Futurists

/ˈfjuːtʃərɪsts/ noun

Definition

Plural of futurist; multiple people who predict or study the future, or artists/writers associated with the futurism movement.

Etymology

Plural form of futurist, from future + -ist + -s, identifying multiple people who study or advocate for futuristic ideas.

Kelly Says

The term 'futurists' is interesting because it's become mainstream recently—think tanks hire them, corporations consult them, and governments employ them, yet nobody can reliably predict the future, which makes it an oddly prestigious profession.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Plural of 'futurist' carries the same historical erasure of women artists and thinkers within the early Futurist movement.

Inclusive Usage

When listing or discussing futurists, actively include women and non-binary future-thinkers. Challenge the implicit assumption that 'futurists' refers only to the historical Futurist movement's male figures.

Inclusive Alternatives

["visionaries","future-oriented thinkers","speculative minds"]

Empowerment Note

Women and BIPOC futurists have fundamentally shaped speculative fiction, technology ethics, and futures studies—they must be centered in any discussion of futurism.

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