Becker's call for positive narratives is just what we need. So many people are aware that envisioning and working toward positive goals in our own lives is far more productive than basing our actions on fear of failure - why not extrapolate that to society as a whole? These visions could be perpetuated through pop-culture as well (i.el, TV, movies, novels, etc. in which character with whom viewers identify overcome struggles with personal vs. social values, etc. [this idea is mentioned in greater detail in Leiserowitz and Fernandez 2007] ).

The EcoTipping Points Project should be on the list of Today's Visionaries above. They're a small non-profit based in Hawaii that collect and analyze environmental "success stories" from around the world in order to disseminate lessons that can be applied to other situations. The focus is not on a simulated future, but on a replicable present that is directly observable today. The stories and lessons are inspire action today based on an optimistic, real-life preview of a possible future, as Becker points out

www.ecotippingpoints.org