In this episode, Simon Waller is joined by his good friend and long-time collaborator, Michelle Newell, for a deep and surprisingly uplifting exploration of a topic many find uncomfortable: Death and Dying.

Far from morbid, this thoughtful conversation is sparked by Michelle’s imaginative future scenario, which envisions her own hyper-personalised death experience in the year 2062. From there, the discussion flows through emerging burial practices, the future of memorialisation, and the shifting meaning of legacy. At one point, they even dream up a new social system - where turning loved ones into diamonds becomes a beautiful way to express what they meant to us.

Together, Simon and Michelle reflect on cultural attitudes toward death, emerging trends in the death-care industry, and why it's so important to create space for more open, honest, and human conversations about mortality.

Ultimately, this episode reminds us that by taking the time to thoughtfully consider death, we make room to more fully appreciate—and truly value—life.

GUEST:

Michelle Newell

In this episode of The Future with Friends podcast, Simon Waller and Dr Adrian Medhurst explore the forever unresolved concept we call work-life balance.

Simon and Adrian delve into the deep complexities of how we might better integrate our life and our work. They discuss the role technology might play in work-life dynamics - exploring  its potential to support wellbeing by predicting burnout and overload, acting as safeguard, and enabling people to achieve better ‘balance’.

They also question what might happen if there is an over-reliance on technology and the risks of nefarious manipulation.

The conversation also explores the emerging concept of Job Crafting as a more human-centric approach to work-life integration, emphasising the need for collaboration between individuals and organisations to create fulfilling work environments.

GUEST:

Dr Adrian Medhurst

Benny Button

In this pilot episode of The Future with Friends, Simon Waller and fellow futurist Steph Clarke dive into a thought-provoking exploration of what friendship might look like in the near future.

Tasked with crafting a future scenario, Steph envisions a world where social connectedness is quantified - where Oura rings track the health benefits of our relationships, and algorithms determine whether our friendships are truly enriching our lives. But as with anything measured, there’s always the potential to game the system. Could people start changing their behaviour to boost their "friendship score"?

Their conversation delves into the implications of social scoring, the growing crisis of loneliness, and how communities might evolve in response. They explore bold ideas - co-housing arrangements among friends, new models of shared parenting, and the shifting role of digital platforms in shaping human connection.

As the lines between technology and relationships blur, what does it really mean to have a meaningful friendship? 

GUEST:

Steph Clarke