💜 what we value

the future belongs to those who think about it — but how we think about it together matters just as much as what we imagine.

here are some of that values that guide us as we build better futures in multiplayer mode:

futures forward

we're here to imagine and build better tomorrows, which means:

• actively exploring what "better" means (and for whom)

• challenging ourselves to think beyond what feels possible today

• being clear-eyed about both challenges and opportunities

• remembering that small actions create real ripples

• finding possibility in unusual places

curiosity first

showing up with genuine wonder helps us discover what's possible:

• asking questions before jumping to answers

• staying open to surprising connections

• sharing what catches our attention

• making space for different perspectives

• delighting in the wonderfully weird

collective > competitive

better futures need all of us, so we:

• build with each other, not just for ourselves

• share generously while respecting boundaries

• amplify others' work and wisdom

• create contexts for unexpected collaboration

• celebrate unusual combinations

care as practice

we take care of the futures we're building by taking care of each other:

• showing up as whole humans

• respecting energy and capacity

• making space for rest and reflection

• being gentle with ourselves and others

• finding joy in the journey

many ways of knowing

futures work doesn't belong to any one discipline, culture, or perspective:

• valuing both lived experience and formal training

• embracing different ways of noticing and naming

• learning from unlikely teachers

• challenging our assumptions about "expertise"

• respecting cultural and cognitive diversity

business unusual

we believe better futures need a bit of magic, so we:

• make space for playful experimentation

• treat whimsy as a serious tool

• find joy in unexpected connections

• embrace the power of "what if?"

• let our imaginations get wonderfully weird

ownership as energy

having real stake changes how we participate:

• contributing to our collective intelligence

• taking initiative where we see gaps

• following through on commitments

• sharing both benefits and responsibilities

• making room for different forms of contribution

decentralized by design

magic happens when inspiration flows from everywhere:

• instigating action from any corner

• supporting organic, permissionless experiments

• amplifying energy where it emerges

• creating space for unexpected leadership

• enabling participation across time zones and contexts

accessibility by design

we believe futures thinking should be accessible across every dimension:

culturally & geographically:

• embracing perspectives from every corner of the world

• respecting different ways of knowing and being

• creating space for multiple languages and contexts

• challenging western-centric defaults

cognitively & neurologically:

• providing multiple ways to engage and contribute

• respecting different processing and communication styles

• making space for diverse thinking patterns

• supporting various energy levels and capacities

structurally & practically:

• using clear language that invites people in

• making our work easy to find and share

• removing financial barriers where possible

• offering flexible ways to participate

ok but, what does all of that mean?

you can see it when we:

• cite generously and celebrate connections

• build bridges between ideas and people

• take time to properly digest what we're learning

• remember we're all figuring this out together

• challenge each other with care and curiosity

• stay grounded in possibility without ignoring reality

• actively work to make our spaces more accessible

• recognize and celebrate different ways of contributing

• let conversations get wonderfully weird

• find delight in unexpected connections

• treat joy as a legitimate methodology

but it's not always easy, so we look out for each other when we:

• mistake criticism for critical thinking

• forget to balance reflection and action

• treat the community as an audience rather than co-creators

• lose sight of the humans behind the ideas

• get caught in old patterns of scarcity thinking

• default to "that's not how it's done" instead of "what might we learn here?"

• wait for someone else to take the lead

• assume everyone experiences our spaces the same way

• take ourselves too seriously

• lose the joy in possibility

the good news? we're building this future together, which means we get to help each other stay true to what matters most.

last updated by keels on Feb 3, 2025