Tatsuyoshi Saijo

We say that an individual exhibits <i>futurability</i> when (s)he experiences an increase in happiness as a result of deciding and acting to forego current benefits as long as it enriches future generations (Saijo, ed., <i>Future Design</i>, forthcoming from Springer). Parents can reduce their own foods and make them happy by giving the parts to their children. The fundamental question is whether we can extend this concept to future generations without being related to blood.

Even if we have futurability, it is not easy to activate it. Is it possible to build or design lifeworlds or society, that strengthens sociality and weakens contrast, impulse, and optimism? Is it possible to change market and democracy toward futurability? This line of research is called <i>Future Design</i>.