The Next Crisis audiobook cover - What We Think About the Future

The Next Crisis

What We Think About the Future

Danny Dorling

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PoliticsSociety & CultureTechnology & the FutureEconomics

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The Next Crisis
Obsession with Crisis+
Economic Pressures+
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Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
According to the text, why has the use of the word 'crisis' steadily increased in books and media since the 1960s?
  • A. Because the actual frequency of natural disasters and catastrophic events has drastically increased.
  • B. Because people are facing much harder daily survival conditions than in previous decades.
  • C. Because of a shift in how we frame challenges, reinforced by a competitive media environment that uses dramatic language.
  • D. Because experts have successfully identified new, existential threats that did not exist before.
Question 2 of 8
What does the gap between the 2022 World Economic Forum predictions and everyday public concern illustrate?
  • A. Experts focus on threats to the global order and markets, while citizens worry about immediate daily impacts like the cost of living.
  • B. Citizens are primarily worried about abstract global threats, while experts focus on local community economies.
  • C. Everyday citizens and experts are completely aligned on the imminent threat of cyber-attacks.
  • D. Both experts and citizens agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic remained the absolute top priority for the future.
Question 3 of 8
According to the book, what is the primary reason behind the reported dramatic fall in global poverty since the 1960s?
  • A. Meaningful improvements in global income distribution.
  • B. A significant drop in birth rates among the poorest families.
  • C. The elimination of the wealth gap between the top and middle classes.
  • D. Widespread wage increases that consistently outpaced global inflation.
Question 4 of 8
Why do fears about immigration and job scarcity persist, despite evidence showing immigrants do not reduce overall job availability?
  • A. Immigrants consistently demand higher wages than local workers, disrupting the market.
  • B. The total number of available jobs strictly decreases whenever a country's population grows.
  • C. Political rhetoric frequently exploits people's underlying economic anxieties and scapegoats newcomers.
  • D. Public sector jobs are exclusively given to new arrivals in wealthy countries.
Question 5 of 8
How do politicians sometimes exploit public anxieties about war and terrorism?
  • A. To justify increasing funding for local healthcare and public education.
  • B. To build international consensus and secure funding for climate change action.
  • C. To encourage communities to rely less on the government and more on neighborhood watch programs.
  • D. To distract citizens from addressing solvable local problems like housing shortages and social inequality.
Question 6 of 8
What does the text highlight as a major cause of dropping life expectancy for certain groups in developed nations like the US and the UK?
  • A. An unprecedented increase in violent street crime and gang activity.
  • B. Stark inequalities in healthcare and living conditions based on income level.
  • C. A cultural shift away from traditional family structures and community support.
  • D. The rapid spread of new, untreatable infectious diseases.
Question 7 of 8
Why has the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently adjusted its messaging?
  • A. To steer away from catastrophic language in order to maintain credibility and rebuild consensus.
  • B. To prioritize immediate economic issues and inflation over environmental concerns.
  • C. To emphasize that climate-related disasters are no longer increasing in frequency.
  • D. To demand immediate, radical dietary shifts for all citizens in developed countries.
Question 8 of 8
Why does biodiversity loss often fail to top the public's list of global concerns?
  • A. Scientists have recently proven that biodiversity loss is a myth created by the media.
  • B. The decline is slow, subtle, and often invisible in people's day-to-day lives.
  • C. It has no real impact on human systems, such as food production or climate resilience.
  • D. The media focuses so heavily on biodiversity that it has caused widespread public fatigue.

The Next Crisis — Full Chapter Overview

The Next Crisis Summary & Overview

The Next Crisis (2025) analyzes global polling data to reveal what people around the world worry about each month and contrasts these concerns with prevailing media and policy narratives. It shows how everyday pressures – such as cost of living, employment, immigration, distant wars, corruption, and climate change – shape public sentiment and often diverge from expert projections. It argues for aligning policy priorities with the real anxieties of citizens rather than overemphasizing unlikely threats.

Who Should Listen to The Next Crisis?

  • Concerned policymakers shaping responsive social agendas
  • Insightful journalists analyzing global public sentiment trends
  • Anyone interested in societal anxieties worldwide

About the Author: Danny Dorling

Danny Dorling is the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford, known for his expertise in mapping social inequalities and demographic changes. His influential research has shaped discussions about wealth distribution and social policy. Dorling’s best-selling books include Inequality and the 1% and Peak Inequality.

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