Complicated Lives
The Malaise of Modernity
Published on 3. February 2006
246 pages
978-0-470-85702-1 (ISBN)
Description
Complicated Lives examines the greatest conundrum of the modern world: why, despite being richer, healthier and more empowered than ever before, do we continue to feel threatened, under pressure and stressed? There's no denying that we've never had it so good, yet the stark truth is that levels of happiness are unchanged since the 1950s. Offering strategies and insights for avoiding 'the malaise of modernity' whilst exploiting positive experiences the 21st century has to offer, Michael Willmott and William Nelson take readers on a journey of self-discovery into the realities of life in today's complex, multi-channel world.
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Book
08/2005
Wiley
€19.00
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Michael Willmott | William Nelson
Complicated Lives
Sophisticated Consumers, Intricate Lifestyles, Simple Solutions
Book
08/2003
Wiley
€70.00
Article not available at the moment
Persons
Michael Willmott is co-founder of the Future Foundation, aconsumer think-tank that advises organisations on emerging customerneeds. He has 25 years experience as a researcher, analyst andforecaster and is a regular writer, presenter and media commentatoron social, economic, political and technological change and itsimplications for business, government and society. His bookCitizen Brands, recently published by John Wiley and Sons,deals with the dynamics of the relationship between companies andsociety and the implications for branding.
William Nelson is Analysis Manager for nVision,the Future Foundation's online social and consumer trends andforecasting service. In recent years, he has managed researchprojects for a number of major clients including a three-yearprogramme of research for retail bank Abbey National on the subjectof life's complications. He is Editor of practioner papersfor the Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
William Nelson is Analysis Manager for nVision,the Future Foundation's online social and consumer trends andforecasting service. In recent years, he has managed researchprojects for a number of major clients including a three-yearprogramme of research for retail bank Abbey National on the subjectof life's complications. He is Editor of practioner papersfor the Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
Content
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
Life could be easier.
1 IT'S A COMPLICATED LIFE.
Why is life becoming more complex?
Technology and complexity.
The manifestation of increasing complexity.
Complicated times - understanding time and priorities.
Navigating a complex world.
2 THE NEW INDIVIDUALISM.
The affluent society.
A more demanding and marketing-literate consumer.
Seeking fulfilment and experiences - the lure of culturalcapital.
Self-expression and 'inconspicuous' consumption.
Wanting it all.
Age and individualism.
Managing in a world of individuals.
3 THE ROUTELESS SOCIETY.
The changing influence of institutions.
The personalisation of authority (and the re-emergence ofcommunity?).
Collaborative individualists.
The growing importance of social capital.
Life without a map.
4 HUMAN CAPITAL AND THE NETWORK SOCIETY.
Work and intellectual capital.
Cultural capital.
The three capitals.
5 NEW LIFE COURSES, NEW CHALLENGES.
From simple to complex life paths.
From simple to complex (but enduring) families.
The vertical family.
The time of their lives.
Anticipating transitions.
6 TECHNOLOGY AND COMPLEXITY.
Love and hate.
The pace and breadth of change.
Techno-determinism, complication and feature overload.
More, and more complex, communications in the networksociety.
The blurring of the boundaries between work, home and play.
Looking ahead.
7 THE CHOICE EXPLOSION.
Drowning in choice?
The choice explosion.
How is today's consumer handling choice?
8 REGENDERING LIFE.
Educational performance and earnings power.
Women on top?
Housework and shopping.
Gender and finance.
Who pays?
Openness about finances: who controls the truth?
Avoiding polemics.
9 THE PARENTING CHALLENGE.
Professional parenting verges on the paranoid.
Professional parenting.
Paranoid parenting.
The negotiated family.
Forever parents.
Coping with complicated parenting.
10 THE ANXIETY SOCIETY.
The Fear Paradox.
Myths of Social and Environmental Decline.
Why is this happening?
Worrying ourselves to death?
11 COMPLICATED TIMES.
The value of time.
Overworked or not? Trends in paid work.
Unpaid work - the chores of life.
A life of leisure?
The value of time.
In search of happiness.
Don't discount time.
12 NAVIGATING A COMPLEX WORLD.
The happiness problem.
Don't believe the worst.
Accept that we can't control everything.
Plan and prioritise.
Try to assess the true value of your time.
Don't spend too much time choosing.
Trust others.
Use and choose technology selectively.
Training, skills and networking tools.
Final thoughts.
NOTES.
INDEX.
INTRODUCTION.
Life could be easier.
1 IT'S A COMPLICATED LIFE.
Why is life becoming more complex?
Technology and complexity.
The manifestation of increasing complexity.
Complicated times - understanding time and priorities.
Navigating a complex world.
2 THE NEW INDIVIDUALISM.
The affluent society.
A more demanding and marketing-literate consumer.
Seeking fulfilment and experiences - the lure of culturalcapital.
Self-expression and 'inconspicuous' consumption.
Wanting it all.
Age and individualism.
Managing in a world of individuals.
3 THE ROUTELESS SOCIETY.
The changing influence of institutions.
The personalisation of authority (and the re-emergence ofcommunity?).
Collaborative individualists.
The growing importance of social capital.
Life without a map.
4 HUMAN CAPITAL AND THE NETWORK SOCIETY.
Work and intellectual capital.
Cultural capital.
The three capitals.
5 NEW LIFE COURSES, NEW CHALLENGES.
From simple to complex life paths.
From simple to complex (but enduring) families.
The vertical family.
The time of their lives.
Anticipating transitions.
6 TECHNOLOGY AND COMPLEXITY.
Love and hate.
The pace and breadth of change.
Techno-determinism, complication and feature overload.
More, and more complex, communications in the networksociety.
The blurring of the boundaries between work, home and play.
Looking ahead.
7 THE CHOICE EXPLOSION.
Drowning in choice?
The choice explosion.
How is today's consumer handling choice?
8 REGENDERING LIFE.
Educational performance and earnings power.
Women on top?
Housework and shopping.
Gender and finance.
Who pays?
Openness about finances: who controls the truth?
Avoiding polemics.
9 THE PARENTING CHALLENGE.
Professional parenting verges on the paranoid.
Professional parenting.
Paranoid parenting.
The negotiated family.
Forever parents.
Coping with complicated parenting.
10 THE ANXIETY SOCIETY.
The Fear Paradox.
Myths of Social and Environmental Decline.
Why is this happening?
Worrying ourselves to death?
11 COMPLICATED TIMES.
The value of time.
Overworked or not? Trends in paid work.
Unpaid work - the chores of life.
A life of leisure?
The value of time.
In search of happiness.
Don't discount time.
12 NAVIGATING A COMPLEX WORLD.
The happiness problem.
Don't believe the worst.
Accept that we can't control everything.
Plan and prioritise.
Try to assess the true value of your time.
Don't spend too much time choosing.
Trust others.
Use and choose technology selectively.
Training, skills and networking tools.
Final thoughts.
NOTES.
INDEX.
