Many of us understand all too well the fleeting pleasure of attainment and consumption in our current economy. Having been wired to buy things to solve problems or create an identity has left many – including yours truly – empty, isolated, and in search of something more meaningful.
Counteracting these ingrained yet ultimately unfulfilling and unsustainable ways of consuming is no small task. But we at Shareable have found that the simple act of sharing can take on the complex effects of our consumer based economy. Sharing is more than simply a nice thing to do, it has the power to change perspectives, create community, and, well, produce happiness.
A new film called The Economics of Happiness explores these themes and demonstrates that millions of people are already engaged in building a better world, and that small scale local based initiatives are happening on a large scale. The film shows that these countless initiatives share a common goal of rebuilding more democratic, human scale, ecological and local economies – the foundation of an 'economics of happiness'.
The movie is on tour in North America through the month of January. For those of you in the Bay Area, there will be a screening next Thursday, January 13th at 6:30pm at the David Brower Center in Berkeley. It will be a great opportunity to meet others in the sharing and alternative economy movement, be inspired, and to talk about the future in the context of an economics of happiness.
The film will be followed by a panel discussion with special guests including the film's director Helena Norberg-Hodge, Richard Heinberg of Post Carbon Institute, Jenny Kassan of the Sustainable Economies Law Center, Rosa González of Bay Localize, and Eric Holt-Gimenez of Food First. The discussion will focus on local initiatives related to the film.
EVENT DETAILS:
What: Berkeley screening of ‘The Economics of Happiness’ with director and special guests
When: Thursday, January 13th, 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm (doors open at 6:00 pm)
Where: David Brower Center (Goldman Theater), 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
For more information check out the official website: https://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org
