[Episode 64 of the Intentional Clinician Podcast]
In this episode, Paul Krauss MA LPC interviews global futurist Sylvia Gallusser, the founder and CEO of Silicon Humanism. Sylvia conducts foresight research on the future of health, well-aging, and social interaction, evolutions in retail and mobility, the future of work, life-long learning, artificial general intelligence, the future of our oceans and sustainability, as well as the future of the mind and transhumanism.
Historically there have been criticisms associated with future-oriented thinking. We tend to do things the way they have always been done, and tradition is a big part of most cultures. In fact, in the mental health field, we associate thinking about the future too much with anxiety. With so much unknown about the future, is it possible to even try to predict it? Should we be trying to live solely in the moment? Sylvia argues that thinking about the future is helpful and even necessary for life today. Focusing on prevention, her work enables us to evolve as a society rather than degenerate.
In ancient times, when survival was a main focus of life, thinking about the future was irrelevant. Now, since we do not have to constantly think about survival, we can focus on how to make life meaningful and useful going forward. Sylvia starts by noticing what is going on in the world. Then, she analyzes the events for factors she can control and make sure she fully understands them. Sylvia can then create several possible scenarios of how things can be different in the future. These include both positive and negative futures to help discern what would actually help or hurt. Once she has this information, Sylvia can act to make changes. This might be through advocacy, preventative care, and more, so many of us are already involved in futurist thinking.
In a world where our greatest threat could be our own humanity, it is important to take steps to ensure that we evolve into a beneficial society. Discoveries that we make can be used for good or bad, so it is important that we are making ethical decisions that consider all the consequences of our actions.
Sylvia Gallusser – Global Futurist, Founder & CEO @Silicon Humanism
Sylvia conducts foresight research on the future of health, well-aging, and social interaction, evolutions in retail and mobility, the future of work, life-long learning, artificial general intelligence, the future of our oceans and sustainability, as well as the future of the mind and transhumanism.
Sylvia has been advising 500+ tech companies for the past 15 years, starting as an IT consultant at Accenture, launching the Impact USA accelerator with Business France, and leading funding access programs at French Tech Hub. She has been leading many European tech companies to global success as a Founding Partner at big bang factory.
Sylvia graduated from HEC Paris (France). She arrived in San Francisco in 2005, where she has developed a special interest in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. She teaches go-to-market strategy, competitive analysis, futures studies, and entrepreneurship, in business schools, for the corporate, and as a mentor in various startup accelerators. She is a published author of Future Fiction with Fast Future Publishing and a Board Member at Grey Swan Guild.
Silicon Humanism is a Research Organization specialized in Futures Thinking & Strategic Foresight. Its Founder Sylvia launched this initiative to share and discuss the Future with anyone interested in thinking about our possible options, which ones we would like to see come true, and how to make them actually happen!
Connect with Sylvia and Silicon Humanism:
https://siliconhumanism.home.blog/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/siliconhumanism
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC72JK8XZujvWYG3619Z3hfg/playlists
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvialeroux
“The Pandemic Home Hotline” – a collaboration between Sylvia Gallusser and Paul Krauss MA LPC.
Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, EMDRIA Consultant in Training (CIT), host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, and Counseling Supervisor. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline (in progress) as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433.
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