Santiago Zabala

Signs From the Future by Santiago Zabala is an interesting appeal for a turn toward both a philosophy and a politics of warnings.

He uses four thinkers as examples of a philosophy of warnings, Nietzsche, Heidegger, de Beauvoir, and Arendt. In the process he highlights the fact that facts alone aren't very successful at getting people to act or to change their minds, but other types of emotional appeals, from protests to art and film, can work much better. Because the idea is to get people, show more organizations, and governments to act on potential future emergencies the sense of urgency is not as present as it should be so something other than facts are needed.

One of the many key distinctions he makes is between prediction and warning. Predictions at the least imply a sense of inevitability, which can lead many to not act and simply live in the moment. Warnings imply a possible future event, one that can be avoided by creating an alternative to our present norm. It is this attempt to generate more forward, critical thinking and the use of imagination to envision various futures that is a large part of what he is calling for.

I am (possibly over-) simplifying his points but simply quoting his words doesn't bring the big ideas together. I will say that this is a very accessible book. I think anyone unfamiliar with these thinkers will be able to follow Zabala's thinking and ideas.

Highly recommended for activists as well as those who might currently be relying too much on facts by themselves to sway people and generate change. This would be an excellent book to read as a group with a common goal and then brainstorm ideas to make a more meaningful impact.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less