Thread by @BBC_Future

We're live at @hayfestival to discuss Long-termism: How to Think in Deep Time. Chair @LindaGeddes will be joined by Martin Rees, @futuregencymru and @romankrznaric. Follow along from home 👇 #HayFestival2019 #DeepTime

@hayfestival @LindaGeddes @futuregencymru @romankrznaric We'll be discussing the long-term challenges the future generations face, and how to deal with them.

@hayfestival @LindaGeddes @futuregencymru @romankrznaric "On climate change, and other issues, we're really not very good at taking a long view," says @LindaGeddes

@hayfestival @LindaGeddes @futuregencymru @romankrznaric "We treat the future like a distant colonial outpost, devoid of people," argues @romankrznaric

"We disenfranchise future generations... we give them no political power, and no political voice"

"All of our policy makers in Wales have to demonstrate how they're making decisions to meet today's needs, without compromising future generations," explains @futuregencymru

@futuregencymru Martin Rees, a member of the House of Lords, says "we want to ensure that the public is exercised about the concerns of the future".

@futuregencymru "We need to transform democracies," says @romankrznaric

@futuregencymru @romankrznaric "This century is special, it's the first time humans are numerous enough, and empowered enough, to change the future. If we don't make the right decisions, it could have irreversible consequences," says Martin Rees.

@futuregencymru @romankrznaric "We should do sewer thinking, not cathedral thinking," says @romankrznaric. He explains that The Great Stink in London of 1858 kick-started the building of the Victorian sewer system, which is still in place today. "We need to feel a sense of emergency, or we will do nothing".

@futuregencymru @romankrznaric "Policy makers need to be acting like their house is on fire," says @futuregencymru. "There will have to be sacrifices, but we're not even doing the easy things before we get to the hard things."

@futuregencymru @romankrznaric "Our political institutions weren't designed to deal with the problems we have today," says @romankrznaric "We need to think about how we give voice to young people".

@futuregencymru @romankrznaric "Even though the timeline ahead is even longer than the timeline that's elapsed already, things will change faster," says Martin Rees.

@futuregencymru @romankrznaric "We need to ask whether we're equipping young people with the skills for the future," says @futuregencymru

@futuregencymru @romankrznaric "I'm a technical optimist, but a political pessimist," says Martin Rees. "We've got to try and hope we'll avoid the downsides of technology."

"Spending time with the future generations, I feel optimistic about the future," says @futuregencymru

"There's one word that makes me optimistic: death. Human beings die, and leave a legacy. We have a choice of what legacy we leave to the future," says @romankrznaric

@romankrznaric Are you optimistic about our future? @LindaGeddes asks the audience

@romankrznaric @LindaGeddes That's everything from us here @hayfestival - thanks to @LindaGeddes @romankrznaric @futuregencymru and Martin Rees. #DeepTime #HayFestival2019

@romankrznaric @LindaGeddes @hayfestival @futuregencymru Read more about #DeepTime on our website: bbc.com/future/columns…

@romankrznaric @LindaGeddes @hayfestival @futuregencymru In this article, @romankrznaric asks is there an antidote to this political presentism that pushes the interests of future generations permanently beyond the horizon? bbc.com/future/story/2…

Read @rifish on why our inability to look beyond the latest news cycle could be one of the most dangerous traits of our generation.
bbc.com/future/story/2…

And read about the power of art and culture on our ability to look into the long-term. bbc.com/future/story/2…