|
2005 State of the Future Report released |
|
|
|
|
Written by Tim Longhurst
|
|
Monday, 29 August 2005 |
|
The Millennium Project's annual State of the Future report gives a unique overview of the global situation and prospects for the future. The Millennium Project is a global participatory think tank dedicated to exploring global futures through interviews and surveys of individuals at corporations, universities, NGOs, United Nations organisations and governments to understand world change and to identify actions to reach the best possible future for humanity.
Operating under the auspices of the American Council for the United Nations University, the Project has 25 nodes spread around the world. Nodes comprise groups of institutions and individuals who interconnect global and local perspectives
The Australian node of the Millennium Project is sponsored by The Futures Foundation. The node facilitates regional input and seeks to apply an Australian context to global issues identified in the State of the Future report.
Download a copy of the 2005 State of the Future Report Executive Summary (PDF: 344k)
To purchase the complete report, please contact Margot Brodie.
|
|
Last Updated ( Monday, 29 August 2005 )
|
|
|
Why the world's biggest story just isn't a story |
|
|
|
|
Written by Jan Lee Martin
|
|
Monday, 18 July 2005 |
"Extreme poverty claimed more than 20,000 lives yesterday with common illnesses, including chest infections and diarrhoea, accounting for a third of the victims. Another 20,000 are expected to die from treatable illnesses today - and again tomorrow," said the Sydney Morning Herald on July 1, under a front-page banner headline that screamed "20,000 die each day!".
Has the news media at last begun to reflect reality?
Well, yes and no. This front page was a mock-up, a dramatic illustration for a feature on global poverty that was made possible by the Live8 global spectacular - an event which really was considered to be news.
It was accompanied by a story from Mark Scott, editor-in-chief of metropolitan, regional and community newspapers for John Fairfax, entitled "Why you will never see a front page like this".
"The death of more than 20,000 people on a single day would be one of the most momentous stories of the year - full of heartbreak and horror, particularly as so many of the victims were children," he wrote.
"The headlines would be massive, the news coverage extensive, the analysis compelling and in the days ahead, the letters page would be full of reader feedback.
"But because this event happens every day of the year... it makes little news.
"The problem with worldwide poverty and the unimaginable death toll is that it is happening everywhere, all the time."
Reality is not news. So of course it makes perfect sense that the news is not reality. Why do we expect it to be? |
|
Last Updated ( Monday, 18 July 2005 )
|
|
|
Live8: compassion or narcissism? |
|
|
|
|
Written by Jan Lee Martin
|
|
Monday, 18 July 2005 |
Organisers of the Live 8 concerts have claimed that it was the biggest musical extravaganza ever staged. Millions of people watched the performances, either live or on television. More millions logged on to the Internet to watch live streaming of the events across four continents.
The objective of the concerts was to increase global awareness of poverty and to push the G8 leaders, then about to meet in Scotland, into making decisions to help alleviate poverty and hunger around the world.
But will it work? Will a big, happy party in the first world save lives in the third? Or was it all "conspicuous compassion" of the kind that Patrick West writes about? (See Conspicuous Compassion - are we hooked on emotion?). |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Looking the other way...new views on youth |
|
|
|
|
Written by Jan Lee Martin
|
|
Monday, 18 July 2005 |
Much of the commentary on young people comes from older perspectives. For a view from the other direction, visit the electronic 'note pad' of Tim Longhurst, the Futures Foundation's 24-year-old project director.
Like others of his generation, he jots his notes electronically and files them for the world to see. It's their kind of connection.
So far Tim's note pad has sections on futures, consumer culture and media. Entries on Fox News and Apple's iPods have been thoughtful, if not favourable. And in a powerful example of global connection, his editorial response to the July 7 London bombings attracted thousands of visits to the site in a single day.
If you want to connect with one of Australia's youngest futurists, just log on to www.TimLonghurst.com. |
|
|
Are young Australians DisConnected too? |
|
|
|
|
Written by Jan Lee Martin
|
|
Monday, 18 July 2005 |
News that the London bombings were probably carried out by "ordinary British teenagers" is bound to raise the volume of criticism of "the younger generation", with its bad habits of drug-taking, graffiti-writing and other breaches of the law.
But are these really bad habits, or merely the characteristics of a new world that are being judged by the values of the old? American author Nick Barham spent a year travelling the UK and interviewing young people in their many and varied subcultures. His conclusions may come as a surprise. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
|
| Results 55 - 63 of 88 |
Features