A Brief History of the Future

A Brave and Controversial Look at the Twenty-first Century

By: Jacques Attali

Narrated by: Alan Robertson

What will planet Earth be like in 20 years? At mid-century? In the year 2100? Prescient and convincing, this book is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future. Never has the world offered more promise for the future and been more fraught with dangers. In this powerful and sometimes terrifying work, Attali analyzes the past and pinpoints nine distinct periods of human history, each with its world center of power and prestige, and predicts what the tenth will bring by the end of this century.

Attali foresees the disappearance of individual countries and the dominance of a world government, with democracy prevailing. However, the ultimate, burning question is: Will we leave our children and grandchildren a world that is not only viable but better, or in this nuclear world bequeath to them a planet that will be a living hell? Either way, he warns, the time to act is now.

©2006, 2011 Librairie Arthème Fayard, English-language translation copyright 2009, 2011 by Arcade Publishing (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

garbage

I got about 2/3 thru it before I couldn't stomach any more of his self aggrandizing proficy...

Interesting in many ways

But not necessarily a "guide". Concepts presented are very general, and since its writing some have come true, however many could see these events unfolding prior to its time. Nevertheless it was an interesting read.

well that was wrong

I stopped listening at the point where it said Russia would start making allies along its pipe route. Don't think it really panned out, wish you to talk to more about the algorithmic virus And it's human capitalist co-conspirators

The Dystopian Plan For The Future

The last 40 minutes or so (listening at 1.5x speed) reveals the frightening future the globalists/socialists have in store for us.

Transhumans - like Melinda Gates, he actually mentions her specifically! - will usher in an era of hyper democracy during which all of our needs will be taken care of so that we will not have to worry about the inequities and dangers of the world. Attali actually says that the UN Security Council will merge with the G8 to form this world government in which there will be a central bank, one currency, and everyone will live in massive, well-planned cities.

The term ‘for the common good’ is used so often that i lost track of how many times.

Attali talks about how energy, water and food supply will be scarce and force the powers that be to manage the population. Similar alarmist pap has been promoted since the 1970’s, yet these types are undaunted in their willingness to continue their narrative.

He wrote this in the early 2000’s, and just recently we have seen the subject of water scarcity come up as the next phony emergency that authorities want to use an an excuse to swoop in and take away more of our freedoms.

He also regurgitates all of the now debunked climate change lies dealing with man made climate change and the non issue of CO2 in the atmosphere. The other environmentalist lies of shrinking polar ice caps and coral reefs are also mentioned. Time is the enemy of these propagandists.

Another prediction that hasn’t aged well is the scarcity of petroleum and low chance of finding enough new reserves to keep oil flowing past 2050, a myth that was totally exploded from 2018-2022.

If this isn’t enough, Attali is also a big fan of the ideas of Karl Marx and repeatedly refers to Marx’s true ideas, and how these future transhumans will fix the mistakes made by those who have tried to implement Marx’s failed ideology in the past (and present).

The events of the covid shutdown and how we saw the naked face of authoritarianism, kind of ruined the gentle touch Attali tries to ascribe to the intentions and methods of government to act in ‘the common good.’

This is a terrifying book because people actually want this kind of future for the world. Science fiction authors have written about this kind of dystopia for generations - and most have done a better job - but this book is scary because it presents itself as a plan.

good stuff

really enjoy this one. Excellent content and the narrator did a heck of a good job.