Dubai, – South African author John Sanei has presented a different kind of vision for the future. During a lecture at Expo 2020 Dubai’s South Africa Pavilion, he outlined several ways to help future generations embrace change through greater preparedness and advance a more progressive perspective.
Sanei, who has returned to his Dubai home after the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to stay in South Africa for more than a year and a half, thinks people tend to reject and resist change so that they rely on ‘certainty’ as a better option, to avoid the sadness, strangeness and adventure that transformation might entail.
The author, whose books often feature on bestseller lists, has written about the importance of each of us striving to develop ourselves in an “ideal world where we can start from scratch”.
Sanei said: “Although I didn’t go to college, I am a self-educated person. The world we live in is perfect for everyone trying to start from a ‘blank page’. The internet now empowers all of us through access to vast data and the ability to obtain diverse learning experiences and knowledge. To unlock potential, all you have to do is be bold and adventurous.”
He believes the world is on the cusp of more change and transformation. He considers Japan Airlines (JAL) as an appropriate example of what can be effectively achieved through plans that go beyond conventional travel patterns. “This company has already laid out plans to forecast future trends that will make it easier for consumers to travel virtually without having to move physically.”
“If you want to travel with a friend to Australia for example, there is no need to waste all those hours flying and days travelling and exploring. All you have to do is put on a high-tech jacket, within which there is a robot that conveys to you the virtual and sensory experience. In this manner, you view everything the robot sees, hear everything the robot hears and feel everything the robot senses.”
“Change can often seem complicated, but it quickly becomes a reality that we live and enjoy every day. Let’s remember when a transportation company like Uber embarked upon its pioneering concept, we couldn’t believe that with a couple of buttons, we’d get a chauffeur-driven car. Today, we have become so used to this speed and convenience that we can often become impatient when the driver is even slightly delayed in reaching us. We have already forgotten what life was like before.”
After spending time with his family in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanei intends to resettle in Dubai next January, a city he calls a “place for the future.”
