Be optimistic and create #thegoodfuture - because your attitude contains your Future. Gerd Leonhard

Gerd Leonhard acknowledges that it's easy to feel pessimistic given current global issues like climate change, energy crises, food shortages, the Russia-Ukraine war, and rising inflation. He notes that 'business as usual is dead' and the world is facing a climate emergency, with record-breaking heatwaves becoming more frequent. A chart from the World Economic Forum highlights worsening social cohesion, crisis likelihood, climate action failures, and mental health issues since the COVID-19 pandemic. He contrasts this with his film 'The Good Future,' which posits a more optimistic outlook.

Leonhard introduces the 'despondency trap,' arguing that a negative viewpoint is often default. He illustrates this by showing how negative statistics can be reframed to highlight progress; for example, while 300,000 women die from pregnancy-related causes annually, the rate has declined. Similarly, global poverty and autocratic regimes have seen reductions. He criticizes social media for rapidly spreading negative news, making 'bad things' spread five to six times faster than good ones, and suggests that creating positive change takes longer than creating dystopian narratives.

Drawing on Kevin Kelly's philosophy, Leonhard states that 'we should be optimistic not because there's less problems, but because our capacity to solve them is larger than we thought.' He highlights advancements like cheaper technology (e.g., genome sequencing), increasing computing power, innovation platforms, nuclear fusion, and climate technology as tools to tackle global challenges. He introduces the concept of 'protopia,' a gradual, stepwise approach to betterment, as an alternative to both dystopia and unsustainable utopia. This involves creating 'plausible visions of the future' that are 'thrilling enough to aim towards'.

Leonhard points to recent legislative successes, such as the unexpected U.S. climate bill, as examples of 'protopia' in action, demonstrating that progress can emerge even after setbacks. He emphasizes that while humanity possesses the tools (science, technology, money) to solve problems, there's a need for 'telos' – wisdom and understanding – to make the right decisions. He advocates for a global forum for wisdom, beyond existing institutions, to guide these changes.

Leonhard concludes by asserting that 'the optimistic stance of believing something is possible is a requirement if we want to build a good future.' He believes we are at a critical 'fork in the road,' facing an 'emergency time' by 2030, not 2050, requiring immediate action. Citing Antonio Gramsci, he suggests 'pessimism of the intellect and optimism of the will' – being intellectually curious but maintaining a hopeful outlook. He stresses that our attitude shapes our future, and an optimistic attitude is essential to avoid a stagnant, pessimistic future, highlighting the world's happiest countries as examples where this sentiment is cultivated.