By Ellen Duthie &

Daniela Martagón

THE F U T U R E I S
ID E A S FO R LO
DRAWING, TALKING
O K IN G AT, READING,
AND THINKING
ABOUT THE FUTURE WO W !
THE
FUTURE IS WOW!
is an international
project where Won-
N
E I
der Ponder invites
L V ? WILL W
EVO WAYS
people of all ages E LEAR
E HOW T N
to imagine, write, O COM
I L L W CTED WITH O MUNIC
ATE
draw, talk and
W XPE ILL THER S
ask themselves
U N E W HAT W PECIES?
URE
interesting questions
T HE FUT
E?
BE LIK
about the futu re, to
think both deeply and
playfully about the
WILL WE PU
future we want and the T
future we do not want, A N END TO A
L L
and the possibility of doing WARS?
something about it.

It is part of the research for a DOES THE

book we will publish in 2022
FUTURE
and it was created within the
framework of the workshop EXIST?
programme for the 2021-2022
season at Espacio Abierto Quinta
de los Molinos in Madrid (Spain). WILL
After using this booklet for reading
, WE
MANA
wri ting , ther e GE TO
STOP
talking, drawing, and
are several ways in which you can CLIM
help us with our project. You can CHANG ATE
E?
take pictures of your interview
with the human being from 2984
(page 10) and the postcard to HOW
IKE WOULDN’T
the future ( page 11) and send
W W O U LD YOU L
HO BE? YOU LIKE THE
URE TO
them to wonderponderfuture-
questions@gmail.com, stating THE FUT FUTURE TO
the name and age of the
BE?
person asking the questions.
Those of you who want to
go all the way could send us
images of all the pages in the Y
booklet where you have contribu- W MAN
HO E
ted drawings or questions—we’ d
O S SIBL
P S
love to see them! We will make a URE
selection of all the questions received FUT ERE?
TH
ARE
them
from children like you, and include
in a special digital publication.

WHAT I
F THE
FUTURE
IS
NOW?
wonderponderonline.com
2 If it was possible to know the future, would you want to know everything or only some
parts of it? If only some parts of it, which parts and why? And why not the others?

WOU
LIKE LD YO
Can the future be
changed?
U
YOUR TO KN
Would there be
FUT OW
any advantages to URE
knowing the future? ?
Would there b
e any What would you ask
disadvantage
s to the fortune-teller?
knowing the fu
ture?
Will I ever
experience
boring if we true love?
Would life be
, or not
knew the future
necessarily?

que
sti Wh
tom ons w at
tes o il
t i rrow l
ncl ’s
ude
?

Will it
What num ever sto
bers p
will win t hurting?
he
lottery?
Will I have
Will a job that I
be h I
appy enjoy?
?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW

WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO YES no MAYBE
DIE? WHY?
 3
HOW MANY W
AYS OF
READING THE
FUTURE
If you close your
eyes and think of the mo

ARE THERE?
st
unlikely way of reading
the future that you
can come up with, some
one, somewhere in the world and
at some time in history,
has probably thought of
perhaps, tried it out. Re it before you and even,
ading the future from the
grains? Alectryomancy. ob servation of a cockerel
Observing how wax me pecking
lts and drawing conclus
future? Carromancy. Te ions about the
lling the future based on
careful inspection
of the entrails of sacrific
ed animals?
Haruspicy. Throwing sto
nes and
watching how they fall?
I see two great Cleromancy.
love stories Telling the future from the
or perhaps shape of
it’s two long clouds? Nephomancy. St
journeys
ud ying palm
lines? Chiromancy. Ever
ything has
been thought of before!
Some of these ways of
‘reading’
the future (perhaps all of
Beware of them)
snakes make us laugh, but huma
n beings
make predictions all the
time and
many of them are very
useful
and relatively reliable.
What are
some of the more reliabl
e ways
of predicting the future?
The date of What
your death are they based on? Wha
is unclear t would
As to you be brave enough to
money, not predict?
wonderful You will make
but not a great
terrible discovery
either

WRITE YOUR PREDICTION FOR THE FUTURE:

 E H U N D R E D
4 WHAT WOULD A ‘ON B E L I K E?
R T U A L L I F E
T ’ V I
PERCEN
ine
te d a Wo n derlife mach
inven ?
If someone
wo u ld yo u connect to it
,
in the future

Can you be absolutely sure that

you are not already connected to Are real things better than virtual
a machine like Wonderlife? things? Why? Does it matter if
something is real or virtual?

happy without What is better, a ‘real’ life with some

Is it possible to be
happiness? moments of unhappiness, or a ‘fake’ life of
any moments of un
permanent happiness? Why?

Would the Wonderlife machine belong

more in a nightmarish future
or a dreamy future? Why?

This scene is included in Pinch Me!, within the Visual Philosophy for All Ages series by Wonder Ponder.

‘It’s simple. They plug you in and BAM!, you live a life of perfect
happiness without ever suspecting that none of it is real’.
 INVISIBI
TU
RB O
KIDBOT, 5
IT
Y OUGHTFUL
TH

L
RING
A ND
TIDY

TH
OUG
H T R EAD E R

GALLERY OF INVENTIONS OF THE FUTURE

We present you with three super inventions of the future. They will be here in no time! Look carefully at
the drawing and read the name of each invention. Which of them would you like someone to invent in
the future? Which of them would you rather was never ever invented? Why? Which is the most fun? The
most useful? The most dangerous? The cleverest? Why? Would any of these inventions belong in an ideal
future? What about in a nightmare future?

MY INVENTIONS OF THE FUTURE

Now it’s your turn to work at the department of inventions for the future. You can think of
inventions you would love, inventions you would find terrifying, inventions that might solve
problems for humanity, or inventions that would simply make our lives more pleasant, easier,
or more fun. Don’t forget to give your inventions a good name!
 6 GT
H ENED NEC POSSIBLE FUTURE
EVOLUTIONS OF THE
N

I ES
LE

AN
HUMAN BODY

S P EC
ND

D
BACK
ED A

ER
EN

OT

H
INF
RARED VISION
TH
TH

GENE WI
TIC COMBINATIONS
NG
RE
ST

30 % B R
IN

A
70
%
BLE, ANTI
L EX I - F ST
-F A
CT

EE
R
I

UR
SE M

L
SK
IN
WIT
H SPECIAL OXYGEN-RELEASING
BO

AN
D B
N ES

IOEN GAE
ERGY GENERATING MICROAL
YER
OUTER LA

HOW DO YOU THINK THE HUMAN BODY MIGHT CHANGE?

Think of our senses (Will we develop any new ones? Will we sharpen the senses we
already have?), our level of physical activity (How would a completely sedentary
body evolve? What about a hyper-exercised body?), and our habits (What effects
might a habit that has been repeated for centuries have on the physical evolution of
humans?). Draw the changes you imagine and note down any useful explanations.
 What would you take with you for your future on another planet? Why?
7
Draw and/or write your luggage here.

’t
I haven
I hope
forgott
en any
t h
a
in
n t
g
.
INTERGALACTIC LUGGAGE
import
What would you take with you
for your future on another planet?
You have been chosen to take part in a space mission
to create a trial civilization in another galaxy, and
you can only take one suitcase with you. You don’t
have much time to choose only the essentials for the
best future possible. Your baggage limit is one cabin
suitcase, and the weight limit is 10 kg.
8
FUT U RE CANDIDATES,
BEST
DEBATE
He said he do
’s the have anythi
Where
ive for say to feat
entat hereds
repres y?
equalit or prehistori
human
ANIMALS IN
CHARGE
HUMAN
In this future, the
EQUALITY
vocal tract and
brain of some
In this future,
animals on Earth
human societies
have evolved in
have come to the
such a manner that
realisation that it
they have develo-
is easier to achieve
ped the capacities
an equal society in
of speech and
all senses if everyo-
complex thought.
ne looks exactly the
Humans are no
same. That is why
longer the most
all embryos under-
intelligent animals
go a standardising
on the planet, and
genetic modifica-
gorillas, crows
tion to ensure that
and elephants are
all human beings
in charge of most
look identical.
world governments.
ICH ONE OF TH ESE
WH
YOU
FUTURES WOULD
?
VOTE FOR? WHY
Oh, t
hese
mode
rn a
what dults
,
appa
lling
man
ners!
esn’t
ng to
cs.
CHILDREN’S AND
PREHISTORIC
TEENAGERS’
FUTURE
VOTE
In this future,
In this future, all
several centuries
people over the
ago, leaders of
age of 10 can vote
all the countries in
and stand for elec-
the world decided
tion. The opinion
unanimously to
and contributions
start over. Much
of the underage
like a videogame,
population are
a decision was
taken into account
made to go back
in decisions at all
and start again,
levels: town counci-
“to see if this time
ls, regional govern-
we do things bet-
ments and country
ter”. In this future,
governments, as
we are still in
well as in key inter-
prehistoric times,
national summits.
hunting and ga-
thering our food.
 What qualifications or tra
ining
9
should someone have if
wish to stand for demo
they What personal qualities
cratic should someone have if they
elections?
wish stand for democratic How could
citizens
elections? prepare
to exercis
their vote e
in an
informed
eams, should people and
In the future of our dr ? pondered
be able to vote? Why manner?
under the age of 18
THE DE
ld, at what age do
If you think they shou
you think people shou
ld be able to vote?
MOCRAC
Why that age and no
t before?
OF THE Y
wou l d a ll a
ve
dults ha e
som FUTURE
i d e a l future, o u l d th ere be
I n an w be
g h t to vote, or rig h ts should
the r i ting
u lts w hose vo put on hold?
ad d or
restricte
What would an a
nimal
have to develop in
order
for us to consider
that they
should have the ri not yet
ght to If people under 18 are
vote? is it that
qualified to vote, what
vote by
makes them qualified to
Does the it that
majority the age of 18? What is
the best d always m time?
ecisions? ake they develop during this
What if t lop what
majority
makes a he What if they never deve
mistake? lop?
they are meant to deve

How much corrup

tion can
a democracy with Can a society with an illiterate
stand?
population be democratic?

Is it always fa
irer to decide In a referendum
of the majority on the basis , should elderly
’s position or a people have the
times when a re there right to decide
minority’s posi the future of a co
weigh more th tion should untry that will
an the majority soon no longer b
’s? e theirs?

be
a r there to re
ink of sib l e fo he
o u th
Can y ecision- Is it pos in a society w
d What would the d e m oc r
a cy e almost
better system than democracy of e o pl e h a v
ave
g
makin cy? some p ll and others h
an ideal future at a t?
d e m oc
ra nothing thing they wan
look like? ever y
10 In 2984, a
re you still
living on E
WHAT
arth?
Are there

WOULD YOU
aliens
on Earth?

ASK A PERSON Have scienti

FROM 2984?
sts managed
to bring bac
k dinosaurs?

As a human being from 2984, Are you happy?

e
this person is a true expert on the What ar
future. Imagine you could interview ams?
ll your dre
them. What would you ask them? re sti
Think of all the aspects of life that will Is t h e
rty? What are your hair
have changed and ask them anything pove and your skin like?
you feel curious about. There are alre-
ady some questions sent in by people oney
?
from the present like you. Making an em
effort not to repeat any questions that ou hav
Do y
are already on the page, what other
questions would you ask them?

SEND THEM A POSTCARD!

Go over all the questions from your interview to a human being from 2984 and choose
one that you find most interesting, funniest, or most intriguing. Send it to them using the
first postcard on the following page – you never know… you may get an answer one day!
Write your favourite question to send to the future here (see page 10). 11

POSTCARD TO IO
N
R
S FO THE F
U THE FUTURE

TU
ES

RE
QU

Write your reply to the past here (see page 12).

POSTCARD W
ER
S FO R T H
E
P TO THE PAST
S

AS
AN

T
12
WHAT IF THIS
Look a
received tathese postcards IS THE
FUTURE NOW?
1921 for p ll the way fro
(such as yoeople of the futurme
and choous rself). Read them
e your fav
ourite.

t
o n den d
es p on
u r corr the secthing
ry o on ery m!
a n sweur replyll do evt to the
ou o e’ ti
o u ld y Write y and wn to ge
t w st? 11 e ca
Whathe pa n page w
r o m
f stca r d o
po
WHAT FIVE THINGS WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO EXHIBIT 13
IN A FUTURE 21ST CENTURY EARTH MUSEUM?
To help you choose, imagine a 25th century dweller, on Earth or a different planet. What 5 things would
you choose to give them an idea of what day-to-day life was like on Earth in the 21st century? Draw
each of your exhibits and note down next to it a brief explanation for people from the 25th century to
understand what it is and why you have chosen it.

did
t w hat
Bu
I would have used
they th
loved to see o wi
to d
y ?
that with m that
own eyes.
14 How do
yo
imagine u How do you
th
houses o e imagine the
f the
future? parks of the
o you future?
How d the
e
How do you imagin the
How do you f
imagine the toys o How do
imagine the future? imagine ou
y
food of the t
future?
cities of the books o he
future? f the How do you
future?
im agine the clothes
How do you
of the future?
imagine the
school of the
future? How do you imagine
How do you
the landscapes of
imagine the How do you
e the future?
people of th imagine the jobs
future? of the future?
How do How will
yo
imagine u humans get
th
robots o e along in the
o you f the
How d our future? future?
e
imagin p with
n s hi
relatio s in the
l
anima e? How do you
futur
QUESTIONS
imagine the
phones of the
FOR IMAGININ
What problems
G
future?
do you think will
be solved in the THE FUTURE ill
IN FULL
future? W hat w
ntry’s
your cou e
DETAIL
b
climate
How do you imag e
ine like in th
the future of future?
transport?
How do you
imagine the u
How do yo
music of the e
Will there be new laws imagine th
in the future? the
future? What new laws prisons of
do future?
you imagine there migh
t be?

How do you
ts do you think imagine the
What new righ family of
uered
might be conq the future?
in the future?
 HOW DO YOU IMAGINE THE WORST FUTURE POSSIBLE?

As inspiration for your drawing, look at the previous page and think and talk about the questions. This will help you imagine the future in full
detail. In your window looking onto the worst possible future, you can draw, write, or do a combination of both drawing and writing. When it’s
ready, invite other people to look out of your nightmare window. What do they think? Do they agree it is as terrifying as you think?
15
 16
HOW DO YOU IMAGINE THE BEST FUTURE POSSIBLE?

As inspiration for your drawing, look at the previous page and think and talk about the questions. This will help you imagine the future in full
detail. In your window looking onto the best possible future, you can draw, write, or do a combination of both drawing and writing. When it’s
ready, invite other people to look out of your dreamy window. What do they think? Do they agree it is as marvellous as you think?
 A DAY IN 2984
SHORT STORY COMPETITION
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. ELIGIBILITY: The Competition is aimed at
anybody who wishes to take part, regardless
of their age and nationality, in one of the
following categories:
A- Children (aged 12 and under)
B- Teenagers (aged 13 to 17)
C- Adults (aged 18 and over)
Each participant may enter up to three
stories. If a participant enters more than
three, only the first three will be considered.
2. ENTRY CRITERIA: The topic for the stories
entered is “A Day in 2984”. This does not
necessarily have to be the title of the story,
although it may be.
The stories must be original and unpublished
(in any format, including electronic, digital, or
online), written in Spanish or English. If people
writing in other languages wish to enter, they
must provide, together with the original story,
a translation of the story into Spanish or
English.
The length of the stories must not exceed four
A4 pages. They must be typed on one side
only, with 2.5 cm. margins, 1.5 spacing, in
Arial, 12 points. These rules do not apply to
the Children’s category, where handwritten
stories will be accepted (with clear writing,
in pen ink). In this case, the length must not
exceed 6 pages (A4).
3. SUBMISSION: Printed submissions are
accepted at:
Wonder Ponder
C/ San Pedro 20
(Librería La Sombra)
28014 Madrid SPAIN
Digital submissions are accepted via email at
info@wonderponderonline.com, with the email
subject WONDER PONDER “A DAY IN 2984”
SHORT STORY COMPETITION, and attaching
a file (preferably in PDF format) with the entry
and the category it belongs to (as explained
in point 1: A, B or C). Please also provide, on
a separate page: name, age, email address,
postal address and telephone number of the
author or author’s guardian.
4. DEADLINE: The deadline to take part in the
competition is January 31st, 2022. Entries
sent after this date shall not be taken into
consideration for the prize.
5. PRIZE: The winning stories for each
category will be published in a digital book
by Wonder Ponder, of which the winners will
receive two printed copies each.
6. JURY: The Members of the Jury will be the
three members of Wonder Ponder’s Editorial
Committee and two other people, chosen by
the Organisers of the Competition. The Jury’s
decision will be final and all or some of the
prize categories may be declared void. The
Jury’s decision will be published on Wonder
Ponder’s website (www.wonderponderonline.
com), in its Blog section, as well as informed
directly to the winners and through social
media.
7. DATE OF ANNOUNCEMENT: The winning stories
will be announced on April 4th 2022, by
means of a blog entry on the Wonder Ponder
website (www.wonderponderonline.com),
which will be shared on social media. The
winners will also be notified by email.
 THE FUTURE IS WOW IS A FREE DOWNLOADABLE
BOOKLET BY WONDER PONDER
Have you tried out our other free resources?

Download them all here:

Do you know our Visual Philosophy for All Ages titles?

Wonder Ponder’s Visual Philosophy for All Ages series introdu-

ces readers to philosophy’s big questions playfully and appea-
lingly. Wonder Ponder boxes are designed for children (and
adults!) to look at, read and think about by themselves or with
others, in educational, play or family settings.
Also available in Spanish and Catalan. Cruelty Bites is availa-
ble in German (Grausame Welt? published by Mortiz Verlag)
and Korean (published by Marubol). I, Person is available in
Korean (Marubol). All four titles are available in Italian (Inter
Logos). wonderponderonline.com