Long Now London 2605 - A Culture of Futurelessness?
TL/DR
This month we have a presentation and discussion on recent research into a "culture of futurelessness" and a generation of young people is losing faith in the idea of a collective future.
📬 Please do RSVP so we know who to expect.
📖 Some context: We met Annie Auerbach and Adam Chmielowski of Starling Strategy via our friends at SoIF (School of International Futures) where it has been used to support the case for a Future Generations Commissioner for the UK.
~ Chris D
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🍹 Timings
Doors open at 18:30. Please aim to arrive by 19:00.
Introductions and the talk will begin at 19:15.
Discussion will continue after the talk.
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🎤 About our speakers
Annie Auerbach and Adam Chmielowski are co-founders of Starling Strategy, a cultural insight and futures consultancy now in its tenth year. Their series The Rift maps major social ruptures and their consequences.
The edition they will share with us — Rift Two — explores the breakdown of young people's relationship with the future: the loss of a sense of collective vision, the rise of what they call "DIY Futures," and what it means that a generation is losing faith in the idea of progress altogether. Their findings are striking: young people are five times more likely than children aged 12–15 to say they feel scared about the future. At 16, optimism falls off a cliff. What might this mean... for society, for policy, and for those of us looking to take the long view and help others do the same?
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🏛️ Where — Our home for now
Our host venue in 02026 is just off the Strand, near to St Clement Danes church and the Royal Courts of Justice. Please RSVP to see the exact location.
The space is fairly simple (just tables and chairs). Our use of the space is part of our hosts' process to decide how to make more of it in the coming months. We are grateful to have a place where we can try new things. If you have ideas for what we might do in future gatherings, please do let us know.
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🍻 What to bring & what to take away
🍾 We are meeting in a private location so this is a BYOB gathering, including alcohol.
🍽️ You are welcome to bring food (including things to share) but please avoid anything that might cause too much mess or disturbance either during or after consumption.
🚫 Given the "bring your own" nature of this gathering, no assurances can be made about allergies.
♻️ Please be prepared to leave the venue cleaner than we found it. This may include taking our rubbish away with us.
☕ Hot water will be available if you want to bring teas and suchlike. This is something we are keen to encourage.
🥄 We have mugs and glasses and plates there already too. Our lovely hosts do try to leave us with everything we might need.
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🍹 About these gatherings
Long Now London is a group of people who share an interest in long-term thinking. We have been gathering in a variety of formats, locations and frequencies since 02008. Since 02018 we have met on the second Wednesday of the month, usually in a pub, sometimes in a park, and online when necessary. 🍻
🌎 We are an independent local group inspired by the work of the Long Now Foundation and using their name with permission. Over the years our gatherings have developed their own distinct character and ethos, a reflection of our differing locale both on the planet and within human culture and history.
We meet for a variety of activities throughout the year, but our monthly gatherings encourage conversations about long-term thinking, 📡 deep time, 🏺 history, 🖌️ art, 🔭 futures, 🛰️ technology, 🔧 maintenance, a wide range of -ologies and -isms depending on the crowd. 🔎
🌍 We are in regular dialogue with other such groups around the world. 🌏 If you would like to be put in touch with like-minded people where you are, please do get in touch.
Oh, and we write the year with an additional digit at the front to guard against the deca-millennium bug; 🦠 to encourage our minds towards further horizons, and also because it's fun.
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📚 Further reading
Some links to more about this work:
Rift Two: Living in a Culture of Futurelessness (Research Live)
The Guardian on The Rift (March 02026)
And some from members of our community on the topic:
Generational Amnesia: The Memory Loss That Harms the Planet - Richard Fisher (BBC Future, 2021)
To Safeguard Future Generations, We Must Learn to Be Better Ancestors - Roman Krznaric (The Guardian, 2021)