Theobald was a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Triple Revolution in 1964, and later listed in the top 10 most influential living futurists in The Encyclopedia of the Future.
Theobald questioned and criticized conventional confidence in economic growth, in technology, and in the culture of materialism - all of which he considered to be damaging to the environment while failing to provide opportunity and income for many of the world's people.
Because of a disagreement with the CBC radio programme editorially supporting the lecture,[5] Theobald chose to decline the invitation and publish his essay separately in 1997.
Long-time friends Bob Stilger and Susan Virnig invited him to join their community and their family for the last years of his life.
Against the advice of his soon-to-be surgeon, Ryan Holbrook, Robert made a scheduled trip to Australia where his message about the world, society and economics was passionately received.