My responsibility as a futurist is not to tell people and organizations what they want to hear but, rather, tell them what they need to hear. In this spirit, I feel compelled to share some important thoughts with you. As such, today’s newsletter will fall outside the scope of its normal format.
As a Christian and an American, I am deeply troubled by many of the actions of the Trump Administration and it is my professional opinion they do not bode well for our future. In November, I made clear my rationale for voting against Donald Trump and I stand by my remarks.
Let me begin my remarks by reminding you of two realities: First, the only time to create the future is in the present. If we desire a better future, we must take action NOW! Second, the only thing we can change for certain is ourselves. If, however, we can change ourselves and take action, we can–and will–create a more desirable future.
I tell you this because I am working to change myself and my first step towards changing is to speak from my heart. My heart is telling me this: America is headed down the wrong path and unless more citizens begin speaking up and speaking out, our country’s descent could be fast, steep, deep, and dark.
Three things, in particular, are troubling my heart and I am of the opinion that they all bode ill for the future of America unless all of us begin speaking and acting out:
First, a positive future can only be created if society has an agreed-upon understanding of the truth. The president’s latest remarks on Ukraine boggle my mind. He is now claiming that Ukraine started the war. This is a lie! Three years ago, we all watched in horror as Russia invaded a sovereign nation. Donald Trump now saying the exact opposite does not change the truth. Let me further remind you that Vladamir Putin is not a friend of the United States. He is a dangerous man. His murder of his political opponent, Alexei Navalny, was a chilling and evil act. If we want a better future, it is incumbent upon all of us to speak out when we hear lies.
Second, I have written about the necessity of society taking our need to regulate artificial intelligence seriously. It troubles me greatly to see the Trump Administration moving in the exact opposite direction. I can accept that government regulation may slow commercial innovation but complete deregulation exposes all of humanity to a very, very serious risk. The odds of AI “going rogue” may be low but the consequences could be catastrophic if it does, therefore, the WISE action is to employ the precautionary principle. As a citizen, it also concerns me greatly when I see most of today’s most powerful AI “titans”–Sam Altman, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk–quite literally lined up behind a president. The threat of artificial intelligence being employed for political ends is an obvious threat and the topic deserves serious oversight. (For the record, I would say the same if the tech titans were lining up behind a Democratic administration.)
Third, as a Christian, I was astounded to hear the vice president say “There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then your community, and then your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world.” Vance’s obscure reference of ordo amoris to justify the Trump administration’s immigration policy is shameful and sinful. I am no theologian but let me be clear, the first and greatest commandment is to “Love God with your whole heart, your whole soul, and your whole mind.” The second is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” These were Jesus’ very own words. There is NO RANKING to love. As a Christian, I cannot and will not abide by anyone twisting the Lord’s word on love to justify a policy that seeks to vilify strangers. I mean no disrespect and this is not intended as a pun but, for Christ’s sake, let me remind you that Jesus himself was a stranger born in a foreign land.
Let me conclude by asking all of you to search your hearts. If you agree with the things I’ve said, I am not asking for your praise; I am asking that you, too, speak out and act from a place of truth, compassion and love. This is the only way we will create a better tomorrow for ourselves, our families, our communities and the world.
Thank you for reading. I will return to the newsletter’s regular format next week.
P.S. I have written about my “calling” to write and speak of our more spiritual future. To this end, I wrote this article yesterday, Needed: Spiritual Sextants. It discusses how some ancient wisdom tools and techniques can help us navigate into a better and more spiritual future. I hope you’ll give it a read.
