Chapter 51: Farsighted Eyes
The spark of innovation from the Harmonious Place shone across the tribes of the Alliance, but as the Alliance grew, Lin Chen realized they lacked long-term planning and the ability to cope with unknown challenges. On a cool winter morning, he stood atop the Tower of Knowledge, gazing at the hazy mountains in the distance, and a new thought arose in his mind.
"We have solved the problems at hand and created the current prosperity," he told Canglan, "but the alliance needs to look further into the future and anticipate possible challenges."
Canglan nodded. "Hunters know that if you only focus on the prey in front of you, you will get lost in the forest. You must always look up at the stars to confirm your direction."
At the next alliance meeting, Lin Chen proposed establishing the "Eye of Farsightedness"—an organization dedicated to studying long-term challenges and future possibilities. Unlike Heming, which focuses on current innovation, the Eye of Farsightedness would look five, ten, or even further into the future.
"We need to think about: the impact of climate change, the pressure of population growth, the challenge of limited resources, the relationship with other major alliances..." Lin Chen listed possible problems.
At first, many pragmatists questioned the idea: “How can we think about what will happen ten years from now when we don’t even have food security tomorrow?”
But the elders support the proposal: "We have experienced too many crises caused by lack of foresight. Prevention is always better than cure."
The formation of the Visionary Eyes was carefully considered. Members required not only specialized knowledge but also broad thinking and cross-disciplinary understanding. Ultimately, the first group of "Visionaries" was selected: a group that included astrologers, resource managers, historians, and even dreamers and poets.
“Different perspectives see different futures,” Lin Chen said at the first gathering. “We need all of these perspectives.”
The first project of the Farsighted Eyes was a study of climate patterns. Each tribe contributed its own climate observations: migration logs from the nomadic tribes, snow records from the high mountain tribes, water level markers from the lakeside tribes, crop diaries from the Silver Moon tribes, and even tidal observations from the Shell Tribes.
When the data were combined, a striking pattern emerged: the climate did indeed vary in cycles, with alternating periods of drought and wet weather.
"Based on this pattern," one foresight expert predicted, "we may enter a drought period in the next five years, and we need to prepare in advance."
The alliance took immediate action: strengthening water conservancy facilities, increasing food reserves, developing drought-resistant crops, and even planning possible water sharing schemes.
When the predicted drought finally arrived, the Alliance was prepared and weathered the storm smoothly. This success earned the Farsighted Eye's trust.
The second project is "Population and Resource Research." The visionaries analyze population trends and resource consumption of each tribe to predict future demand pressures.
“At the current rate, some resources may be in short supply in a decade,” the study states, “needing to develop new resources or improve efficiency.”
This triggered alliance-wide resource innovations: more efficient farming methods, more frugal tool designs, and even waste recycling systems.
The most forward-looking project is the "Distant Threat Assessment." Foresight researchers study the possible movements of other major alliances and assess potential threats and opportunities.
"Knowledge is like fire," one Foresight member said, "it attracts friends but also predators. We need to be prepared."
This prompted the Alliance to improve its defenses, establish a more comprehensive alarm network, and even develop a more cautious external communication strategy.
Farsighted Eyes not only studies problems but also explores opportunities. One group studies astronomical navigation, dreaming of ocean exploration; another experiments with new materials, imagining better tools; and yet another considers the evolution of alliance governance, envisioning a fairer and more effective system.
In late autumn, the Farsighted Eyes released its first "Future Vision Report," containing predictions, challenges, and recommendations for the next decade. Written in Alliance symbology and accompanied by detailed charts, the report was distributed to all tribes.
“This is not a prophecy,” the report’s preface emphasizes, “but rather a possibility based on observation and a preparation based on wisdom.”
The report sparked widespread discussion, with tribes holding meetings to review its contents, adjust their plans, and even offer additional suggestions.
"It turns out our daily choices will have an impact so far into the future," a tribal leader lamented. "We need to make decisions more carefully."
Farsighted Eyes has also established a "Future Education" project, teaching long-term thinking in various schools, so that children can understand the impact of choices and future possibilities from an early age.
The most popular one is the "Future Game", in which students work in groups to simulate tribal decision-making and experience the challenges and importance of long-term planning.
"If I had known how overhunting would affect next year..." one student reflected after the game, "I can't do it again in real life."
The success of the Farsighted Eye prompted each tribe to establish its own Farsighted Group to focus on local, long-term issues. The Alliance held regular "Foresight Meetings" to share observations and predictions.
At a conference, a mixed group proposed the "Centennial Forest" plan: planting trees that take decades to mature and prepare resources for future generations.
"We enjoy the crops that our ancestors have cultivated," said a young visionary, "and we should cultivate them for future generations."
The plan gained immediate support, and each tribe set aside land to plant new trees suitable for the area, erecting monuments stating the purpose and expected harvest time.
"Let future generations know our foresight and care," the inscription reads.
During the Star Festival, the Farsighted Eye added a new ceremony: the "Fire of the Future." Representatives from each tribe lit a torch symbolizing the coming year and pledged to take responsibility for that future.
"Today's actions determine tomorrow's world; today's choices determine the foundation for the future," the ceremony hymn said.
After the ceremony, Lin Chen and Canglan strolled to the newly built "Yuanzhan Forest," the first section of the century-old forest. Saplings stood quietly under the starlight, fragile yet full of hope.
"From coping with the present to planning for the future," Canglan sighed, "what a huge expansion of perspective."
Lin Chen stroked a sapling gently: "Foresight is not about giving up the present, but cherishing the present to prepare for the future."
He looked up at the stars and said: "Perhaps the greatest foresight is to realize that we are not building for ourselves, but for those yet to be born; not to enjoy the fruits of our predecessors, but to become the predecessors of those who come after us."
Far in the distance in the forest stands a special astrological stone, engraved with the Alliance's long-term astrological forecasts and recommendations based on them.
Under the starry sky, the Tower of Knowledge and the Place of Harmony were brightly lit, and the members of the Farsighted Eyes continued to work. Signal lights from each tribe flickered, reporting peace and progress.
In this world without futurology but full of foresight, humans are thinking about time in the most essential way: not through complex models, but through observing cycles; not through isolated predictions, but through shared wisdom; not through fear of the future, but through responsible preparation.
This vision not only averted potential crises but also deepened the alliance's bonds. A shared concern for the future brought the tribes closer together, a shared long-term vision fostered greater coordination, and collaborative efforts fostered greater trust.
The soul from another world, standing in the distant forest, no longer misses the planning system of modern society, but cherishes this future thinking based on observation and responsibility.
Here, foresight is not the privilege of experts but a collective responsibility; not an abstract concept but concrete action; not a source of anxiety but a basis for hope.
As the stars rose, illuminating the saplings of Farsight Forest, the Silvermoon Tribe and its allies prepared to continue their exploration of the future. Farsight's journey had just begun, but the direction was clear: observe, reflect, prepare, and take responsibility.
On this night when the future has arrived, human civilization continues its eternal journey in the oldest and freshest way: learning from the past, acting in the present, and preparing for the future.
And all this is just the beginning of countless preparations.
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