Introduction
Background of the study
The 21st century has presented a variety of opportunities to individuals in comparison with the 16th century. This has mainly been attributed to advancements in science and technology. In addition, the present generations have also had the opportunity to select from a variety of options available to them. For instance, the availability of different careers gives one a chance to switch from one career to another and at the same time, learn to adapt to new ideas.
In addition, we have the opportunity to live longer, choose experiences, values, and social networks. These opportunities are mainly attributed to advances in scientific and technological development. Additionally, there are more opportunities in the form of global business and social development in the 21st century in comparison with the 16th century.
On the other hand, the current generation is faced with numerous challenges that they have to overcome if at all they are to remain competitive. These include corruption, crime, unemployment, human rights violations, global insecurity, climate changes, environmental degradation, and poverty, among others. These problems are common to both the developing and the developed countries as well. Interestingly, the countries, which have historically been considered less affected, are still trapped in it.
For individuals to enjoy the benefits associated with scientific and technological development, they need to develop unique personal values. This will enable one to advance in the ever-changing scientific, technological, political, business, and social environments. Therefore, individuals should ask themselves if they are ready to face an extraordinary future mired by both challenges and opportunities (Accelerated Studies Foundation, 2010, par. 4-7). This paper seeks to assess and discuss personal foresight as one of the most important personal values. It will also investigate its importance to an individual, and the world around him/her.
Personal Foresight
Definition
Personal foresight is the act of foretelling the future. It is also the human capability and capacity employed in changing the prevailing situation (Georghiou, Harper, Keenan, Miles & Popper, 2008, pp.6-7). Costanzo and Mackay argue that personal foresight is a dynamic and proactive learning process in which an individual is engaged in discovering a variety of experiences upon which he/she can make inferences that will encourage behavioral changes. Therefore, personal foresight is a process that allows an individual to learn more about the personal, business, and other global activities that provide opportunities to manage their fate (Costanzo & Mackay, 2009, p.280).
Development of Personal Foresight
One major challenge facing anyone who wishes to predict, explain, understand, or change a situation involves understanding the underlying mechanisms of a situation. Understanding such a situation involves a tedious process of looking for information from all the related areas (either directly or indirectly) to the situation at hand. This also includes consulting those directly involved in activities that influence that situation. Accordingly, this forms the basis for the development of personal foresight (Georghiou et al., 2008, pp. xvii).
Costanzo and Mackay argue that personal foresight can be referred to as an articulated process that involves the acquisition of knowledge in terms of skills, insights, and relationships that enables an individual to look at a given situation from a different perspective. This leads us to the second step in development, which is also described as knowledge sharing. This step involves an individual who has experienced change, communicating these changes to others in the society or the world at large. The third and final step involves integrating and assimilating this knowledge to new and evolving situations. Costanzo and Mackay further argue that the development of personal foresight is a dynamic and interactive activity that requires an individual to explore various experiences, make deductions from these experiences, amassing these deductions for problems that could arise in the future (Costanzo & Mackay, 2009, p. 280).
Foresight is a dynamic social practice that requires the participation of both the individuals and organizations such as society, family, or the government in general. Personal foresight development is thus a process that involves changes in thought and action in an individual. In this case, cognition affects the actions of an individual. Institutions, organizations, and the government could be very useful in the development of cognition. This is because these institutions are the main sources of information that an individual uses to make inferences about certain experiences (Georghiou et al., 2008, pp. 6). The main challenge however is how these institutions will develop structures that can channel the required information in a manner that the targeted individuals can best comprehend and infer. After this challenge is surmounted, it is upon the individual to use the inferences generated from this process to adjust their actions appropriately.
Importance of Personal Foresight
Foresight is a dynamic social process that calls for the joint participation of individuals and organizations in changing the status of complex situations. Personal foresight forms the basis for organizational development and growth (Costanzo & Mackay, 2009, pp.280). These organizational changes are divided into three levels; individual, group, and organizational. Within an organization, learning can be encouraged through social and psychological activities among individuals. These social and psychological processes include making intuitions, interpretations, integrations, and institutionalizing (Costanzo & Mackay, 2008, pp.280). Additionally, personal foresight enables an individual to overcome personal fear and to gather courage that gives him/her the chance to stay safe and face the future open-mindedly (Pavlina, 2004, pp. 1).
Despite the existence of many challenges presently, personal foresight enables individuals to live a life that is far from being described as reckless. The said foresight and courage allow one to take necessary risks and to never let fear stand in his/her way of making achievements, raising self-consciousness, moving from fear to action, and gaining personal greatness.
Personal foresight is a necessary value when relating security and individualism. Weisbrod argues that individual security lies in the arms of the family, insurance, and the government. However, each of these security arms has weaknesses in providing security. This leaves an individual without a choice but fends for personal security. This exercise requires that an individual explore and understand all that goes into the provision of security. Consequently, the ensuing findings arising from this process could be used for future security situations (Weisbrod, 2006, p.113).
Conclusion
The paper has given an elaborate account of the definition of personal foresight and the actual; development of this value. In addition, the paper has also examined the importance of personal; foresight to an individual and the society at large. An individual needs to be aware of how to engage different experiences in solving current and future complex problems. This calls for the employment of personal foresight which has proven to be essential in eliminating fear and building personal courage that would catapult an individual to greater heights.
Reference List
- Costanzo, L. A. & Mackay, R. B. (2009). Handbook of research on strategy and foresight. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
- Accelerated Studies Foundation. (2010). Foresight development: personal foresight skills practice and general foresight education.
- Georghiou, L., Harper, C. J., Keenan, M., Miles, I. & Popper, R. (2008). The handbook of technology foresight: concepts and practice. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
- Pavlina, S. (2004). The courage to live consciously. Personal development for smart people. Web.
- Weisbrod, C. (2006). Grounding Security: family, insurance and the state. Burlington, USA: Ashgate Publishing Company.