Society

People ask why we're spending money on space exploration when we have problems here on Earth. The first reaction I have to this the fact that we've had wars, poverty, and homelessness long-before anyone went into space. It's not accurate to say, 'we're doing space exploration, and that's why we have poverty.' If we stopped space exploration, those problems wouldn't be solved, they haven't been solved in thousands of years.

Renowned Astrophysicist & Director of Hayden Planetarium

Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were play attention games – they reward creators with 'status points,' likes, retweets and quote tweets for example. Those rewards come to those who are best at monopolising attention… that's not the same thing as telling the truth or acting in good faith. The things that get rewarded in those systems are things that provoke, divide and drive outrage – so we end up with a broken media economy that drives us all crazy and doesn't represent the best version of ourselves.

We have learned that the things that matter are not the physical, and material things. What matters in life is hope. Tomorrow is not a given, and we must be happy about small things and we must seize the day.

Ukrainian politician and head of Servant of the People party faction

Hope is the only choice I have. What gives me hope is that people are able to find love and humanity in their hearts in spite of everything that is happening here in Ukraine.

Ukrainian politician and head of Servant of the People party faction

All you have to do is walk through an airport, for example, and notice that it is very difficult to navigate through it. You will encounter humans (almost statue like) who are glued – looking at their mobile phones, unaware of what is happening around them, because they are addicted to their technology. That is by design that people are addicted to technology.

Neuroethicist & Duke Law professor specializing in neurorights and genetics policy

I hope that the totality of what I've done, or that which Freada and I have done together, really gives people a sense of hope and possibility, in a practical way, that business can be a constructive force in the world and genuinely help make the world a better place for everyone.

Founder of Lotus Development Corporation & Digital Pioneer

We have lived through an era where success has been defined only in financial terms- leaving out any consideration of the impact of business on communities or the world. Just because accounting standards don't require you to measure certain things, doesn't mean those things aren't real.

Founder of Lotus Development Corporation & Digital Pioneer

Most of the venture backed businesses, and venture capital firms, are a mirror-tocracy not a meritocracy! Senior executives are disproportionately drawn from a narrow stratum of society – in the US, this means Ivy-League Schools such as Stanford. They tend to be overwhelmingly white (and increasingly now Asian) but certainly overwhelmingly male.

Founder of Lotus Development Corporation & Digital Pioneer

I'd argue it's easier now than ever, given the world's increasing openness to varied perspectives. Society's acceptance of homosexuality was a significant milestone, and now we're witnessing similar progress concerning gender issues. I perceive these shifts as testament to the world's growing receptivity to new ideas.

Co-Founder of Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Agency

So many things in life divide us – the colour of our skin, the language we speak, the god we worship, but when we run, we're the same. When we run, we're united, it's a commonality across our species like nothing else. You feel deeply connected with other people when running together.

Ultramarathon runner known for extreme endurance feats and adventures

You cannot fully realize your own self in isolation. It's a collective effort; your uniqueness is essentially shaped by everyone else in the world. Everyone else plays a role in sculpting your distinct identity. Individuality is essentially a community project.

Founding Executive Editor of Wired Magazine & Technology Thinker

The fascinating part is how we've witnessed an industry sprout from virtually nothing, and now, the upcoming generation is impressively adept at understanding the true potential of being an influencer. For many Gen Z individuals, it's seen as a springboard for launching their own businesses.

For too long, Instagram influencers were dismissed as inconsequential, with their power and influence being underestimated. Without a doubt, even when an influencer is reaching out to a million followers about fashion, they are still communicating with a million people. That's a staggering degree of influence.

Influencers wield enormous influence, and sometimes, this can manifest negatively. One area I often highlight is the spread of misinformation, particularly regarding health and wellness. The spread of anti-vaccination rhetoric, the reluctance to use sunscreen, and the rise of conspiracy theories like QAnon can be profoundly damaging.

If we consider the United States, where potentially 40 million people could discover through brain imaging or blood tests that they have amyloid in their brains, the question arises: how can healthcare systems afford to provide a $100,000 per year therapy to so many people? It's simply not feasible.

Alzheimer's disease researcher and Harvard Medical School neuroscientist

My primary intention was to truly 'see' my son – a sentiment that, I believe, resonates with most of us. We yearn for acknowledgment, for someone to truly hear us and see us for who we are. One of the greatest luxuries I discovered during our walk was the gift of time with an adult child.

Actor known for 1980s films like "St. Elmo's Fire