Beyond Prediction: Hayy ibn Yaqzan as a Prototype of Futures Literacy

 

The 12th-century Andalusian philosopher Ibn Tufayl wrote Hayy ibn Yaqzan, a story often regarded as the first philosophical novel. It tells of a boy, Hayy, raised alone on a deserted island, without human contact. Through observation, experience, and reflection, he discovers nature’s patterns, develops reason, and ultimately reaches a deep spiritual understanding of reality.

At its heart, the story is about learning without guidance—about discovering the world by asking questions, experimenting, and rethinking assumptions. This resonates strongly with what UNESCO today calls Futures Literacy: the skill of using the future not just to predict, but to imagine, challenge, and innovate.

In the same way Hayy built knowledge without a teacher, Futures Literacy invites us to build foresight beyond existing institutions and fixed narratives. Both insist on curiosity over certainty, on seeing the unseen, and on using imagination as a tool for survival and meaning.

Observation as foresight: Hayy studied the stars, animals, and natural cycles. Futures thinkers scan signals and trends, seeking weak patterns that may shape tomorrow.

Experimentation as scenario building: Hayy dissected, tested, and explored. Futures Literacy pushes us to run “what if” scenarios, to test possible worlds.

Wisdom as transformation: Hayy discovered that ultimate truth lies in transcending appearances. Likewise, Futures Literacy is not about predicting the “right” future but about transforming our relationship with uncertainty.

Ibn Tufayl’s tale reminds us that futures thinking is not new. It is deeply human, embedded in our capacity to question and reimagine. Hayy ibn Yaqzan was a prototype of a foresight exercise: a solitary mind imagining alternative ways of living and knowing, unbound by tradition.

Today, Futures Literacy calls us to do the same—whether in classrooms, policymaking, or daily life: to see beyond the given, to imagine alternatives, and to prepare for worlds not yet born.

Why Every Company Needs a Futurist on Payroll

 

In a world where disruption is no longer the exception but the norm, companies are beginning to realize that forecasting quarterly results isn’t enough. Technology shifts, social change, political upheaval, and climate crises are altering the business landscape at breakneck speed. To navigate these waves, organizations need more than analysts and strategists — they need futurists.

Beyond Prediction: Futurists as Sensemakers

A futurist is not a fortune teller. Their role isn’t to predict exactly what will happen in 2030 or 2040, but to help organizations anticipate possibilities, identify weak signals, and prepare for alternative futures. They help leaders zoom out from short-term pressures and see the bigger picture, connecting today’s emerging trends with tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities.

Building Strategic Agility

Most companies plan for the next quarter, or at best, the next five years. A futurist encourages longer time horizons, often two or three decades ahead. This doesn’t just stretch imagination — it builds strategic agility. By asking “what if,” companies can test different scenarios:

• What if automation replaces 30% of our workforce?
• What if water scarcity reshapes supply chains?
• What if AI ethics becomes a central customer expectation?

Thinking ahead in this way doesn’t paralyze decision-making — it strengthens resilience.

Protecting Against Blind Spots

History is full of companies that ignored signals of change until it was too late. Kodak failed to respond to digital cameras. Nokia underestimated the smartphone revolution. Blockbuster laughed at Netflix. Futurists are trained to notice early indicators of disruption and translate them into concrete strategies before competitors do.

Inspiring Innovation and Culture Change

A futurist’s work isn’t confined to the boardroom. They engage teams across the organization, sparking curiosity, and creating a culture where employees feel empowered to think about the future. This often leads to unexpected innovations, new product ideas, and stronger alignment between business goals and social responsibilities.

The Cost of Not Having One

Without a futurist, companies risk being reactive instead of proactive. They spend more time extinguishing fires than planting seeds. In a time when consumer expectations shift rapidly and regulators move faster than ever, failing to invest in foresight is far costlier than maintaining a futurist on the payroll.

A Competitive Advantage for the 21st Century

Forward-looking governments, universities, and NGOs have already embraced full-time futurists. For businesses, this role is rapidly becoming a competitive advantage. A futurist does not replace strategists, analysts, or R&D — they connect the dots between them, ensuring the company isn’t just surviving the present but shaping the future.

 In short: Every company needs at least one person whose job is to live in tomorrow, so the rest of the team can succeed today.

 

From Martial Arts to Mental Arts: Kung Fu and Futures Literacy

 

Kung Fu is not only about fighting techniques but about discipline, patience, and practice. It trains body and mind to respond with awareness rather than impulse. Futures literacy works in the same way: it disciplines the imagination, helping us train for uncertainty so that our responses to change are deliberate and skillful rather than reactive.

Flow and Adaptation

Kung Fu emphasizes flexibility—using the opponent’s force, flowing with change instead of resisting it. Futures literacy also stresses adaptation: instead of fearing uncertainty, we use it as energy to explore multiple futures. Both arts cultivate resilience by embracing change rather than clinging to control.

Weak Signals as Invisible Strikes

In martial arts, masters sense the slightest movement—the shift of weight, a flicker in the eyes—that signals the next move. Futures literacy also teaches us to notice “weak signals”: small, subtle hints of social, technological, or cultural change that could shape tomorrow. Awareness of the small makes us ready for the big.

Balance of Inner and Outer

Kung Fu balances inner cultivation (breath, focus, intention) with outer expression (movement, strikes, defense). Futures literacy mirrors this: foresight is both inner (mindset, imagination, questioning assumptions) and outer (strategies, policies, innovations). Both remind us that mastery requires harmony between inner vision and outer action.

Kung Fu as Futures Literacy in Motion

At its core, Kung Fu is about readiness—preparedness not just for combat, but for life. Futures literacy is readiness at a societal scale: being able to imagine many futures, let go of rigid predictions, and act with wisdom. Both are arts of anticipation, resilience, and transformation.

Kung Fu and futures literacy converge as practices of disciplined awareness, flexibility, and foresight. One trains the body for combat and balance, the other trains the imagination for uncertainty and possibility. Together, they show that the future—like Kung Fu—is a practice, not a prediction.

 

Futures Literacy Laboratories – Experimenting with Tomorrow

 

When we think of laboratories, most of us imagine scientists in white coats experimenting with chemicals, formulas, or machines. But what if there were laboratories not for physics or biology, but for the future? That’s exactly what Futures Literacy Laboratories (FLLs) are: spaces where people come together to test, imagine, and explore possible futures.

What is a Futures Literacy Laboratory?

A Futures Literacy Laboratory is a structured workshop where participants practice “using the future.” Instead of trying to predict what will happen, an FLL invites people to surface hidden assumptions, imagine alternative futures, and then reflect on how those images shape choices in the present. It is less about producing one “correct” vision of tomorrow and more about cultivating the skill of futures literacy—the capacity to engage with uncertainty as a resource.

How does an FLL work?

Typically, an FLL unfolds in three phases:

1. Reveal assumptions – Participants first express their default images of the future, often without realizing how much these are shaped by culture, education, or media.
2. Explore alternatives – Through scenario building, storytelling, or creative exercises, they are exposed to radically different possible futures. These futures may feel strange, uncomfortable, or inspiring.
3. Reflect and reframe – Finally, participants step back and ask: What have we learned about our assumptions? How does seeing multiple futures change our understanding of the present?

This cycle helps people become more agile in dealing with complexity and surprise.

Why are they important?

Futures Literacy Laboratories matter because they democratize foresight. Instead of futures being imagined only by policymakers or corporations, FLLs bring ordinary citizens, students, activists, and communities into the process. They encourage participation, dialogue, and creativity, showing that everyone has a role in shaping tomorrow.

They also build resilience. By practicing scenarios—optimistic, pessimistic, and surprising—people learn not to fear uncertainty but to use it. For communities facing climate change, rapid technological shifts, or social transitions, this skill can be transformative.

Examples in practice

• In Africa, FLLs have been used to explore the future of higher education, helping universities rethink their role in a rapidly changing society.
• In Europe, communities have run FLLs on the future of migration, offering new perspectives beyond fear or crisis.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual FLLs allowed groups worldwide to reflect on health, trust, and social resilience in ways that traditional planning could not.

A tool for the 21st century

In a world marked by uncertainty, FLLs function like rehearsal spaces for possibility. They remind us that the future is not a straight line, but a landscape of choices. By learning how to navigate that landscape together, societies can build not only better strategies but also deeper trust, imagination, and inclusion.

Futures Literacy Laboratories are not about predicting what tomorrow will look like. They are about strengthening our imagination muscles today, so that we can respond to change with creativity rather than fear. In doing so, they transform the future from something we anxiously await into something we actively practice—together.

The Tarik and Tomorrow: Futures Literacy at the Mamak

 

In Malaysia, the mamak restaurant is more than a place to eat—it is a living classroom of society. Day or night, it is where families gather, students revise late into the evening, workers decompress after long shifts, and friends argue passionately about politics, football, or the latest trends. The clatter of plates, the smell of roti canai and teh tarik, the constant flow of people—these make the mamak a unique social ecosystem. But what does this have to do with futures literacy?

At its heart, futures literacy is the ability to imagine, rehearse, and experiment with many possible futures. And the mamak, surprisingly, is one of the best spaces to see this in action. Every conversation at the table is a kind of scenario-building exercise. Someone speculates about the future of the economy, another wonders what AI will do to jobs, others dream of travel or business opportunities. These are micro-labs of futures thinking. The mamak, with its open accessibility, invites people from all walks of life to share, debate, and construct narratives about tomorrow. It democratizes foresight in a way that formal workshops or academic spaces sometimes cannot.

The food itself carries futures lessons. Mamak cuisine is a story of adaptation: Indian Muslim heritage blended with Malay, Chinese, and global influences. Menus evolve with time—adding cheese naan, fusion dishes, or healthier options—responding to new demands while preserving traditions. This is futures literacy embodied in food: an ability to adapt while holding onto identity. The same spirit can be applied when we think about our collective futures: we do not abandon our roots, but we remix them to remain relevant.

Even the 24-hour cycle of the mamak symbolizes resilience and preparedness. It shows that life is not confined to nine-to-five. The future, like the mamak, is always open, fluid, and unpredictable. Those who gather there learn, consciously or unconsciously, to live with uncertainty, to stay flexible, and to improvise—skills essential for navigating a complex future.

So perhaps when UNESCO talks about cultivating futures literacy, we don’t need to look far. It may not only be found in conferences or policy labs. It lives in everyday places like the mamak, where ordinary people already practice the art of imagining tomorrow. To sip a glass of teh tarik at midnight while listening to friends debate about politics, technology, or personal dreams, is to witness futures literacy in its raw, communal form. The mamak is not just a restaurant; it is a futures café for all Malaysians.

Money and the Future – Personal Finance Decisions Shaped by Long-Term Thinking

 

Money isn’t just about paying bills or saving for next month’s expenses. Every financial choice we make—whether to spend, save, invest, or borrow—is also a choice about the future. Yet, many people treat money as if it only belongs to the present. Futures literacy can help us see personal finance in a new light: as a way of shaping not just our security, but the kind of lives and futures we want to create.

Short-term habits vs. long-term vision

It’s easy to get caught up in the short-term: the temptation of a new gadget, a weekend trip, or the comfort of not worrying about tomorrow. But financial decisions ripple forward. A single credit card balance carried over months can become a weight, while a small recurring investment can grow into something transformative. Thinking long-term doesn’t mean denying the present—it means aligning today’s habits with tomorrow’s dreams.

The power of compounding futures

Albert Einstein famously called compound interest the “eighth wonder of the world.” From a futures perspective, compounding is more than math—it’s a philosophy. Small, steady actions (like saving 5–10% of income, or learning a new skill regularly) may look trivial now, but over years they accumulate into life-changing results. Futures-oriented personal finance asks: What seeds am I planting today that will bear fruit tomorrow?

Scenario thinking for personal finance

One practical way to apply futures literacy to money is through scenarios. Instead of assuming one fixed future, imagine several:

• Optimistic future: You consistently invest, the market grows, and you achieve financial freedom earlier than expected.
• Challenging future: A recession hits or health costs rise sharply—how resilient is your plan?
• Surprising future: You change careers, relocate, or inherit responsibilities you didn’t expect.

By stress-testing your finances against different futures, you prepare not just for the “most likely” path but for the unexpected.

Values, not just numbers

Futures literacy reminds us that money is never neutral—it reflects our values. Some may prioritize stability and security, others growth and opportunity, and others generosity and legacy. Asking “What future do I want my money to build?” shifts personal finance from anxiety-driven budgeting to purpose-driven planning.

Practical steps to think long-term

• Pay yourself first: Automate savings and investments before spending on extras.
• Diversify: Spread risk across savings, insurance, and investments.
• Learn continuously: Stay updated on financial literacy, because what works today may not work in 10 years.
• Plan for transitions: Retirement, career shifts, or supporting family are easier when anticipated.
• Balance joy and prudence: Long-term thinking doesn’t mean never enjoying today. It means spending with intention.

Money and the future are inseparable. Every ringgit or dollar carries a time dimension—it can buy comfort now, or it can compound into freedom, security, and possibility later. Futures literacy helps us see finance not just as arithmetic but as storytelling: the story of the lives we want to live, the risks we want to reduce, and the legacies we want to leave. With long-term thinking, money becomes not only a tool for survival, but a bridge to futures worth imagining.

Using the Future: A Guide to Thinking Beyond Today

 

Comment and Review: Using the Future by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS) has long been a thought leader in foresight, but Using the Future stands out as one of its most accessible and practical publications. The report takes the abstract idea of “the future” and reframes it as something not distant or mystical, but as a tool we already use every day. Its central claim is disarmingly simple: whenever we make decisions—whether to take an umbrella based on a weather forecast, or to invest in a new business model—we are “using the future.” The challenge, then, is to become more deliberate and less biased in how we use it.

Strengths of the Report

1. Clear Vocabulary of Futures Thinking
   The glossary provided is a strength in itself. It untangles jargon—futures literacy, foresight, backcasting, wild cards, megatrends—and places them in plain, usable terms. For a blog audience, this makes futures studies less like an academic ivory tower and more like a set of tools for everyday strategy.
2. Integration of Psychology and Behavioural Insights
   By drawing on Daniel Kahneman and behavioural economics, the report grounds futures work in the realities of human decision-making. The exploration of status quo bias, confirmation bias, and optimism bias makes a strong case for why foresight work must go beyond spreadsheets—it must tackle human blind spots.
3. Timely Emphasis on Wild Cards and Black Swans
   COVID-19, climate shocks, and geopolitical volatility make this discussion highly relevant. The report wisely points out that the value of considering wild cards is not prediction, but resilience-testing—asking whether organisations could still thrive if the unimaginable occurred.
4. Democratising the Future
   Perhaps the most important shift is the call to make futures thinking more inclusive. By highlighting futures literacy as a capability for all, not just strategists or policymakers, CIFS positions foresight as a civic tool. The sections on participatory futures and decolonising futures resonate strongly in an age where old narratives are being challenged globally.

Critical Reflections

• A Corporate Bias Remains: Despite its call for “futures for the people,” the report still leans heavily toward organisational and governmental applications. Readers hoping for more grassroots-level methods—how individuals or communities can practically “use the future”—may find these sections underdeveloped.
• Technology Optimism vs. Caution: The discussion on AI-augmented foresight is both exciting and slightly naïve. While AI can indeed scan vast data, the report risks overstating its neutrality. Algorithms too are shaped by biases, and the future of foresight will need critical interrogation of these tools as much as enthusiastic adoption.
• Limited Engagement with Ethics: Although the report touches on “decolonising futures,” ethical dimensions could be more deeply examined. Who gets to define “preferred futures”? How do power structures shape the futures we imagine? These questions are raised but not fully wrestled with.

Why This Matters for Today

The report is particularly relevant now, when uncertainty feels like the new normal. From pandemics to AI disruptions, we are constantly confronted with futures arriving faster than expected. CIFS reminds us that uncertainty is not only a risk but also a resource. By embracing uncertainty—rather than fearing or ignoring it—we can make decisions that are not only resilient but also imaginative.

Using the Future is both a primer and a provocation. For beginners, it demystifies futures thinking; for practitioners, it offers reminders to expand beyond corporate boardrooms and engage the wider public. Its greatest contribution lies in urging us to treat the future not as a distant inevitability but as an everyday practice.