We have a choice whether to be optimistic or pessimistic about the future

Below is a brief interview I did when I spoke at TheNextWeb conference in Amsterdam recently.

Some of the points I cover:

* In the face of a highly uncertain future increasingly driven by extraordinary technologies, we have a choice whether to be optimists or pessimists. This choice shapes how actively we seek and create opportunities from change. See more on this topic.

* Crowds and crowdsourcing are powerful mechanisms for creating positive change. One example is VizWiz, which uses connectivity and crowd platforms so that many people can ‘lend’ their eyes to the blind.

* Australia’s startup scene – notably in Sydney and Melbourne – is prospering and growing rapidly, with many global-leading crowdsourcing platforms and other initiatives that are helping to connect a geographically isolated country with value creation around the world.