Could Should Might Don’t: How We Think About the Future

Nick Foster provides a refreshing, grounded perspective on what it actually means to look ahead without falling into the trap of glossy marketing. This isn't your typical tech-hype manual; instead, it lays out four core mindsets that help deconstruct how we perceive what's coming next. I found the discussion on the "mundane" aspects of the future—the consequences and real-life users—to be incredibly insightful. To be fair, Foster does spend some time defending his profession as a futurist, but once you get past that, the wisdom is palpable. It’s a brilliant read for those who want to move beyond gimmicky predictions and start asking harder, more relevant questions about long-term consequences. I really enjoyed the way it forced me to rethink my own assumptions about technology.

Finally, a business book that isn't just a gimmicky five-step guide to "disrupting" the market. Foster is a futurist extraordinaire who isn't afraid to call out the bullshit machine that drives so much of the tech industry today. His emphasis on asking better questions rather than providing certain answers is exactly what the industry needs right now. I particularly loved the framework of "Could, Should, Might, Don't"—it's a practical way to filter through the noise of marketing and stories. The book is an informative take on long-term thinking that feels both professional and deeply personal. It’s easily one of the most interesting ways to look at things I've encountered this year. Highly recommended.

This is a brilliant read for anyone tired of the Silicon Valley bullshit machine and the constant cycle of hype. Foster manages to be both an insider and a critic, offering a broad philosophy of asking questions that actually matter to real-life users. I loved his take on how we should push back on the "grandiose" visions of the future and focus on the consequences of the technology we’re building today. The conversational tone made it feel like I was having a beer with a very smart friend who has seen it all. In my experience, books on the future are usually too optimistic or too doomsday—this one finds the perfect middle ground. Truly excellent.

Ever wonder if 'futurist' is just a fancy word for a professional guesser? Nick Foster tackles that skepticism head-on in the opening chapters, and frankly, he makes a compelling case for the necessity of his role in big tech. The book excels when it moves away from high-level theory and into the practical conversation about how sci-fi tropes often mislead us. I appreciated the way he breaks down the four types of futurists, as it gave me a new lens through which to view corporate strategy. It’s a bit repetitive with historical anecdotes from 20 years ago, but the overall philosophy is solid. A very interesting, conversational listen for anyone in business.

As a chronic over-thinker, I found Foster’s approach to deconstructing ideas to be strangely comforting. He doesn't offer a grandiose five-step plan for success, which is a relief in a market saturated with "hacks." Instead, he focuses on the mundane details and the real-life users who often get forgotten in the rush toward the "next big thing." Gotta say, the section comparing our current reality to old sci-fi movies was the highlight for me. It’s written in a very relatable, conversational style that makes complex business concepts feel accessible. It definitely helped me feel more comfortable with the uncertainty of the future, even if I ended up skimming some of the more defensive sections at the beginning.

After hearing about Foster's work at big tech firms, I was curious to see if his "futurist" title was just hype. It turns out he’s actually quite grounded and skeptical of the very industry he works in. This book is a great tool for anyone in a professional setting who needs to balance innovation with a realistic understanding of consequences. The way he categorizes the four mindsets is very useful for hiring or team-building. It’s not too in-depth or overly complicated, which makes it a quick, engaging read. Personally, I found the last section on the different "futurist" archetypes we meet in our daily lives to be both funny and accurate. Thanks NetGalley for the copy!

The chapter on how we use Sci-Fi as a crutch really hit home for me as someone who loves the genre but realizes it’s a terrible blueprint for reality. Foster’s expertise shines when he’s deconstructing how companies fall in love with their own stories without considering the actual mundane details of execution. The book pulls you in without being overwhelming or too academic. I do think he could have trimmed some of the older anecdotes, as they felt a bit repetitive for anyone who has lived through the last twenty years of tech. Still, it’s a really interesting way to look at the world and definitely worth the time for long-term thinkers and chronic over-thinkers alike.

I picked this up thinking it would be a deep dive into cognitive psychology and how the human brain processes future possibilities. Instead, it’s more of a memoir-meets-manifesto about the author's career at companies like Google and Sony. While I enjoyed the musings on why we should stop using science fiction as an anchor for our expectations, I found the delivery a bit sluggish in the middle. Truth is, a lot of the examples felt like common knowledge if you’ve followed tech for the last decade. It’s an okay read if you’re looking for a broad philosophy on questioning hype, but don’t expect a "how-to" guide for personal growth. It just didn't have the depth I was looking for.

Look, the first fifty pages of this book are a bit of a slog because the author seems so intent on justifying his career path. If you can push past that, there is some value in how he discusses the mundane details of future-thinking and the importance of including varied voices. However, I struggled with the delivery at times; it felt like a series of "fun facts" that didn't always connect back to a central thesis. It’s an informative take, but it lacks the punch I was expecting from someone with his level of experience. Good for a casual listen if you're interested in the business of design, but not exactly life-changing for the average person.

Not what I expected at all, and I'm honestly a bit disappointed. I was hoping for some actual foresight or interesting predictions about where technology is headed, but the author basically spent eight hours of this audiobook telling me that predicting the future is impossible and not worth the effort. Why write a book about it then? The first fifty pages felt like a defensive rant about why his job as a futurist deserves more respect, which was a bit of a turn-off for a casual reader. While there was some food for thought regarding sci-fi anchors, the rest of the text was just a boring compilation of old anecdotes. It felt more like a resume than a helpful guide.