Douglas Coupland, a prolific author/artist/lecturer and now prognosticator, is in the forefront of the arts movement in both Canada and the US. His works, starting with his breakout novel "Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture," have consistently worked as a bellwether of current perspectives and values, both noting our cultural milestones and influencing future trends. In books, such as "Microserfs" and "JPod," he sensitively involves the reader in the world of the technologically wired, showing the paradox of the resultant isolation and alternative community that evolves within the computer industry. Each novel, artwork, or article shows a different side of Coupland, explores new topics, yet reiterates his belief in the randomness of behaviour, or at least humanity's inability to control the excesses. Nonetheless, he consistently leaves the reader with a paradoxical sense of hope that there is a future, perhaps even one that is superior to what people dream. "Beware the Ides of Coupland" is a look at his current work and his 2010 CBC Massey Lecture series, which he presents as a "novel in five hours" about the future. Linking this to his previous apocalyptic theme, presented by Coupland in "Girlfriend in a Coma and JPod," he gives cultural clues that inform the present day sociological perspective. In this article, the author talks about Coupland's perspective on the future and what it means to the people.