Dear Readers: I was recently interviewed by a prominent blogger on my responsibilities as a futurist. As I’ve done with past interviews (such as this one on the business of unlearning), I’d thought I’d also share my responses on this website. How or why did you become a futurist? By accident. In 2003, I wrote [...]
Making the Most of Your Ignorance
February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment
In a world of accelerating knowledge one of the more unfortunate side-effects is that our ignorance grows even faster than our knowledge. (This is because all that “you don’t know” is naturally growing faster than that small amount of new knowledge you can and are absorbing.) This might seem like a depressing notion but it [...]
Unlearn Your Routine
November 3, 2011 By 2 Comments
Unlearning need not be hard. In fact, I encourage people to start small. Here are ten quick actions you can implement before you reach your desk this morning to get you started down the path of unlearning: 1. Sleep 15 minutes later. The extra rest can increase creativity. 2. Shower with your eyes closed. This [...]
Question: Can You Unlearn Without Any New Words? Answer: Yes.
August 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Need to Unlearn is Staring You in the Back of the Head
August 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I recently read Chris Chabris and Daniel Simon's excellent book, The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us, and found myself unlearning a great deal. For a fun test, answer this question: Can you tell when someone is staring at you from behind? Now watch the video below. (For an explanation read the [...]
Crossing Over the Border of Unachievable Takes Practice
July 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
William "Red" Whittaker, a world-class roboticist, likes projects that "border on the unachievable." To cross this border, it's essential to first unlearn your idea of what's achievable. One strategy Whittaker employs is to "plunge into production by trial and error, rather than seeking the perfect design." In other words, Whittaker practices intentional imperfection.
