One of the hottest topics right now is "what will the future be like?" That's why it's more important than ever to take a step back and think about what we're being told about "the future." It's important to remember: No one can predict the future! The future is plural - futures - because it has infinite possibilities. But even so, we are constantly being told what the future "will be,” and these stories are so persuasive that we begin to feel that we do already know what will happen. When we think a certain future is inevitable, we feel there is no reason to try to work towards a different one. This is often true in society ("Candidate A is going to win the election, so why even vote?”) and in our personal lives ("Everyone thinks I'm [fill in the blank], so I guess I am.") If we're not careful, our thoughts about the future can be taken over - even colonized by - these powerful narratives. Adriane M. Raff Corwin is a political analyst and trained futurist who teaches Political Science courses at Bergen Community College. She obtained her MA in Political Science at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she focused on Futures Studies and foresight thinking in politics and society, and her BA in Human Rights at Bard College. As an independent researcher and analyst, she assesses how important drivers of change and current trends could affect the well-being and futures of societies and cultures, government entities, businesses, non-profits, and individuals. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx