John de Graaf: Auteur, Filmmaker, Spreker en Activist

Our world is awash in crises—from climate change to growing inequality and social polarization.  How might a different language and focus—the beauty of our environment and thoughtful human design—help move us in a different, more tolerant and just direction?  Dostoevsky and Solzhenitsyn believed that beauty would save the world.  So did adventurer Doug Tompkins, founder of the giant Esprit clothing company.  But Yevtushenko asked, “Who will save beauty?”  John de Graaf will explore the current crises brought about by rampant consumerism and over-production and advocate for a “backpacker’s theory of life”—based on balance, moderation, social connection and the beauty of nature as a way beyond the worship of economic growth and toward an ideal of life satisfaction through sufficiency.  He will explore how shortening work hours and reducing consumerism can create happier, healthier and less-polarized societies, using examples from the United States, the Netherlands and other countries.  He will show a section of his film REDEFINING PROSPERITY, the story of how the fight to save a beautiful river brought Left and Right together in a small California town.