What do we need for a fulfilling life?

This activity can take many forms: brainstorming or prioritizing and sorting needs versus wants. This question leads to the next question, “How do we get what we need?” In a conventional paradigm, the discussion might be limited to material products and the roles of consumers, producers, markets, and money; the facilitator might ask participants to provide examples of concepts in their own lives.

A quote from Ghandi: “Our world has enough for each person’s need, but not for each person’s greed.” could be an interesting debate about need versus greed.What do we all really need and at what point does a person become greedy? Some fascinating and thought-provoking points arise when we analyze the quote in relation to sustainability. Young people recognize that our needs are not only economic, but also how society functions. They also see the importance of people’s health and how we treat each other.

Roadmap:

1. Show the film The Economics of Happiness.
2. Research the needs in the group by asking everyone personally what their needs are.
3. Follow up with a conversation about what the group sees as the causes in our society that impede the fulfillment of needs. Make connections between the problems and the opportunities of consumption, creation, exchange, sharing, etc. Bring forward the concepts of local economy and entrepreneurship, encouraging the exchange of products, services and “knowledge.”