This could be our future A manifesto for a more generous world

Strickler, the cofounder of Kickstarter, provides a compelling account about the limits of economic systems that are centered on financial maximization, and proposes a framework that invites readers to rethink how we define (or redefine) value. The first part of his book outlines how prioritizing profit has impacted a broad spectrum of people's lives based on a value system that favors short-term financial returns and shareholder maximization. The second part then elaborates on a new and more broadly defined value system by using well-researched and wonderfully illustrative examples, such as fairness maximization, as well as "Future Me" (the person one wishes to become) and "Future Us" (indicating the world one wants to leave behind for future generations) value orientations. This engaging, thought-provoking, and visionary work is a must read for anyone interested in economics, entrepreneurship, and a sustainable, value-driven future. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. --Christoph Winkler, Iona College

The co-founder and former CEO of Kickstarter offers some intriguing ideas on how to create a better world.What if, in 30 years, the world was more just and generous, with an emphasis not on making as much money as possible but on living with a sense of purpose and sustainability in a community that supported positive values? With Kickstarter, Strickler created a significant change in the way projects could be funded. In his first book, he argues that we need yet another change, away from the dominant idea of "financial maximization" toward something that encompasses "a broader definition of value." Throughout the narrative, the author examines the many ways our value system has narrowed into a money-obsessed condition. He studies a variety of trends, including the consolidation of radio stations and other media; the rise of strip malls; the demise of small, family-owned stores, replaced largely by big-box stores; the stagnation of wages for average workers as CEO salaries continue to rise; the proliferation of credit cards; and much more. All of these trends point toward the fact that a thriving economy is based primarily on making a lot of money for a few people at the top. In order to shift this paradigm, Strickler presents a method called Bentoism (based on the Japanese food box), a strategy that would help people decide which of four different choices they should pick in any given scenario. The choices include self-focus, the people around us, the person you want to be in the future, and the world in which your children will live. The methodology, he writes, can move readers away from a money-focused scenario toward a system based on security, pleasure, autonomy, knowledge, and purpose. For the most part, Strickler's ideas are informative and accessible to all readers.A valid evaluation of the modern world and why it needs to shift from financial maximization to something more humane. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.