New Perspectives QuarterlyVolume 25, Issue 1 p. 56-59 The Future Is Upon Us - Spring 2005 JARED DIAMOND, JARED DIAMONDSearch for more papers by this authorPAUL CRUTZEN, PAUL CRUTZENSearch for more papers by this authorMIKHAIL GORBACHEV, MIKHAIL GORBACHEVSearch for more papers by this authorWANGARI MAATHAI, WANGARI MAATHAISearch for more papers by this authorBRUCE MAU, BRUCE MAUSearch for more papers by this authorWANG HUI, WANG HUISearch for more papers by this authorFANG LIZHI, FANG LIZHISearch for more papers by this authorKISHORE MAHBUBANI, KISHORE MAHBUBANISearch for more papers by this authorLESTER BROWN, LESTER BROWNSearch for more papers by this authorPAUL KENNEDY, PAUL KENNEDYSearch for more papers by this authorSAIF AL ISLAM GADDAFI, SAIF AL ISLAM GADDAFISearch for more papers by this authorMASOUMEH EBTEKAR, MASOUMEH EBTEKARSearch for more papers by this authorRICHARD PERLE, RICHARD PERLESearch for more papers by this authorMOHAMMED EL BARADEI, MOHAMMED EL BARADEISearch for more papers by this authorANWAR IBRAHIM, ANWAR IBRAHIMSearch for more papers by this authorPAUL WOLFOWITZ, PAUL WOLFOWITZSearch for more papers by this authorMADELEINE ALBRIGHT, MADELEINE ALBRIGHTSearch for more papers by this author JARED DIAMOND, JARED DIAMONDSearch for more papers by this authorPAUL CRUTZEN, PAUL CRUTZENSearch for more papers by this authorMIKHAIL GORBACHEV, MIKHAIL GORBACHEVSearch for more papers by this authorWANGARI MAATHAI, WANGARI MAATHAISearch for more papers by this authorBRUCE MAU, BRUCE MAUSearch for more papers by this authorWANG HUI, WANG HUISearch for more papers by this authorFANG LIZHI, FANG LIZHISearch for more papers by this authorKISHORE MAHBUBANI, KISHORE MAHBUBANISearch for more papers by this authorLESTER BROWN, LESTER BROWNSearch for more papers by this authorPAUL KENNEDY, PAUL KENNEDYSearch for more papers by this authorSAIF AL ISLAM GADDAFI, SAIF AL ISLAM GADDAFISearch for more papers by this authorMASOUMEH EBTEKAR, MASOUMEH EBTEKARSearch for more papers by this authorRICHARD PERLE, RICHARD PERLESearch for more papers by this authorMOHAMMED EL BARADEI, MOHAMMED EL BARADEISearch for more papers by this authorANWAR IBRAHIM, ANWAR IBRAHIMSearch for more papers by this authorPAUL WOLFOWITZ, PAUL WOLFOWITZSearch for more papers by this authorMADELEINE ALBRIGHT, MADELEINE ALBRIGHTSearch for more papers by this author First published: 15 January 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5842.2008.00944.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume25, Issue1Winter 2008Pages 56-59 RelatedInformation

Civilizations are mortal. Some rise to meet their challenges, others collapse and disappear into history. Why do some posses the capacity to change, and others not?Jared Diamond warns that the Anthropocentric Age, in which the human species for the first time is the dominant influence on the planet, could end up like the extinct Maya, terminating our civilization's accomplishments if we don't squarely face our ecological challenges.Bruce Mau, like Alvin Toffler, sees hope in the “distributed power” enabled by new technologies. Jared Cohen and Eric Schmidt examine the paradoxes of the digital age which has transformed how we live our lives in every respect.