Project Vision 21

There is little doubt that we live immersed in an era in which past exercise has provided omnipresent control in our lives. That control is so strong that many (including influential and controversial politicians) seek to return to the past or, at least, try to relive it.

In this context, the disturbing idea emerges that, by filling the present with the past, we have relegated the future to oblivion.

This proliferation of the past is not merely a manifestation of nostalgia but rather a trend that raises deep philosophical and existential questions about how our relationship with time affects our perspective on the future.

On the one hand, it is clear that remembering and reflecting on the past is essential to our continued learning and growth. As George Santayana rightly pointed out, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

The past, with all its teachings and experiences, has undeniable value that cannot be underestimated. However, the problem arises when the past becomes a “safe abode” that we are not willing to let go of and a “comfort zone” that we do not want to leave.

Moreover, the present has become a scenario in which an increasing number of individuals find themselves trapped in an incessant cycle of memories and past experiences because memories provide a sense of control and certainty, that is, a feeling of understanding what is happening. What does the future hold? However, in this process, what has happened to the notion of the future?

Constant contemplation of the past has relegated the future to a dark corner of our collective psyche. In other words, we have lost the ability to dream, to imagine possibilities and to anticipate what is to come.

We have become hostages of a static present in which tomorrow is glimpsed as a predictable repetition of yesterday. This mentality impoverishes our lives and limits our potential because it prevents us from cocreating a new future.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge," said Albert Einstein, thus highlighting the essentiality of our ability to imagine and anticipate the future in our development as individuals and as a society. By living in an “excess” of the past, we run the risk of neglecting our vision for the future.

The need then arises to establish an adequate balance between the past and the present to not forget about the future. It is not about giving up our roots or discarding the lessons learned. However, we cannot stop there. A healthy plant or tree will never develop just roots. As we grow, we cannot continue living in the crib.

Furthermore, it is imperative that we foster a culture of anticipation and exploration, where curiosity and aspiration are rewarded, both in ourselves and in our fellow human beings.

Forgetting the future, generated by the saturation of the present with the past, is a labyrinth many enter inadvertently. Let us remember that, while the past is a treasure, the future presents itself as a horizon of possibilities.