The Future Happiness

Happiness is discussed as the new direction of the future.


In September 2008 the Danish Institute for Future Research, is writing about how the modern society is changing from the great stories to the task of creating your own life from birth till end. Because we have few instructions to live accordingly, happiness become more important than ever.


Similar Daniel Gilbert writes in 2007, Stumbling on Happiness: "For most of recorded history, people lived where they were born, did what they parents had done and associated with those who were doing the same. But the agricultural, industrial and technological revolutions changed all that, and the resulting explosion of personal liberty has created a bewildering array of options, alternatives, choices and decisions that our ancestors never faced. For the very first time, our happiness is in our hands" (Gilbert, 2007:259).


Daniel Gilbert argues that the greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine the future - episodes and objects which do not exist. This unique ability support humans to find happiness. To look into the future, learn from mistakes without making them and evaluate actions without taking them. We allow ourselves to be in the future and ask how it feels to be there.

Sustainability versus growth

Had an interesting night yesterday! Together with my boyfriend, we had invited 10 friends for a late night talks with Dr. Sylvia Karlsson - the Secretary General of the International Environment Forum.

Here are some of our collective reflections:

Can we chose both sustainability and growth, when we have realized that our lives of growing and sustaining the world is not in balance? Should we redefine the measurement of growth to instead look at the human nature? Is growth a complacement of happiness? We need growth, but in other ways than materialistic growth! Is the problem then business, because business is pushing consumption to encourage more economic growth? As individuals we know how to reduce growth, but will we do it? Is there a need for a more global committment? Who are responsible - governance, individuals, entrepreneurs? Should we adapt or aviod climate change?

Garbage is a trend!

What if mankind had to leave Earth because of too much waste and overconsumption? Have you ever wondered where your supermarket plastic bags end up after being used?

Garbage and waste is a serious global challenge. Disney Pixars movie, WALLE, animates how the humankind has left the Earth 800 years in the future. Behind they left a Earth full of waste and no sign of life, except one robot cleaning up the human mess. Instead the humankind has moved their home to an luxury spaceship Axion in the galaxy, enjoying eating, sitting in a transportable chair supported by robots.

The trendspotter, Christina Cheng, is also engaged in the challenge of the human consumption and waste. Critically she shares about "plastic fantastic?" Did you e.g. know that 60 tons plastic is manufactured every year, and that plastic is not biodegradable? An average plastic consumption pr. person pr. year is 98kg! But where is the plastic? Look at islands in south located oceans, and you will find the answer!

The picture at the right is taken in Stockholm September 08.