What's a futurist?

Sunday's Journal-Sentinel had the following included in its story about Hudson: "Getting a larger house, on a larger plot of land, even if it means moving farther from the city, remains 'a personal aspiration for most people,' says Joel Kotkin, a futurist, consultant and author."

Futurist, consultant and author?

Some futurist have the following core beliefs:

"We share common core beliefs and values about the future and our role in creating it the future we prefer.

The future is creatable, so we have choice.
The future is not something that just happens to us. The future is something we do.

Freedom means being able to participate in the creation of your own future.
If you cannot participate, you are not truly free, and if you are uninformed you cannot participate as fully.

There is a knowable future.
While much of the future is unpredictable and full of surprises, there are aspects of the future which are relatively knowable, if we take the time to look.

The future creates the present.
Our images of the future - what we expect, what we fear, what we hope for, what we prefer - all exert an influence on our decisions in the present. Change our image of the future in a way that matters to us and we make different decisions today.

In order to live fully in the present, one must remember the past and anticipate and imagine the future.

The purpose of anticipating the future is not so that one can figure out what to do in the future.
Rather, the purpose is to fold an enhanced understanding of the future back on the present, and make better decisions right here, right now.

The future is fun.
Imagining it, learning about amazing possibilities, seeing what science fiction writers and other visionaries see, creating it, all can be a rich source of fun and enjoyment."

Are we going to be hearing more from futurist in the future?