Tatsuyoshi Saijo – författare

This book discusses imaginary future generations and how current decision-making will influence those future generations. Markets and democracies focus on the present and therefore tend to make us forget that we are living in the present, with ancestors preceding and descendants succeeding us. Markets are excellent devices to equate supply and demand in the short term, but not for allocating resources between current and future generations, since future generations do not exist yet. Democracy is also not “applicable” for future generations, since citizens vote for candidates who will serve members of their, i.e., the current, generation. In order to overcome these shortcomings, the authors discusses imaginary future generations and future ministries in the context of current decision-making in fields such as the environment, urban management, forestry, water management, and finance. The idea of imaginary future generations comes from the Native American Iroquois, who had strong norms that compelled them to incorporate the interests of people seven generations ahead when making decisions.  

Our world stands at a critical crossroads. While world leaders wage wars and pursue aggression, humanity faces mounting "future failures" - burdens we''re leaving for generations yet unborn. Scientists warn that carbon emissions, nitrogen cycles, and biodiversity loss have already reached dangerous tipping points. Yet we possess what we call "futurability" - the capacity to find joy in creating happiness for future generations, even at the expense of immediate gains. However, our current society isn''t structured to nurture this vital human trait. Drawing inspiration from the Iroquois'' seventh-generation principle, we''ve developed and tested innovative social mechanisms through rigorous laboratory experiments and real-world applications. This book, "Future Design for Creating a World Worth Inheriting," presents our vision and practical framework for redesigning society to activate our collective futurability. Through years of research and implementation, we''ve created concrete solutions that can transform how we make decisions about our shared future. Join us in this crucial endeavor to create a world our descendants will thank us for - a world truly worth inheriting.