparedness  • Weak signals, Black Swans, and the limits of “safe futures” thinking  • Dreams and Disruptions as a futures literacy card game for fast scenario building  • Uncertainty as a learnable environment that surfaces hidden assumptions  • Leadership archetypes inspired by Sarkar and what they reveal about organizations  • Decolonizing foresight as power awareness and reclaiming diverse ways of knowing  • Global South Futures and the idea that relationships are reality  • Rivers as living entities and what regenerative cities demand from long-term thinking  • A critique of utilitarian foresight and AI as hyper-optimization built to sell  • Practical advice for the next generation of futurists centered on improvisation You can find us on all the major podcast platforms under www.thinkforwardshow.com as well as on YouTube under Think Forward Show. ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.