Is it better to be a historian or a futurist? Does looking backward for lessons serve us better than prospecting forward into the future?

Like many things, this isn’t an easy dichotomy; there is benefit in both. The past and the future can also entice our inclination to hubris.

To truly be “smart” and actualize our potential as a species, we must try to see both—learn from the past and influence the future. The devil is in the strife between them.