Monofuturis

How technological progress expands our possibilities – while simultaneously narrowing our future

More freedom, greater efficiency, more possibilities – this is the promise of technological progress. Tools, language, writing, machines and modern infrastructures have driven humanity forward. Today, digitalisation, automation, biotechnology and artificial intelligence are creating new opportunities for business, government and society.

Yet more technology does not necessarily mean more future possibilities. What begins as a useful innovation can become a standard and eventually an indispensable requirement. Technological systems are reaching ever deeper into work, communication, public administration and everyday life. Alternatives become increasingly difficult to pursue, dependencies grow and society’s scope for action narrows. Voluntary use can gradually turn into functional dependence.

Dr Konstantin Schamber, a social scientist and expert in strategic foresight, describes this process as Monofuturis: the gradual narrowing of many conceivable futures into a small number of dominant development paths.

This non-fiction book places technological progress within a broad historical, social and sociotechnical context. It shows how innovations emerge from the interaction of knowledge, culture, power, institutions, economic interests and human needs – and examines their impact on freedom, identity and self-determination.

Current developments such as AI-powered robots, digital platforms and e-government are presented not as isolated innovations, but as part of a long history of transformation. The book explores whether comprehensive regulation is possible at all and whether innovation management can operate within legal boundaries. It also examines the demands that technological transformation places on both collective and individual responsibility. At its core lies the question of how opportunities can be seized, risks contained and excessive strain on social and cultural systems identified and addressed at an early stage.

What distinguishes this non-fiction book:

• A broad historical perspective: technological and social development.
• An interdisciplinary approach: futures studies, the social and technological sciences, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, politics, law, economics and systems theory are brought together in a comprehensive analysis of technological development.
• An intercultural perspective: shaped by the author’s decades of experience in research, university teaching and organisational practice, as well as at international technology conferences.
• A nuanced examination: power, responsibility and society’s capacity to shape change in times of upheaval.

Monofuturis helps readers recognise recurring patterns of development, critically assess promises about the future and identify emerging dependencies at an early stage. Readers gain an accessible framework for evaluating technological change more thoroughly, questioning paths presented as inevitable and better assessing the consequences of today’s decisions.

The book offers neither simplistic predictions nor a one-sided critique of progress. It is intended for anyone seeking to understand technological and social change more clearly and to reflect more consciously on responsibility, freedom and the future.

What future remains possible when progress itself becomes an imperative?