Next Things

Next things. The emerging present not the future.

New kinds of schools and universities. New books. New Magazines. New Arts and Music. New technologies. New forms of health care. New trends. New You Name It.

The aim is to look over the next mountain, to sort out hype, to imagine new needs and new solutions to old problems.

Some themes. The world is vastly over-educated and under skilled. Conviviality and solitude are necessary every day. The Professional Mystique must be challenged and exposed and undermined. People can do for themselves. Things are seldom what they seem. Democracy is a good idea that should be tried out. People are beautiful. Stories are more powerful than information. Multiculturalism and Globalization are tired ideas.

Some tasks. Review books and magazines -- especially trendy ones-- and say what I like and what I don't. Follow hot debates and pick a few worthy fights. Share experiences from my varied tasks and travels. Keep my ear to the ground. Look for the signs of the times.