The Future With Friends

Simon Waller
  • 5.0 (1)
  • 哲学
  • 两周一更

Have you ever wondered about the future of work life balance? Or the future of death and dying? Or perhaps the future of friendships themselves? Well it turns out these are the futures my friends think about and this is the podcast where we explore those futures with you. Each episode I invite a friend to discuss the future of any topic they choose. I challenge them to write a future scenario set at least five years from now that captures their hopes and dreams, or quite possibly, their worst fears and nightmares. We then get to spend a little time together exploring what might happen next.

  1. The Future of Power with Zoe Routh

    5天前

    The Future of Power with Zoe Routh

    In this episode of The Future With Friends, Simon is joined by his longtime friend Zoe Routh - leadership expert, podcaster, and acclaimed author of speculative fiction with a techno-thriller edge. Zoe explores the future of power, a theme that runs deep through both her science fiction writing and her leadership development work. She shares a beautifully written and deeply researched future scenario, drawing on the ideas woven through her five novels. In it, she takes us forward in time to imagine how power might evolve - and how clashes between cultural norms, values, and worldviews could unfold in ways we’re already beginning to glimpse today. Building on this scenario, Simon and Zoe dive into concepts such as spiral dynamics, the evolution of human consciousness, and the possibilities (and tensions) of new models of power. Their conversation bridges Zoe’s work in leadership with her richly imagined science fiction, creating a dialogue that feels both urgent and inspiring. At its heart, The Future of Power is an invitation to rethink what power really means - not just as hierarchy or control, but as something that can evolve, adapt, and transform the way we live, lead, and collaborate in the decades ahead.

    1 小时 32 分钟
  2. The Future of Deep Connection | Ep 14

    9月12日

    The Future of Deep Connection | Ep 14

    This episode of The Future With Friends is about what it really takes to build meaningful human connections — and what can happen when we take a risk and open ourselves up to meeting someone new. Simon is joined by his good friend (and fellow high-seas explorer) Michael Schiffner, founder of Collective Intelligence. Michael shares a future scenario that’s deeply personal and beautifully written, perhaps the most profound one yet. He takes us twenty years into the future, imagining what Burning Man might look like in 2045, and how it could continue to serve as a catalyst for connection, belonging, and shared experience. Building on this scenario, Simon and Michael explore how friendship, hospitality, and openness to chance encounters can transform our lives. They reflect on the role of risk and vulnerability in building trust, and how collaboration allows us to draw on a collective wisdom greater than any one individual. At its heart, The Future of Deep Connection is a reminder that genuine connections are not optional extras — they are the essence of our humanity and essential to how we thrive and survive, both now and in the future.

    1 小时 31 分钟
  3. The Future of Community with Stef Koster | Ep 13

    8月29日

    The Future of Community with Stef Koster | Ep 13

    This episode is extra special — for the very first time, The Future With Friends was filmed in front of a live audience at CoCo Place in Mornington! The setting perfectly suits this episode’s theme: ‘The Future of Community’. This week’s guest is Steph Koster, founder of the co-working space CoCo Place. The energy of being together in the room brings the conversation to life as Simon and Steph explore what it really takes to keep people connected in a rapidly changing world. They discuss the power of volunteerism, the evolving role of technology, and the emotional bonds that hold communities together. Steph shares a compelling utopian scenario about a small town whose local sports clubs and community life have collapsed after funding is diverted to major city events, and how residents, from elders to teenagers, rebuild connection and purpose. Steph draws on her experience with Tennis Australia, sharing insights from major marketing campaigns alongside her grassroots work in regional towns. She reflects on how communities are formed through local clubs and what could be lost if they disappear. Their conversation highlights the wisdom elders pass down, the universal need for belonging, and the importance of collaboration over competition.  At its heart, this episode celebrates the energy of live conversation and the power of stories to strengthen and reimagine community. It’s a reminder that vibrant, resilient communities aren’t built alone — they grow through connection, collaboration, and shared purpose.

    1 小时 4 分钟
  4. The Future of Immigration with Anton van der Walt | Ep 12

    8月8日

    The Future of Immigration with Anton van der Walt | Ep 12

    In this episode of The Future With Friends, Simon Waller is joined by leadership expert and good friend Anton van der Walt for a heartfelt conversation about immigration, belonging, and the future of cultural integration. Anton shares a beautifully written and deeply personal scenario set in 2042. It explores the journey of an immigrant family navigating the complexities of settling in a new country - the challenges they face, the strengths they bring, and the emotional resilience required along the way. It’s a story that reminds us that true belonging isn’t achieved through assimilation or automation, but through time, empathy, and mutual understanding. Simon and Anton’s conversation weaves through themes of identity, community, and the value of shared experience. They reflect on their parallel journeys in podcasting, the role of technology in fostering connection, and the limitations of a hyper-efficient approach to integration. It’s a thoughtful discussion on the immigrant experience - one that asks us to slow down, listen more deeply, and recognise the cultural richness that emerges when we make space for difference. At its heart, this episode is about the power of stories - and the kind of understanding that only comes from sitting down and truly hearing one another, friend to friend. GUEST: Anton van der Walt

    1 小时 12 分钟
  5. The Future of Meeting Strangers with Anneli Blundell | Ep 11

    7月25日

    The Future of Meeting Strangers with Anneli Blundell | Ep 11

    In this episode of The Future With Friends, Simon Waller sits down with long-time friend and human connection expert Anneli Blundell to explore the personal and relevant topic: The Future of Meeting Strangers.Anneli shares a future scenario set in the year 2095 — a world where society has been divided into two classes: creators and connectors. In the pursuit of hyper-efficiency and emotional safety, people are funnelled into roles based on whether they’re better at thinking or relating. But in this divided world, something unexpected emerges: an underground movement where creators are learning to connect again — meeting strangers, holding uncomfortable conversations, and rediscovering their humanity.What follows is a rich conversation about what happens when we start opting out of discomfort — and what we risk losing when connecting with others becomes optional. Simon and Anneli reflect on their own experiences of discomfort, the erosion of social skills post-COVID, and how the pendulum of culture might be swinging too far in the direction of avoidance and efficiency.Together, they explore how technology, isolation, and polarisation are reshaping the way we relate — and how we might gently push back. At the heart of the conversation is a call to action: to do the hard thing, embrace discomfort, and find our way back to one another — one stranger at a time.GUEST: Anneli Blundell

    1 小时 19 分钟
  6. The Future of Doing Risky Things with Leanne Williams | Ep 10

    7月11日

    The Future of Doing Risky Things with Leanne Williams | Ep 10

    In this episode of The Future With Friends, Simon Waller sits down with long-time colleague and leadership expert Leanne Williams to explore a provocative and timely topic: The Future of Doing Risky Things. Leanne shares a future scenario set in 2049 — a world so consumed by policies, procedures, and the pursuit of safety that risk itself has become taboo. But instead of creating a safer society, this hyper-regulated world gives rise to something unexpected: an underground leadership experiment where people go to remember what it feels like to not be safe. What follows is a direct and honest conversation about our shifting relationship with risk. Simon and Leanne reflect on their own experiences with discomfort, and how risk has often been the catalyst for growth. They explore how risk aversion is showing up in leadership, workplaces, and culture — and what it might cost us if we keep trying to safety-proof life. They also examine how technology, insurance, and a culture of compliance are reshaping our sense of what’s acceptable — and where the line sits between smart safeguards and stifling control.

    1 小时 10 分钟
  7. The Future of Meaningful with Lizzie Davidson | Ep 9

    6月27日

    The Future of Meaningful with Lizzie Davidson | Ep 9

    In this episode, Simon Waller sits down with the sweary and sharp-witted Scottish writer Lizzie Davidson to explore the timely and deeply human topic: The Future of Meaningful. Lizzie shares a bold and hopeful future scenario set in the aftermath of a great global reset — triggered by the trajectory we’re currently on: climate collapse, pandemics, conflict. But rather than dystopia, this is a world where consumerism has been replaced with connection, and the fundamentals of life — housing, food, education, healthcare — are no longer things people have to worry about. As Simon puts it, this was “easily the most utopian scenario that someone has produced for the show so far.” But the conversation isn’t naive. Together, they unpack the real-world tensions between individualism and community, and the societal work required for such a future to emerge. It’s a vision rooted in deep congruence — a world where people show up the same in their work lives as they do in their personal lives. They explore the joy in everyday things, the sticky process of imagining a better future, and how we might each become weak signals for the change we want to see — quietly lighting the way toward what’s possible. This conversation is both deeply uplifting and quietly challenging. Because maybe meaning isn’t something we find. Maybe it’s something we practice. GUEST: Lizzie Davidson

    1 小时 14 分钟
  8. The Future of Continuity (of Life) with Jason Fox | Ep 8

    6月13日

    The Future of Continuity (of Life) with Jason Fox | Ep 8

    In the second half of our two-part special, Simon Waller and Dr Jason Fox continue their exploration of the future of continuity—this time shifting the focus from the machine to life itself. Set in the same imagined world of 2043, this scenario envisions a future where humans have reclaimed agency, hard work is meaningful, and governance is grounded in decentralised, transparent systems designed in service to all of life. Together, Simon and Jason dive into the value of scenario planning, the role of friction and creativity in shaping resilient futures, and what it means to lead a quest in times of ambiguity. This is a future shaped not by optimisation—but by agency. GUEST: Dr Jason Fox

    1 小时 12 分钟
查看全部 15 集

关于

Have you ever wondered about the future of work life balance? Or the future of death and dying? Or perhaps the future of friendships themselves? Well it turns out these are the futures my friends think about and this is the podcast where we explore those futures with you. Each episode I invite a friend to discuss the future of any topic they choose. I challenge them to write a future scenario set at least five years from now that captures their hopes and dreams, or quite possibly, their worst fears and nightmares. We then get to spend a little time together exploring what might happen next.

信息

  • 创作者
    Simon Waller
  • 活跃年份
    2025年
  • 单集
    15
  • 分级
    儿童不宜
  • 版权
    © Simon Waller
  • 节目网站
    The Future With Friends

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