Module 01

Why imagine the future

Imagination as a political tool and the difference between hoping and designing.

7 min3 resources

We all think about the future. We do it every day — when we plan the week, when we worry about the climate, when we wonder what jobs our children will have. But there is an enormous difference between worrying about the future and actively imagining it. The first is a passive reaction; the second is an act of design.

Futures Studies is an academic discipline born in the 1960s that has developed rigorous methods for exploring what might happen. It is not about predicting — no one can do that with certainty. It is about mapping the space of possibilities, identifying the forces shaping tomorrow, and preparing to navigate them with awareness.

But why does this matter for everyone, not just experts? Because whoever controls the narrative of the future controls the decisions of the present. When a tech company says "AI will replace 40% of jobs", it shapes policies, investments and fears. When a government says "we can't do anything about climate change", it justifies inaction. Imagining alternative futures is an act of resistance against these imposed narratives.

Historian Yuval Noah Harari wrote that "whoever controls the stories controls the future". We add: whoever does not imagine the future is subject to it. This is why Relatronica exists — to give everyone the tools to imagine, not just experts and the powerful.

Imagining the future does not require a PhD. It requires curiosity, critical thinking, and the willingness to question what seems inevitable. In this course, you will learn to do it in a structured way, using tools that have been developed and tested through decades of research.

Key takeaways

  • Imagining the future is different from worrying: it is an active, deliberate act
  • Futures Studies is a discipline with rigorous methods, not science fiction
  • Whoever controls the narrative of the future influences present-day decisions
  • Imagining alternative futures is accessible to everyone, not just experts

Reflection prompt

Think of a narrative about the future you have accepted as inevitable (e.g. "robots will steal our jobs"). Who created it? Who benefits from it? Is there an alternative?

Further reading