It’s exciting to see the Multiverse theory becoming more popular! Especially with it being introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe recently. Now, let’s see what happens when we add some futures thinking into the equation.
If you don’t know, the Multiverse theory is the idea that there are multiple universes that are co-existing at the same time. For example, there could be another universe where you are living an entirely different life. That other you could be rich, or likes the meal that you really dislike, or has a personality trait that you wished you had. Just small changes that differentiate our universes from the infinite earths that may be out there. Maybe there are other universes that have humans capable of hibernating for months, or one where dogs can talk.
Who knows if the multiverse is real or not, but I like to think so! What about you?
Now, if you’re not familiar with the concept of futures thinking, then think of it as having a mindset that there is more than one future that we might head into. Of course, the future isn’t set in stone, but there’s also the idea that there is an infinite amount of futures that one could head into based on the actions we do in the present.
Now, this is where it gets a little crazier. What do you get when there is an infinite number of universes with an infinite number of futures? That is the idea, hence the name Multiversal Futures, that I want to explore.
Multiversal Futures is the idea of imagining parallel futures of alternate universes.
When it comes to futures thinking, there is the understanding that every future that we can think of (or not) has the possibility of becoming true. However, that’s not the case with this concept. These parallel futures aren’t futures that we can head into because our own present reality can’t support their creation.
Most of the foresight methods out there use the current present, or our own timeline, to help create the many futures that we can imagine. These futures are only tied to our own reality, but what if we can learn something from these unexplored futures in the multiverse?
With Multiversal Futures, it may add a new element to our Foresight Practice, which I think could change our outlook on our futures, even if it is just a little!
I know it has some similarities with other foresight tools, but I would like to propose a fun process of including this method during your futures thinking sessions. Multiversal Futures is a unique way of using science fiction as a gateway to look at alternate realities that we could create parallel futures for.
So with all this said, I am currently developing a Multiversal Futures Method with my colleague, Fernando Gutierrez, for others to use. We actually have been doing some sort of exercise involving Multiversal Futures in The Multiverse Conversation that we’ve been co-hosting since the summer of 2022. We have that to go off from, but we have plenty of other ideas that we will be playing around with, and we are hoping one will add value to our field and encourage creativity for a lot of people who are intrigued by the Multiverse Theory.
We will do our best to get this published in the Journal of Futures Studies, and if you have any questions about this Multiversal Futures concept, please feel free to send us an email. It will help us understand any confusion that you might have, and see if we can provide answers with the final product.
So, let’s see how this goes! Wish me luck!
