Jean-Baptiste de Gandt

The Scooter Jean-Baptiste de Gandt

The Scooter: A Resister's Vision of Life in 2050 is an optimist's view of what life could be in thirty years. It dips into humankind's past and present and predicts a future that is as bright as we want it to be. It is the story of a Frenchman who, in his quest to discover what tomorrow will bring, reads only disastrous scenarios reflecting what he perceives to be a society-wide collective depression. He gives himself a challenge. During an epic journey from the North of France to Holland-traveled entirely by kick scooter-he must take observations from personal experience, layman's research, and conversations with his contacts from around the world, and use those sources to come up with a better solution than the predominant dire forecasts.

This book is therefore an act of resistance. It asks us to pause and consider, "Were things really better before?" and, "Are we truly on an unstoppable downward spiral?" The author's answer is a resounding "No!" as he uses separate stages of his slow-motion road trip to illustrate his argument in eight selected areas of daily life. The book posits that freedom is the key to progress, and in our attempt to achieve it, humankind will cure past ills and lay a foundation for a fulfilling future. Lighthearted, unpretentious and with an undercurrent of truth, the visions range from tracing easily predictable progress-the next steps on the road we're already traveling-to more daring or even utopian meanderings. It is all meant to provoke the reader's reaction, because by imagining it, we are already starting to make it happen. A breath of fresh air in the midst of despair-filled news cycles, The Scooter will delight readers who want to clear their vision and focus on a future that we could all look forward to.

Karima Delli: "Fresh, simple, and joyful: A positive vision of the future while traveling to Holland on kick scooter. It will make you want to live in 2050!