What’s your view of the future?

In today’s increasingly complex and unpredictable world, it’s becoming more important than ever to take an honest look at a range of possible paths that our society may take in the years to come.

In the book, we lay out a spectrum of four future scenarios, each of which has at least some realistic possibility of playing out (see an overview of our four scenarios here). We’ve created these archetypal “future forecast types” to help you consider the full spectrum of foreseeable futures.

Finding Your D-Type

What’s your best assessment of the paths ahead of us? To help you decide where you stand, we’ve gathered a set of online resources featuring writings and videos from thought-leaders who we see as the best examples of five different ways of grappling with today’s unknowns.

Doomer

Sees breakdown as likely

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Dealer

Accepts our muddling ways and is “dealing with it”

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Dualist

Preparing both for crumbling and for synergistic advances

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Driver

Techno-eco optimist

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Dreamer

Considers breakthrough as a realistic possibility

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Most of us hold a mixed view of the future, while some have an abiding faith in one particular viewpoint. In these narratives you will see that each D-type’s view of the future leads to a generalized approach to working with the RIM. Still, the truly resilient investor knows his prediction is not 100% reliable and remains at least somewhat prepared for more than one future scenario. See the book for more guidance about how your D-Type can inform your specific choices across the RIM.

The D-types we flesh out above are just some of the more common or obvious archetypes; look around and you are likely discover a dramatic diversity of dames and dudes:

The Doer, activists short on cash but rich with personal/social passion and drive; the Dawdler, who has good intentions but does not get around to implementing them; the Depleter, stubbornly insisting that the blind pursuit of financial self-interest is entirely justified; the Denier, who insists the global economy and environment are fine and has full faith in business-as-usual to carry us forward; the Defender, of the earth or social justice; and the Dynamo, a catalyst for spurring people’s time, attention, and money into new arenas. We look forward to hearing from readers who identify with our “big 5” as well as these and other Diverse D’s, and we hope you’ll share your RIM! See Submit your RIM for contact info.