Search for "History"
Governments Promote Planned Obsolescence, Too
Blog | by Addison Del Mastro | September 17, 2012
Government policies that push people to replace their “outdated” stuff can result in significant resource waste.
Free Time: The Forgotten American Dream
Blog | by Lisa Mastny | June 20, 2013
A new book describes how Americans have distanced themselves from their historical yearnings for free time, in favor of a culture of overwork.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of… Versailles?
Blog | by Mark Valentine | July 25, 2012
For many people, the unlikely stars of "The Queen of Versailles" are iconic expressions of the American Dream.
Bring "Play" Back Into Your Life
Blog | by New Dream | June 13, 2018
As we grow older, we tend to abandon our desire for unstructured outdoor play, but it's still important as we enter our adult years.
Who’s Telling the Story? Consumer Culture and America’s Rural Communities
Blog | by Kate Parker | November 21, 2019
The commodification of rural life is happening across the country, from factory farming to agritourism. What are the costs of these changes and how can they support the people and communities that make a place what it is?
Confronting Racism Through Personal Action and Deeper Community Connections
Blog | by Casey Williams | September 21, 2017
By building stronger networks with people and groups from diverse backgrounds, we can all help to create a more socially just and sustainable world.
How to Protect Ourselves by Protecting Each Other
Blog | by Christina Lewis | April 26, 2020
COVID-19 has ripped through our society and exposed us at the seams. Forced to confront glaring discrepancies, we now see how vulnerable our society really is. What will get us through?
On Walking: A Simple Privilege with Powerful Benefits
Blog | by Jenny Blair | August 20, 2012
A simple act like walking can provide a sense of place, community, and happiness.
Dishing the Love, Potluck Style
Blog | by Holly Minch | April 15, 2015
In this post, Holly Minch describes her experience as a wedding guest at a potluck wedding and her new-found appreciation for this catering option as an opportunity for friends and family to actively participate in the celebration. Read on for more details about this "extended family dinner" wedding as well as for practical tips on pulling off a potluck wedding with ease.
Fostering Connection and Community Through Resilience Circles
Blog | by Luka Carfagna and Emilie Dubois | September 7, 2011
Two Boston graduate students are building community and increasing their personal security through participation in a local Resilience Circle.
Facilitating a New Dream
Blog | by Selena D. Cozart | November 7, 2018
Facilitator Selena Cozart explains how our current social and political climate presents us with a unique and irresistible opportunity to engage in discussions of equity and justice.
America the Possible: A Manifesto, Part II
Blog | by James Gustave Speth | July 2, 2012
We need a compelling vision for a new future, a vision of a better country—America the Possible—that is still within our power to reach.
In Pursuit of Justice: My Experience of Nine Years of United Nations Climate Talks
Blog | by Anjali Appadurai | December 16, 2019
Living the Dream: Wall Street Defector Sam Polk
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | August 4, 2013
At age 30, former hedge fund trader Sam Polk walked away from Wall Street to start a new life of volunteerism and personal growth.
Bangor Daily News: Our Problem With Stuff
Blog | by Mark W. Anderson | February 24, 2016
Boston College sociologist Juliet Schor explores the issue of stuff in our industrial society; her work among that of others spawned the Center for a New American Dream.