Beautiful Economics Lab is a place to share, collaborate and incubate business ventures that bring joy, purpose and community, as well as profit.
Luminary Dinners.
Becoming UN-lonely
In a 2018 report by The U.N, two-thirds
of the world’s population will live in
cities by 2050. In many cities, people
live alone and will rely heavily on
food delivery services. That’s a lot of
lonely people, and a lot of plastic takeout
waste.
Mountains of plastic
According to a report by Allied Market Research, the global food delivery mobile app market is expected to hit $16.6 billion by 2023. In recent surveys, 51% of Americans use delivery services to purchase meals from casual dining restaurant (2) and 26% order takeout or delivery at least once a week. (3) These behaviors show little sign of slowing: digital ordering and delivery have been growing 300% faster than dine-in traffic since 2014. (4)
2 Mintel, 2016; 3 Statista, 2016; 4 QSR Magazine, 2014
The Solution: Luminary Dinners
A sustainable food delivery service that brings you reusable or biodegradable packaging, plus six virtual dinner guests of your dreams. The guests will be leading figures from all cultures and history, so you can share your pizza with Cleopatra, Bono, Barack Obama and Princess Leia at the press of a button.
With each subscription to Luminary Dinners, we’ll include a Luminary Box device from which you can select your mood, dinner setting and guest list.
Chinese or Italian?
Bowie or Cleopatra?
Order your sustainable take-out, then choose your dinner guests based on your mood. Examples dinner guests:
Michelle Obama. Adam & Eve. David Bowie. Oscar Wilde. Debbie Harry. Cleopatra. Prince Harry. Kieth Richards. Virginia Woolf. Andy Warhol. Bruce Lee. Charles Darwin. Stormy Daniels. Gloria Steinham. Bill Murray. Obe Wan Kinobi. Jacinta Arden. Stephen Colbert. Oprah. Muhammad Ali. Marcus Aurelius. Lara Croft.
Gigamoma
A million Grandmothers saving the planet
Sustainable luxury,
made by Grandmothers
Elderly women and grandmothers are the most undervalued and underutilized assets in our society. The world’s aging population and care-less economy will create a class of forgotten female elders who, despite having nurtured us into the world, will need support in the form of income and human company. Gigamoma is a brand that brings lovingly re-purposed clothing and luxury goods to every neighborhood via the corner launderette or dry-cleaner.
SECOND-HAND LUXURY
The growing appetite for second-hand luxury. A 2019 study from Boston Consulting Group and designer resale site Vestiaire Collective forecast that the resale industry will increase its turnover from $25 billion in 2018 to $36 billion in 2021, representing around 9% of the luxury market.
Citizens of Earth
A video game that exploits our need for common good.
Citizens of Earth
from enemies to collaborators
A video game and TV series that brings ‘unlikely-Friends’ or opposed individuals and groups together to find common ground and solve common problems for the greater good. And get paid for their efforts.
Intersections of commonality
The game will leverage its vast network and data to mine for intersections of commonality, bringing un-like minds and opposing tribes together to solve common problems for common good.
For example, a Military General from Ohio and a Meditation teacher from Venice Beach would be thrown together to collaborate on curbing Police brutality and racial bias. Or an investment banker and Buddhist Monk would come together to build Urban Farm learning centers/shelters for the homeless. These opposing mindsets will have no time or space to bicker or block, as playing to co-win will be their sole motive.
The game combines the strategy and nation-building skills of “Civilization” (the video game) then applies social engagement dynamics (sharing and participation) to merge tribes and expand territories of collaboration. Players will be incentivized with financial rewards that go towards their joint community project. We’ll tap into each individual’s Expansive Self Interest or higher virtues and desires, to create solutions and alignments across political or philosophical fault-lines.
The result: Brands will scramble to advertise with Facebook again, as they’ll all want to be part of the social good being built. A percentage of advertising revenue will go to the players - and the more they collaborate and create solutions, the more currency they’ll earn.
THE BREAKDOWN
Using Facebook data and algorithms, we mine for intersections of commonality across diverse populations of different and opposing groups of people.
In an online gaming environment, we challenge the unlike friends to solve a problem for the common good.
Gamification and rewards (payment and social kudos) incentivize participants to find joint solutions, in a given time-frame.
“Players” must transcend social media bubbles and build new
territories of cooperation.
The goal is to amplify commonalities and show how diverse opinions and unlikely backgrounds can lead to new and unexpected ideas.
The Zuckerberg Produced game also becomes a ‘good reality’ TV Series, “Citizens of Earth”.
Dear Mr Zuckerberg,
Re: The re-civilization of Civilization.
I love that you dream of making a positive impact on the world Mr Z., because I have
a suggestion for you that combines some of your favorite things: Community, gaming
and money!
The idea involves leveraging the power of your social network to bring “non-Friends”
or opposed groups together to play. Play can change the world, especially when it
turns tension into collaboration, isolation into community and virtual world activity
into real world impact.
You’ll first need to use your vast data network and stealth algorithms to mine for
intersections of commonality between vastly different mindsets and social media
bubbles. Imagine bringing together a Military General from Ohio with a Meditation
teacher from Venice Beach to create something useful, beautiful and profitable.
Through the power of video game design, these un-like minds will be challenged and
incentivized to solve common problems in a virtual world, each transcending their
tribal and political alliances for the common goal. Whether it’s combating bullying,
fighting homelessness or destroying global warming, you’ll see that play pays.
The game would combine the nation-building skills of Civilization (perhaps your
favorite video game?), social engagement and generous financial and spiritual rewards.
We’ll tap into each tribe’s Expansive Self-Interest—or higher virtues and desires—to
create solutions and alignments across political and philosophical fault-lines.
Brands will scramble to advertise with Facebook again as they’ll all want to be part of
the social good you build. And the more you inspire collaboration and creation, the
more you and the players will earn.
Most importantly Mr Z, your legacy will shine brightly long after your flesh has
withered.
Move fast, break things and do good Mr Zuckerberg.
Yours Sincerely,
__________________________
Life Dollars
The Life Dollars cryptocurrency also gives value to a mother’s work bringing life (you) into the world. It factors in her time, her lost ‘paper money’ and career opportunities, and the emotional investment she made in raising you.
Life Dollars Currency
Without the care of women and mothers, who make up half the world, our entire financial system would collapse. So, it’s time we created a currency that recognizes the extraordinary work of mothers and allows them to trade their efforts for goods and services, or even paper money aka USD. In fact, every mother should be paid $10,000 Life Dollars immediately, so they can go on a fancy holiday or enjoy a month-long spa in Switzerland.
Giving value to the things that make life rich.
The universal currency of Life Dollars is something everyone on the planet could eventually use.
The more we reward people for their valuable, nonmaterial “goods,”, like community service, quality time with family or nurturing the environment, the faster we change the world, right?
For more info: howard@beautifuleconomics.com
Iguru
Your personal mentor and inner guru.
Technology that feeds your best self
Your personal guru will guide and mentor you through all the messy parts of life like love, relationships, careers and finding your true purpose.
Unlock your inner guru
Introducing Iguru, a communications and AI tool that monitors your anxiety, dopamine levels and overall state of being. Are you in the optimal state of calmness and focus to act with wisdom and balance? Iguru would learn everything about you, know your wildest dreams and your darkest desires, and help unearth your true talents and highest purpose. Think of this as an amalgam of Anthony Robbins Life Coach, Therapist and Spiritual Advisor - all in the palm of your hand.
Privacy Ensured.
Iguru would never share your personal information or try to monetize your life. Instead it would use your data for good, offering guidance and wisdom for a fast-changing world, provoke the best qualities in you, and keep you from buying stuff you don’t need while nudging you towards acts of empathy and kindness. It would also serve to help us make better decisions about the grey areas of like life, love, sex and marriage, things they don’t teach us at school.
For more info: howard@beautifuleconomics.com