Ep 43: Apex Era - Escalation, Innovation, Futurism, Optimism, Tipping Points, and the Tao of Design

Where do we go when we’ve gone too far? After a tumultuous few years have we hit peak weird, peak ideology, peak excess and peak division? Are we at peak civilisation? All signs suggest we’re near a tipping point and a massive shift in consciousness. But every ending brings a new beginning, and pushing the boundaries has been the mainstay of doers, fighters, creatives, philosophers, leaders and agents of change for thousands of years. The inflection point we’re experiencing now - the tip from Yin to Yang - is an opportunity to be architects of the future, not prisoners of the past. 

In this episode Jost and Leon reach new heights as they discuss the apex era, peak everything, and paradigm shifts by drawing parallels between design and taoism, technology and spirituality, traditional Chinese Medicine and the future of everything…in typical Future Chi fashion.

Leon delves into the history of automotive design and wonders if the Tesla Cybertruck is the dawn of a new era of design or the death of traditional beauty (or both), how this compares to the gorgeous Citroën DS, and how both are outward expressions of radical innovation in very different ways. He also talks about the past, present, and future of electric vehicles, and what to do now that we have technology that can not only create - but exceed - our vision. Jost joins the dots and discusses how the spark to create comes from the Tao, the ability to create is regulated by Yin and Yang, and how we must always be in the dot of the Yin and Yang - not the mass or mainstream - because this is where the world changing work happens. He also chats about discovering what’s right by doing what’s wrong, the importance of focusing on the inner and not fixating on the outer, how copying success doesn’t work, and how we’re here to act on our ideas - not someone else’s. Jost and Leon also talk about Banksy, Bowie, Zappa and Kraftwerk, the social media recession, how to counteract anti-human and cynical attitudes with creativity and self expression, and the beauty of editing. 

The peak we have reached is a chance to see further, to seek danger and to take risks. Be the change you want to see in the world and most importantly, be the dot! 

 

View the Episode Sketch here: https://futurethingy.com/episode-43-apex-era

For more about Jost: https://jostsauer.com/

For more about Leon: https://futurethingy.com/