Psychological Futuring: Antifragility and the Future of Wellbeing

How will humanity cope with the multitude of crises looming on the horizon? Are we doomed to epidemics of depression, drug addition, and suicide, or can we strengthen mental health in the face of future disasters? This paper introduces the antifragile mindset, an emergent construct arising from Taleb’s (2007) introduction of “antifragility.” Antifragility is described as the opposite of fragility; rather than breaking under stress, we grow stronger – we improve. In this paper, I will be discussing antifragility in terms of human psychology—specifically, looking at the characteristic of the antifragile mindset. The construct brings together research across disciplines and draws upon psychological research conducted during the pandemic. This research has applications for futures literacy, with emphasis on education, leadership, mental health, and crisis management.