Why do you need Pretend It’s A Society?
Our social life seems to be a bit strange these days.
It seems like we’ve forgotten some of the basics of living the good life together. We’ve gone from ‘bowling alone’ to ‘scrolling alone’. We’ve never been more connected and yet we have never been more isolated from each other, nature, and the Sacred dimension of life.
We don’t have to live this way. There are better routes to find the connection and meaning we long for in life. There are other creative ways to think about and live out our shared lives.
With Pretend It’s A Society, I’ll explore how we can better apply timeless wisdom about the human condition from the arts, humanities, and spiritual traditions to the timely issues of technology, business, and economics.
I will share inspiring stories, art, and insights from interesting thinkers and innovators that can help you see ways to navigate to a future that is more fulfilling and hopeful for you, your family, and your communities.
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About the Author: Ron Ivey
Hello, I am Ron Ivey. I am writer, researcher, and strategic advisor to businesses and philanthropies.
Across these three vocations, I have spent the last two and half decades working on the same fundamental question: how do we align the means of our life (our technologies, our businesses, our economies) to better serve the ends of our life ( our sense of purpose, the people we love, our spiritual paths)?
In 2017, I founded my company Rembrandt Collective, to create strategies for businesses and philanthropies to align their social impact with human flourishing. My vision has always been to catalyze a network of leaders and organizations that master the tools of the marketplace to serve the true nature of our humanity. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with artisans of change in the technology, finance, and corporate philanthropy sectors. Together, we have crafted strategies that enrich society while delivering enhanced value for their customers and investors.
In 2020, I was asked to join a research team focused on social trust and belonging at the Human Flourishing Program within the Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Sciences. My research is focused on the technological, economic and cultural forces that are increasing loneliness and social isolation as well as the positive innovations that are turning these troubling trends around. I am currently working on research collaborations with Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, the University of Pennsylvania and the Humanity 2.0 Institute to understand human flourishing on a global level and practical ways to translate these research insights into applications for business leaders, technologists and policymakers.
On a personal note, I was born and raised in Oklahoma, spent 15 years living and working in Washington, D.C. and now currently live in Paris, France with my most important connections: my wife Kathryn, my son Hugo, and our daughter Eloïse.
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