I've rarely admired those who can predict the future[1].
Where's the excitement in life if you already know what's coming next?
The seers, though, want to feel superior and, well, everyone likes to be proven right, don't they?
Last week, I sat ringside as a tech CEO made a rampant future-centric declaration. And where else does one make rampant declarations, but on Twitter?
Chris Herd, founder and CEO of Firstbase, explained[2] he'd talked to more than 1,500 people and felt secure in making certain predictions about the work-life of the future.
"World-class people will move to smaller cities," he began, immediately inciting the notion that smaller cities are full of those who'd never qualify for any Olympics or World Cups.
Naturally, being a tech CEO, Herd urged these smaller cities to prepare: "These regions must innovate quickly to attract that wealth. Better schools, faster internet connections are a must."
Herd sees a resurgence of hobbies and participation in local communities. This, he said, will lead to "deeper, more meaningful relationships which overcome societal issues of loneliness and isolation."
As for the future's key performance index, time will be replaced by productivity and output. This idyll will involve a great leap forward: "Advancement decisions will be decided by capability rather than who you drink beer with after work."
Can society cope with that?
Herd does foresee workers-from-home risking greater degrees of burnout, yet he envisages most people reassessing their priorities. "Workers will do what needs to be done rather than wasting their [time] trying to look busy with the rest of the office," he says.
His future scoping is quite detailed. It comprised many tweets.
Part-time and freelance work will thrive, he insisted. People will,