As someone who thinks long and hard about global futures, I participate in a lot of professional forums where experts discuss the growing complexity of this world and question the ability of existing political systems, both democratic and authoritarian, to handle it. Some professionals, like Thomas Homer-Dixon, fret about an “ingenuity gap,” while regular readers of this column can attest to my frequent accusation that today’s political leaders lack “strategic imagination.” In short, we’re all arguing that politics isn’t keeping up with economics, much less technology.
And it scares us.
Read the entire column at World Politics Review.
Monday, March 12, 2012 at 9:38AM 
Reader Comments (7)
I loved the article, but it was a little bit too US centric. Your millenials are going to have to share space with millenials from all over the World (India, Brazil, China, Turkey etc.). And the sooner they appreciate that fact, the better for them.
(Hint: look at the composition of many multinational corporations.)
The World isn't ever going to see another baby boomer generation (a US based generation totally dominating the rest of the World).
I think that the Obama goverment´s label "seroius"video game should be taken serious. Tom Barnett is quoting some statistics about video gamers and their complementation of complexity and then of course, Americasn football.BUT: It is obvious that ego-shooter video games won´t ne much benefit for thinking in a global, complex world.But it is also obvious that American football games won´t buy us much.Tom Barnett should focus on all the strategic video games like Civilsation,etc., where you can learn a lot from nation-bilidng to dexision making in political processes. Wikistrat is also a new development--an interactive online consultancy. What if Wikistrat developed strategic video games for academics and the political intersted youth for special issues like energy security, globallization, finincial crisis ,etc.? Why can#t you produce serious video gams for the next Millenium genertaion of strategic thinkers?
What would be if Wikistrat was not just only a interactive internet consultancy with crowding effects, but would also establish a branch for young strategic thinkers/players on the basis of video games and computer simulations? You would not only reach out to the established academic world, but would also get the young global generation which is interested in strategic thinking.
I can see this being very useful and very possible but I believe that until the politcal system is changed from candidates being beholden to a small percentage of major donors that any policy or program that is gamed for effectiveness and loopholes will be cast aside because it will take the profit out of politics for those major donors.
We are at the very beginning of creating the baseline infrastructure necessary for such games. There will be much resistance to doing it because the scams sucking society dry are at heart often very simple things that depend on people not looking. In the videogame model described, people (more accurately their computer agents) are always looking.
Besides videogaming, you probably also want to take a look at business intelligence software as a completely separate source of tools to handle the future. Business intelligence gaming, now there's a future worth creating.
Here ya go. PenGun killing a Dragon:
http://carnagepro.com/pics/diedragon.jpg
I've been gaming since the 70s. Board games like Panzer Blitz and the only good political game ever made Diplomacy.
Then i got into shooters and both me and my kids played online with my daughter eventually being able to just murder my son and I. She could be a pro gamer.
These days I play shooters and the odd RPG like Skyrim. I guess it keeps me sharp, I am old and it's my hobby.
As time passes the skills learned in simulations become almost second nature and the ability of future leaders can only be enhanced by more experience in games/simulations and the multitude of situations they can generate.
@Ralf: Any game that makes you think is beneficial. Shooters today have in depth strategies, and require fast reflects. What gun to use on which map. What positions to take. What load out should I use for this game mode. etc. etc.
I'd wager I could find a learning tool in any videogame genre.
On a related note. I'm very impressed with some of the games NASA has released recently. Games to find planets and what not. Very good idea. Get the masses to help out, and you'll be amazed at what's out there. Too bad these games have limited appeal. Need to find that good mix of fun and learning.