Catherine Roy, a designer turned strategic futurist at Thales, reveals that flying taxis and advanced air mobility face substantial social acceptance challenges beyond mere technological hurdles. Her research identified 62 criteria for social acceptability of air taxis, demonstrating the complexity of successfully introducing this transportation mode.

We touch upon many things in this episode including:

• How she transformed into a strategic futurist leading global design networks
• Research found 62 social acceptability criteria for advanced air mobility versus industry's focus on just 7-8
• Urban planners view flying vehicles as extending traffic problems into the air rather than solving mobility issues
• Capacity limitations make eVTOLs inefficient compared to mass transit (only 0-125 passengers/hour in 2040 projections)
• Entire infrastructure including vertiports and communication systems would need building from scratch
• Flying vehicles could increase social stratification between wealthy "skylanders" and ground-dwelling "flatlanders"
• Future climate priorities may overshadow investments in advanced air mobility infrastructure
• Innovation requires developing unique perspectives and courage to stand your ground against mainstream thinking

Order your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts

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🎧 Listen Now On:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO

Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/

Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Jake Dunegan, a visionary operating at the intersection of futures thinking and political systems, shares how experiential futures can help us reimagine governance for the 21st century challenges we face.

Drawing from his fascinating journey from anthropology to futures studies, Dunegan shares the moment he discovered a manuscript on "Quantum Politics" that proposed revolutionary ideas about constitutional design based on uncertainty rather than mechanistic balance. This epiphany eventually led him to establish the Governance Futures Lab at the Institute for the Future, where he pushes for nothing less than a renaissance in political system design thinking.

• Background in anthropology exploring fundamental questions about why people do what they do
• Discovered futures studies through a manuscript on "Quantum Politics" that proposed redesigning the US Constitution
• Co-created the Reconstitutional Convention in 2013 to bring together diverse thinkers to redesign political systems
• Developed experiential futures approaches to make possible tomorrows tangible today
• Led the Hawaii 2050 project creating immersive experiences of alternative futures
• Created pandemic simulations years before COVID-19 that explored prioritization of vaccines
• Founded the Governance Futures Lab at Institute for the Future to support political system design
• Believes our current governance structures aren't equipped for 21st-century challenge
• Emphasizes the importance of emotional connection to future possibilities, not just intellectual understanding
• Advocates for embedding futures thinking throughout our systems rather than treating it as a specialized activity
• And we find out where the best tacos and food trucks are in Austin, Texas

The conversation explores Dunegan's groundbreaking work in experiential futures—creating immersive, tangible experiences that help people feel possible futures rather than just intellectually understand them. From the Hawaii 2050 project that created four radically different versions of Hawaii's future to pandemic simulations developed years before COVID-19, Dunegan demonstrates how making futures visceral can change decision-making in profound ways.

Find Jake at jakedunegan.com or on BlueSky as dunegan23.

Order your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts

ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts

🎧 Listen Now On:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO

Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/

Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Alex Fergnani takes us on a journey from his beginnings as a martial arts student in Asia to becoming a provocative voice in futures thinking with his groundbreaking approach to foresight wisdom. His upcoming book "The Dao of Foresight" with Penguin represents a fresh approach to teaching foresight concepts through an entertaining narrative set in a fictional world.

Following a hero's journey structure, the novel follows a young disciple seeking a master to help save his endangered village. Through this adventure, readers learn foresight techniques while engaging with wisdom from Taoism, Zen Buddhism, and Confucianism. Alex shares the comprehensive world-building process behind the book—creating maps, character backgrounds, and plot structures that form a rich universe accessible to audiences from teenagers to seasoned practitioners.

Some highlights from our conversation:

• Entered futures accidentally after pursuing Asian studies and discovering a Future Studies program in Taiwan
• Views Kung Fu as the primary influence on his approach to foresight—focusing on rigorous fundamentals, discipline, and systematic processes
• Created "The Dao of Foresight" as an edutainment novel set in the Land of Pangu
• Developed a comprehensive world-building process with maps, character backgrounds, and a hero's journey narrative structure
• Believes the foresight field should first distinguish between futurism (speculation) and foresight (systematic approaches)
• Pivoting his career toward becoming a "communicator of wisdom" rather than a traditional foresight practitioner

His personal revelation that his initial attraction to foresight's ambitious scope was partly compensating for deeper psychological needs offers powerful insight for anyone drawn to futures work. Whether you're curious about alternative approaches to futures thinking or interested in how storytelling can transform complex concepts, this episode offers a thought-provoking blend of Eastern wisdom and foresight practice.

Find Alex on LinkedIn and YouTube, and join his mailing list to receive updates about "The Dao of Foresight" is available here for pre-order:

You can use this discount code to get XX % off.

Enjoy the show!

Order your copy of SuperShifts: www.bit.ly/supershifts

ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts

🎧 Listen Now On:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO

Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/

Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.