The Long View: A Field Guide is a newsletter centered on long-term thinking, announcing the upcoming release of Richard Fisher’s book, ‘The Long View: Why We Need to Transform How the World Sees Time.’ The newsletter emphasizes the importance of ‘long-terminology,’ which includes terms related to how humanity perceives time, such as ‘time-blinkered’ and ‘long-minded.’ Fisher outlines the detrimental effects of short-term thinking on society, urging an awareness of temporal habits and stresses. The newsletter also introduces a new team member, Xander Balwit, and provides details on how to pre-order the book with a discount for UK readers. A reader shares a personal reflection on the significance of future perspectives and the importance of considering long-term impacts in decision-making.
| name | description | change | 10-year | driving-force | relevancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rise of Long-Term Thinking | Growing interest in concepts that promote long-term perspectives in society. | Shift from short-term focus in politics, business, and media to long-term considerations. | Increased integration of long-term thinking in decision-making processes across industries. | A collective recognition of the need for sustainability and future-oriented planning. | 4 |
| Emergence of Long-Term Vocabulary | Development of new terms to articulate long-term thinking and perspectives. | From a lack of language for long-term concepts to a rich lexicon that supports future discussions. | A widely accepted set of terms that facilitate discussions about long-term implications in various fields. | The necessity to communicate complex long-term ideas effectively in a fast-paced world. | 3 |
| Intergenerational Connection | Increased emphasis on the connections between past, present, and future generations. | Evolution from individualistic thinking to a more interconnected view of time and responsibility. | Greater societal focus on the implications of present actions for future generations. | An emerging awareness of climate change and social responsibility towards descendants. | 5 |
| Temporal Stress Awareness | Recognition of external pressures that promote short-term thinking. | Shift from unexamined acceptance of short-term metrics to critical evaluation of their impact on society. | A cultural shift towards valuing long-term goals over immediate results in various sectors. | A growing discontent with the superficiality of short-termism in business and governance. | 4 |
| Long-Mindedness as a Concept | Introduction of ‘long-minded’ thinking as a way to foster long-term perspectives. | From disjointed understanding of time to a cohesive framework for long-term thinking. | A more holistic approach to decision-making that includes long-term consequences and historical lessons. | The need for comprehensive strategies to address complex global challenges effectively. | 4 |
| Collective Temporal Habits | Identification of cognitive biases that influence our perception of time. | Awareness of biases that hinder long-term thinking replaces ignorance of their existence. | A more educated populace that can recognize and counteract biases in decision-making. | A drive for self-awareness and cognitive improvement in personal and societal contexts. | 3 |
| name | description | relevancy |
|---|---|---|
| Short-termism | The pervasive focus on immediate results that obscures long-term impacts, leading to detrimental outcomes across society. | 5 |
| Time-blinkered behavior | A lack of awareness of long-term consequences, embedding shortsightedness in politics, business, and personal life. | 5 |
| Temporal stresses | External pressures that shorten perspectives, such as metrics and sensational news, distracting from long-term thinking. | 5 |
| Salience Bias | The tendency to prioritize loud, urgent issues over long-term considerations, skewing decision-making. | 4 |
| Shifting Baseline Syndrome | Generational amnesia leading to a lack of awareness of historical norms and future implications. | 4 |
| Cognitive biases in time perception | Subconscious habits that distort our understanding of time and influence our decision-making. | 4 |
| Neglecting future generations | The potential consequences of failing to consider the needs of future generations in our current decisions. | 5 |
| Environmental sustainability | Failure to prioritize long-term sustainability could lead to catastrophic environmental outcomes affecting future generations. | 5 |
| name | description | relevancy |
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Lexicon Development | The creation and sharing of new terminology to enhance discussions around long-term thinking and planning. | 5 |
| Awareness of Temporal Biases | Growing awareness of cognitive biases that affect how we perceive time and make decisions about the future. | 4 |
| Collective Temporal Habits | Identifying and addressing collective habits that contribute to short-termism in society. | 4 |
| Intergenerational Connection | Recognizing the impact of current actions on future generations and fostering a sense of responsibility towards them. | 5 |
| Long-Mindedness | Adopting a long-term perspective that balances present needs with future consequences. | 4 |
| Community Engagement in Future Planning | Encouraging dialogue and collaboration among individuals to propose new terms and concepts regarding long-term thinking. | 4 |
| Empathy for Future Generations | Cultivating emotional connections to future individuals, enhancing motivation for sustainable actions today. | 5 |
| name | description | relevancy |
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Thinking | A mindset that emphasizes the importance of considering future consequences in decision-making. | 5 |
| Long-Term Terminology | New words and phrases that help articulate long-term perspectives and thinking. | 4 |
| Temporal Awareness | Awareness of how time-related biases affect decision-making and societal behavior. | 4 |
| Timefulness | A concept that promotes an understanding of our relationship with time, encouraging long-term perspectives. | 5 |
| Long-Mindedness | A cognitive approach that integrates lessons from history with awareness of future impacts. | 5 |
| Temporal Habits | Patterns of thought that influence how we perceive and respond to time. | 4 |
| Collective Temporal Lexicon | A shared vocabulary that enhances communication about long-term perspectives and strategies. | 4 |
| Future Compassion | The ethical consideration for future generations in present-day decision-making. | 5 |
| name | description | relevancy |
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Thinking | The need for society to adopt a long-term perspective in decision-making processes. | 5 |
| Time-Blinkered Behaviour | The unconscious tendency to prioritize short-term outcomes over long-term consequences, affecting various sectors. | 4 |
| Temporal Stresses | External pressures that reduce long-term thinking, such as demanding targets and sensational news events. | 4 |
| Temporal Habits and Biases | Cognitive biases influencing perceptions of time, shaping decision-making across generations. | 3 |
| Long-Mindedness vs Present-Mindedness | The balance between long-term awareness and the ability to act in the present when necessary. | 4 |
| Intergenerational Responsibility | The ethical obligation to consider the needs of future generations in current decision-making. | 5 |
| Language of Long-Term Perspectives | The development and recognition of new terminology to articulate long-term thinking. | 3 |
| Connection to Future Generations | Fostering emotional connections and responsibilities towards descendants and future communities. | 4 |