Airbag Vest

Future's Theory

What are the most radical transformations on the horizon of our world? And how are they irreversibly altering our experience of time, movement, language, mind, body, virtuality, power, and nature? Cloaked in relative obscurity, future eras compel the invention of new techniques of visionary speculation. Future's Theory provides many, shining a light on the infinity of possible futurities from multiple astonishing perspectives. Exploring how we imagine new ages in the 21st century, the book examines how alternate future dimensions will affect everything from our culture to our politics, our bodies to our minds. Filled with original work from over 20 prominent thinkers in the domains of literature, philosophy, visual art, architecture, design, media studies, ecology, anthropology, it features immersive entries on phenomena including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, mass migration, speed, climate, geo-engineering, and automation. Contemplating the variables that will expand and distort these fields, Future's Theory opens up a new atmosphere for thought itself in the epochs to come.

The Mobility Forum

Coming Alive on the Ride

Answering the call of the open road—from Seoul to Silicon Valley to riding 40,000 life-changing miles across America When Michael Yang bought his first motorcycle, he was a teenager who’d just moved to America. He knew little English and had few friends. Still, whenever he rode that green Yamaha, he felt more in touch with life’s possibilities. The bike was stolen a few months later, but Yang never forgot the feeling. It wasn’t until later in life that Yang got back on a motorcycle. By then, he’d settled into Silicon Valley amidst the technology revolution; and founded, scaled, and sold a half-billion-dollar tech startup. Then, during the upheaval of the dot-com bubble burst and a few failed attempts to get new companies off the ground, Yang felt a strong pull to reengage with himself. Sensing that this midlife crisis was an opportunity to do something fun and exciting, he revved up his bike and began riding into unfamiliar landscapes. Coming Alive on the Ride narrates more than 40,000 miles of his travels, from California’s coast to the upper reaches of Alaska, Canada’s far eastern edge, and more. One thing about long motorcycle trips is that there’s a lot of time to think. Yang describes the unique bliss of watching the miles pass beneath two wheels as he relives moments from his past—growing up in Korea during the turbulent years after the Korean War, and moving to America as a fourteen-year-old—all the while taking in North America’s astounding scenery, from the stillness of the desert to heart-racing glimpses of a bison herds and grand mountain ranges. Somewhere along the way, it happens: Past experiences and future aspirations converge into a present discovery. This inspiring memoir is a reminder that, if we slow down and tune in our senses, adventure inspires and instructs the way nothing else can.