We live in a world dominated by numbers. We express value in terms of money. And we are increasingly leaving more to the “free market”: care and welfare, education, art and culture. But from all directions we hear increasingly loud and clear that this system that strives for infinite growth is no longer maintainable. Even the World Economic Forum claims we need a Great Reset. In the one-off VALUE Magazine, you follow the search of three millennials – Melodie Michel, Girma Segaar and Amber Bloos – for what a new economy could look like. Which values are central to this new economy? How do we get there? Who has already started? And what can we do ourselves?
Through interviews, stories, infographics, columns, photo series and illustrations, Melodie, Girma and Amber take you on their quest. No doom scenarios or abstract theories, but hopeful visions and concrete proposals and initiatives.
Due to the wide range of opinions and models and the all-encompassing nature of the subject, you will soon no longer see the forest for the trees. In VALUE Magazine, Melodie, Girma and Amber pick some of these trees to plant and contain them. Maybe even make them grow a little bit – but not too big of course! Just big enough to be a start. So that we are all informed and empowered to take part in the transition.
The economy is us
In VALUE Magazine three millennials try to find some answers to this question. They take you along their search for what the new economy could possibly look like and what role you and I would play in that. Project manager and editor Amber Bloos says “When I started this project I thought ‘I don’t care much for economics, this isn’t about me.’ But I also felt that this is important, I’ve got to do something with this. From all sides I hear that our current system is not sustainable. But if I want to know more about what I can do about it, I am only addressed as a consumer. During this project I kept finding out that the economy isn’t about money and profit, it’s about people and which values we want to focus on. The economy isn’t based on laws like I had been taught in school, but on agreements. And it’s about time that we review these agreements.”
A sequel to Robin’s theatrical talk
VALUE Magazine ties in with ‘Robin’, a theatrical talk about the future of work. Robin shows how, by using the latest technological possibilities, we can prevent employees from dropping out due to burnouts, boreouts and depression in the future. But in the end, she also wonders how far we want to go and whether alternatives are possible. The magazine is a continuation of the lecture performance and elaborates on those alternatives.
Credits
Amber Bloos – Project manager, editor, writer-researcher
Melodie Michel – Editor, writer-researcher
Girma Segaar – Writer-researcher
Mojdeh Feili – Editor, book review curator, translator
Elise van der Linde – Creative producer, translator
Sub-editor – Luc de Vries
Partnerships – Tamara Raab
Graphic design – Roos du Pree, Yifan Yaing
Advisors – Maaike Engels, Verily Klaassen, Lucas De Man, Godelieve Spaas, Isil Vos
Contributors – Karlijn Brinkman, Anne Caesar, Samira Charroud, Mojdeh Feili, Fatiha Hakime, Arne Hendriks, Noor Kuijpers, Nsimba Valene Lontanga, Chaim van Luit, Nynke Anna van der Mark, Ine Mols, Jente Poiesz, Sabine Rovers, Warsan Shire, Lisa Smal, Tijmen Snelderwaard, Maartje Strijbis, Sioejeng Tsao, Mehri Zamanbin
