The future will be much like the past in many respects, but it will also be very different. However, as we look ahead, there are some reasonably reliable guides that can help us to address the problems we will face. Of course they are. We are all different, but what is surprising is how often truly different organizations behave in the same way. However, it is also surprising how often seemingly similar organizations, when faced with nearly identical conditions, behave quite differently.
People are both predictable and unpredictable.
Much like Brownian motion in physics, there is no way to precisely predict individual behavior. However, on average, overall behavior is highly predictable. Second, every situation is different. Each solution must consider the people and their backgrounds, beliefs, and circumstances. Third, the lessons of the past are the only practical guides we have for the future.