looking back on the future

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This article was downloaded by: [University of Auckland Library] On: 09 October 2014, At: 03:30 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Prometheus: Critical Studies in Innovation Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cpro20 LOOKING BACK ON THE FUTURE Robyn Williams Published online: 21 Oct 2008. To cite this article: Robyn Williams (1985) LOOKING BACK ON THE FUTURE, Prometheus: Critical Studies in Innovation, 3:2, 219-221, DOI: 10.1080/08109028508628991 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08109028508628991 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan,

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Page 1: LOOKING BACK ON THE FUTURE

This article was downloaded by: [University of Auckland Library]On: 09 October 2014, At: 03:30Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH,UK

Prometheus: Critical Studies inInnovationPublication details, including instructions forauthors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cpro20

LOOKING BACK ON THE FUTURERobyn WilliamsPublished online: 21 Oct 2008.

To cite this article: Robyn Williams (1985) LOOKING BACK ON THEFUTURE, Prometheus: Critical Studies in Innovation, 3:2, 219-221, DOI:10.1080/08109028508628991

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08109028508628991

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all theinformation (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform.However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make norepresentations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness,or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and viewsexpressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, andare not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of theContent should not be relied upon and should be independently verified withprimary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for anylosses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages,and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly orindirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of theContent.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes.Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan,

Page 2: LOOKING BACK ON THE FUTURE

sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone isexpressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found athttp://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

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Prometheus, Vol. 3, No.2, December /985 2/9

LOOKING BACK ON THE FUTURERobyn Williams

I was in Port Moresby when Barry Jones phoned. The secretary in theDean of Science's office was very excited as she waved at me to come."Jones call!" she yelled.

Don't know anyone of that name, I thought to myself. I took thephone and there was the Minister. "I want you to join theCommission for the Future," he said and explained something aboutit as I strained to hear on the indifferent line.

At that point my kids came into the office. They had been coopedup at the University of Papua New Guinea for nearly a week and weredesperate to go to the beach. " Come dad , now!" They pulled at mysleeve.

"I'm talking to the bloody minister. Go away. "Meanwhile the Hon. Barry Jones was expanding on the role of the

New Zealand Future Trust, reformed from the disestablishedCommission which had so annoyed the Muldoon government. My sonwas muttering something disparaging about priests.

"Will you do it?" bounced the Minister for Science and Technology(as he was then) .

"Yes, delighted," I replied, thinking of no other way to stop mychildren hauling my legs from under me beachwards. That was how Icame to agree to membership of the Commission .

Trepidation was the first reaction. Someone would want more ofmy time. I had none left. The Commission's title was misleading andcontroversial. Many would imagine think tanks like the HudsonInstitute or the Heritage Foundation (on the right of politics), or theWorldwatch Institute in Washington (on the left). But Mr. Jones hadbeen quite clear: prediction was not our job . We were to examine thelikely directions the march of progress might take and to stir up publicattention accordingly so that 'ordinary citizens' could be betterequipped to make personal choices. Such a brief suited me. As ascience journalist I am fed up with constant news of leaps into twenty­first century technology while there are basic problems of poverty andstarvation unsolved . Two examples: as the New Scientist pointed outin an editorial recently, we have had the agricultural knowhow to feedthe world for many years, but prefer to choose farming for profit.Secondly (and this affects me directly), as umpteen bright, shinytechnologies emerge to carry communications - satellites, opticfibres, computer systems - so the skills to do the communicatingbecome more rare. Never have so few broadcasters been trained tocope intellectually with the issues of today: never have there been somany machines to help them transmit their product.

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220 Robyn Williams

My other commissioners appeared to hold similar views. They arenot disciples of Ned Ludd, but they are convinced that we need toassimilate the colossal weight of material already brought forth byscientists before adding to the load. Momentum for its own sake ispointless and we cannot afford it. I knew the two MacquarieUniversity professors - Leonie Sandercock (Urban Studies) andPeter Mason (Foundation Professor of Physics). Martha Cleary ofICI (an astrophysicist become executive) was new to me, as was JanOwen (Youth Affairs Council of Australia) and Shirley Smith(Education, University of New South Wales).

When I was told the chairman was to be Phillip Adams, I becamemore convinced than ever that there must be scores of him. Some evilgenius in Melbourne had removed an Adams' cell from the amplegirth and had cloned Phillip Adamses to supply Australia withchairmen for every committee in the land (film, AustralianBicentennial, skeptics, advertising, Life Be In It, Ferrari fan club, etc.etc.). No, there's only one. His prodigous activity is made possible bycalm good humour, immaculate judgement, unlimited contacts,boundless enthusiasm and one of the best brains I have everencountered. After initial incredulity, I now appreciate why theMinister felt keen to have his old mate take on this too.

The first few months have been spent setting up shop, hiring staffand buying staplers, bookshelves and notepaper. The office is in aconverted church in Carlton, Victoria (William of Ockham wouldapprove) - it looks stylish and even has a two-flush 100. RhondaGalbally is the first director.

In June we had a two-day brainstorming session with the best andthe brightest from around the country, and Mike Cooley from theGreater London Council Enterprise Board. We talked about theCommission's style (be bold they all said) and our work programme.Not having large resources, we obviously could not take on all theworld's problems at once. We also could not duplicate research workbetter performed by universities (with a staff of six that is out of thequestion anyway). But we could make a list of priorities, and did so.There are five in all to start the Commission's activities:

1. Work. Massive changes are already obvious and we may never seefull employment again. Some think part-time toil is inevitable andmention the wage-for-life concept (where someone is required to doseveral ' hundred hours of paid work but is then free to enjoyproductive leisure).

2. The Aging Society. Demographic figures show the population willbecome greyer, but not much thought has been given to theconsequences of this shift.

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Looking Back on the Future 221

3. The Information Society. Our themes would be dominated bymeans to enfranchise those with less access to the informationboom .

4. Science Education. No longer can we justify putting physics,chemistry, maths, biology etc. in separate little boxes. The bestminds in the scientific world describe nature as a complete,complex entity. Perhaps the time has come to teach accordingly,with much more emphasis on the history and philosophy of science.(More? There's practically none in schools today.)

5. Changes in medical technology .

I have suggested that we focus on some key issue in each of these,one by one, publicise some aspect of neglect, then hold a meeting ofgreat minds and those affected. Such meetings would be organised astelevision events and broadcast accordingly, with videotapes madeavailable to all who want them. In this way we could encourage debatewithout taking sides on an issue. This technique will take someorganising, but certainly looks promising so far.

What about that part about the ordinary citizen's choice? How doesthat fit? We shall see. Obviously the debates, publications and even,perhaps, science shops may make a considerable impact, but otherapproaches are illustrated by a particular concern of my own. Fewunions have scientific advice on tap. Instead, they react to events, anddefend members' jobs when it is often too late to influence the courseof change. While the Swedes (yet again!) have for years managed touse boffins to counsel unionists on everything from industrial healthto technological change, such a nexus is practically unknown of thiscountry.

Similarly, science exists but remotely for Australians: on telly, inlabs, at school. The only manifestation of it at home is as gismos(consumer goods) or as hazard (the following trillion things are badfor you...). We would like to see science in the high street, as part ofeveryday culture - a promethean ambition if ever there was one!

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