Meaningful and Human Economy
Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans.
Remarks of Robert F. Kennedy at the University of Kansas, March 18, 1968 More than forty years ago during the famous speech at the University of Kansas at Lawrence on Gross National Product, Bob Kennedy pointed out the limits and the dangers of an economic vision which does not consider what really matters and what really counts in terms of human prosperity.
Happy Planet Index
What does it mean for an economy to be "healthy"? Consider, for a moment, a few very different numbers.
Surprised? What about these figures?
Umair Haque suggests that “if business as usual can’t solve any of the above, then just what the heck is it good for?” I believe that if business isn't good enough for the people, for the society, for the environment and most recently isn't good for economies, shareholders or prosperity we all have HUGE opportunities (personally and professionally) to build a better and more sustainable future.