65 | Future Crunch | Understanding Basic Principles for the Future of Technology

Today's discussion is a LinkedIn LIVE recording of the Data Binge Podcast featuring Dr. Angus Hervey, Political Economist and co-founder of Future Crunch.  

Future Crunch, based out of Australia, is a think-tank focused on fostering intelligent and optimistic thinking, inspiring enthusiasm and excitement for technology, and empowering people to contribute to an inclusive future.

I came across Gus in a Global MBA learning event where he led a presentation focused on the adaptability quotient, or one's ability to overcome challenges by quickly determining what's relevant in the current era of knowledge. The interest of Gus's work doesn't stop there, Future Crunch is really trying to get people excited about technology again, as it exists within every layer of our lives, and as it tends to get mostly negative attention - there is another story to tell. Future Crunch disperses a phenomenal newsletter based on optimistic events happening in and around our planet, in an attempt to change the stories of the 21st century, by changing the stories we tell ourselves. In this discussion, Gus brings together his interests across economics, politics, and science, to weave together a new perspective on human kinds future, how to prepare for it, how to understand it, and how we can all look to empathize, entertain, and contribute to a novel and wonderful, narrative for our species.  

Key Takeaways 

[10:11] The mission of Future Crunch, optimism, story-telling, and technology[09:53] Why “Giving a Damn” is different than talking about impactful causes – the Fondo Guadalupe Musalem, and other groups and charities of importance. 

[15:56] The history of story-telling, and the criticality of stories and their importance to the human existence across the 21st century 

[18:50] Modern journalism and how it has evolved 

[23:36] 5G and the opportunities represented by a new future of data movement  

[28:46] On understanding the future of technology: Language, Fire, and Medicine  

[37:53] The applicability of the Language, Fire and Medicine Framework and how it can help leaders and organizations navigate in both business and innovation 

[45:37] Why change moves very slowly, until it moves very quickly: the Adaptability quotient 

[49:15] On efficiency and adaptability in adjusting to change, examples of how the US Navy is building talent pools to handle more fluid work environments. 

[54:04] What people and organizations can do to embrace unexpected and high-velocity change 

[55:03] How to contact Angus and Future Crunch 

[56:10] Given unlimited resources, what global challenges would Angus attempt to solve 

  

Quotes 

[08:27] “If you’re working at IT, if you’re working in digital, you can always keep on improving. There is always another line of code that you can write; there is always another optimization that you can put in there. But I think when it comes to designing built environments or when it comes