Gildow provides some insight on the future

With wearable technology and driverless cars, robots replacing workers and 3D printers, the future could be very different than the present.

At the Staples Motley Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner held at Ted & Gen’s, in Aldrich on Jan. 19, speaker Ray Gildow said there are ways to cope with coming changes. 

He said one of the best ways to begin is to develop healthy communities, with leadership at the local level. “We must not rely on governments, but instead rely on local leadership in solving problems,” said Gildow.

He also said diversity will be a big issue in the future. 

“We must embrace diversity,” said Gildow, “research shows that communities that embrace diversity have better economic growth and fewer problems.”

Gildow gave a few global perspectives as examples of how the world is changing. He said India has more straight-A students in school right now than the United States has total number of students. He also said China is the number one English speaking country, even though it’s their third biggest language, behind Chinese and Spanish.

With careers expected to change every few years, Gildow said education has to adapt by providing short, quick study courses.

He also warned that although technology is changing at a rate greater than ever before, “Don’t let technology consume you,” said Gildow.