Nobody knows the future with certainty. We can, however, identify ongoing patterns of change.

- Alvin Toffler

“One thing, however, is certain: the world needs your leadership. As divisions continue to deepen, companies must demonstrate their commitment to the countries, regions, and communities where they operate, particularly on issues central to the world’s future prosperity.”

– Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock

If you haven’t been paying attention, you may have missed the important shift happening across the global investment community. The drumbeat for corporate executives to actively engage environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues has gotten louder and no longer can be ignored. Socially conscious investors are raising the volume on their call to action for companies to integrate robust ESG strategies with existing company operations. The expectation is that it is possible for corporations to increase financial value while being accountable for helping to solve issues facing humanity.

Future Shock is the individual’s and organization’s struggle to adapt to and manage the massive and rapid pace of change impacting every society and sector. When they coined the term, the Tofflers described it as a phenomenon and “dizzying disorientation brought on by the premature arrival of the future.”^[1] With the constant shifts in everything from technology innovation to politics to heuristics and faith systems, we experience a sense of being untethered from a reliable source of truth. In large measure, this disconcerting feeling of eroding trust has happened because of the constant free flow of information on our connected platforms. It’s ironic that we have confidence in the knowledge that we can’t have confidence in much of what we hear, see, and read.

“Out of this massive restructuring of power relationships, like the shifting and grinding of tectonic plates in advance of an earthquake, will come one of the rarest events in human history, a revolution in the very nature of power.”

~ Alvin Toffler, Powershift, 1990

Millions of people around the world watched the U.S. Women National Team (USWNT) dominate the Netherlands to win a fourth World Cup championship - the most ever won by a women’s team. It was the second consecutive World Cup win for USWNT, which shared the honor with only one other team - Germany. Jill Ellis, the team’s coach, became the first women’s coach in soccer history to ever win two back-to-back World Cup titles. Even more impressive, that’s a feat that has been achieved only one other time - Italy’s men’s coach, Vittorio Pozzo coached to consecutive wins in 1934 and 1938.

As we gear up for the July 4^th holiday, celebrating 243 years of American independence and exceptionalism, it’s important for us to take a moment to reflect on and appreciate the blessing of choice that we Americans enjoy daily. We are free to choose what to wear, where and what to eat, whom to follow, and what to say.

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

What if we lived in a world where we are able to create and mold our current realities and physical matter to what we want? What if we could eliminate physical limitations and mental illness? These are not far-fetched questions. We’re already making tremendous strides with technology to rethink our capabilities with our body and mind.

Last month I had several heated conversations with my significant other over the abortion law signed May 15 in Alabama, which – if passed – would permit abortions only if the mother's life is at risk or if the fetus cannot survive, and not in cases of rape or incest. My ire against the decision stems from the fact that it has been made primarily by men, a group that does not represent those whom the law primarily impacts. My partner is fervent about the fundamental notion of humanity and the protection of the unborn child.

Next year marks the 50^th year anniversary of Future Shock. The upcoming milestone presented the opportunity to recently open my well-worn copy to revisit the epochal writing. As the anniversary of this bestseller draws nearer, we will have more opportunities to discuss the impact of the Toffler’s work. One important idea presented towards the end of the book seems very fitting to discuss now, however, especially given our fast approach to the 2020 election season.

Our modern entertainment and pop culture have taken a distinctly, alarmingly dystopian spin. When is the last time you saw the future depicted as a terrific time and place, filled with people thriving thanks to creative solutions to today’s intractable problems? It’s much more likely that you see a trend or concern of today taken to its dreadful conclusion. Take, for example, shows like The Handmaid’s Tale or movies like A Quiet Place. The list goes on with stories of people and communities raging against their context. 

Last summer, social media channels brought us stunning firsthand views of the violence, destruction, and extraordinary beauty of Hawaii’s erupting Kilauea volcano. Fast moving lava flowed from the summit crater through many underground tunnels and eruption vents. From May until August, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) provided daily updates of the amount of lava that was spreading across the island. By the time the eruption ended in August 2018, more than a mile of coastline was added along the big island’s southeast coast.