"Civilization is revving itself into a pathologically short attention span,” observed Stewart Brand upon founding The Long Now Foundation in the closing years of the second millennium.

Thinking — and acting — with the long term in mind is a corrective to that short attention span.

Ten thousand years is about the age of modern civilization. Long-term thinking is an effort to orient ourselves in the middle of whatever journey we're on. Imagining a ten thousand year future establishes the timespan we call "the long now."

“Now is never just a moment. The long now is the recognition that the precise moment you’re in grows out of the past and is a seed for the future.”
— Brian Eno

We have found these principles helpful when working at civilization-scale —

1. Serve the Long View
2. Foster Responsibility
3. Reward Patience
4. Mind Mythic Depth 
5. Ally with Competition
6. Consider All Sides
7. Leverage Longevity