Society

World leaders have promised everything to everyone. But they are failing. The UN's Sustainable Development Goals are supposed to be delivered by 2030. The goals literally promise everything, like eradicating poverty, hunger and disease; stopping war and climate change, ending corruption, fixing education along with countless other promises. This year, the world is at halftime for its promises, but nowhere near halfway.

Environmental Economist & Author Known for Challenging Climate Alarmism

We can use the pain of our past as a catapult propelling us forward. As the saying goes, 'the best revenge is a life well-lived.' So, the most gratifying way to spite all those who tried to harm me during my childhood is to say, 'Look at me now; I'm speaking to Vikas Shah, 50 years later.'

Evolutionary Psychologist & Author Known for Consumer Behavior Research

Our aspirations frequently get clouded by external expectations—be it from friends, family, or society at large. This interference can make it tough to discern our authentic passions. Hence, it's crucial to connect deeply with our core purpose, values, and the reasons behind our desires.

There's a transition from brown industries to green initiatives. This generation has been instrumental in driving this change, and they're not about to relent, regardless of governmental stances. We're also seeing the 'feminisation of finance' as women progressively take the reins of vast asset pools.

Unlike the divisive silos we've constructed, where one generation accuses the other — the older labeling the younger as lazy and the younger dismissing the older as out-of-touch or rigid. This dynamic needs transformation. Moving forward, it's imperative that both boomers and zoomers work in tandem.

The core reason is the remarkable surge in asset inflation, coupled with low interest rates and QE, which has entirely disrupted a decade's financial landscape. This dynamic favoring those with assets, often at the detriment of the upcoming generation, is at the heart of the crisis.

She corrected me, saying, 'Dad, it's not just about avoiding the negative; I want my investments to contribute positively.' The rise of impact investing is undeniable. This generation seeks a hands-on approach to their wealth deployment. They're astute enough to demand both positive societal impact and good returns.

The defining feature of our era is that the next generation are bona fide digital natives. They're backed by technology, making them tech-empowered. Thanks to social media, they can sway vast audiences in mere moments. They possess a crystal-clear agenda about the environment, justice, equality, and beyond just financial markets, they're reshaping social and political narratives.

We're no longer just measuring ourselves against the 120 members of our local community. Instead, with our devices, we're exposed to global icons like Bill Gates, Oprah, or LeBron James, setting standards for our intelligence, beauty, and self-worth. This expanded comparison can be detrimental.

One major overhead entrepreneurial business often grapple with is the exorbitant rent in cities. Moving to a smaller town offers a significant reduction in these costs and promotes regional economic balance.

Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, cloud computing company

Unfortunately, we've become so adept at concealing our problems that we often brush aside reproductive and women's health issues. It's as though discussing them is taboo. Now, it feels like showing strength means not voicing any discomfort or pain. However, there comes a point when silence is no longer an option.

British TV presenter, singer, and classical musician from Pop Idol

Think of it this way: you wouldn't hand someone car keys without briefing them about potential car troubles, right? Yet, with women, it feels like we're just careening through our reproductive experiences, unguided. We have women experiencing miscarriages in A&E, waiting alongside patients with diverse emergencies. In such critical moments, timely intervention with progesterone could potentially save thousands of babies annually.

British TV presenter, singer, and classical musician from Pop Idol

Digital technology and instant news cycles, together with the aggressive marketing of fear-mitigating products and services, are certainly driving fear in contemporary society. Today, fear is closely related to the problem of misinformation and disinformation, and to the erosion of trust in political institutions.

Today, policies are sold to us largely on the basis of fear, or fear mitigation: from immigration to climate change, from health services to defence. It's less about promoting a progressive vision of the future and more about playing to our fears of what might happen if we don't toe a particular line.

Fear isn't just a neurophysiological phenomenon; it's also socio-cultural. We're enculturated to fear; it's something that we inherit, acquire, and learn – which implies that there is possibility of 'unlearning' our fear.

Fear has had a huge impact on human societies throughout history, and as science and archaeology are increasingly suggesting through prehistory, too. But my main interest is in how fear has been used as an instrument of power, wielded by rulers to consolidate their authority, and to manage their populations.