Lord Robert and Dr Edward Skidelsky: 'How Much is Enough? Money & the Good Life'
- September 11, 2012 · 7:00 PM
The London Philosophy Club is very pleased to host Lord Robert Skidelsky and his son Dr Edward Skidelsky to talk about their recent bestseller, How Much Is Enough: Money and the Good Life.
What constitutes the good life? What is the true value of money? Why do we work such long hours merely to acquire greater wealth? These are some of the questions that many asked themselves when the financial system crashed in 2008.
This talk will tackle such questions head-on. It begins with the great economist John Maynard Keynes, who in 1930 predicted that, within a century, per capita income would steadily rise, people’s basic needs would be met, and no one would have to work more than fifteen hours a week. Clearly, he was wrong: though income has increased as he envisioned, our wants have seemingly gone unsatisfied, and we continue to work long hours. The Skidelskys explain why Keynes was mistaken. Then, arguing from the premise that economics is a moral science, they trace the concept of the good life from Aristotle to the present and show how our lives over the last half century have strayed from that ideal. Finally, they issue a call to think anew about what really matters in our lives and how to attain it.
We anticipate this will be a popular meet up so want to try and limit the no-shows. If you are a no-show, and then a no-show again at a subsequent event, your membership of the LPC will be cancelled. Sorry for the Stalinist measures, but no-shows make it difficult for us to plan and hold events (and also use up places that other people could use).
Here is a review of the book from the Guardian.
Here is a review by Jon Cruddas in the Independent.
Here is a review by Rowan Williams in Prospect.
Lord Skidelsky is Emeritus Professor of Political Economy at the University of Warwick. His three volume biography of the economist John Maynard Keynes (1983, 1992, 2000) received numerous prizes, including the Lionel Gelber Prize for International Relations and the Council on Foreign Relations Prize for International Relations. He is the author of the The World After Communism (1995) (American edition called The Road from Serfdom). He was made a life peer in 1991, and was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 1994.
Dr Edward Skidelsky is professor of philosophy and sociology at the University of Exeter. He is author of Ersnt Cassirer: The Last Philosopher of Culture (2009) and the upcoming The Language of the Virtues. He regularly contributes to publications including Prospect and New Statesman.
There will be a charge of £2 for room hire. Wine will be sold for £2 a glass.
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kevin o'connor
Very good talk interesting points raised will require a big political struggle to defeat corporate neo liberal globalists
September 12
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A former member
Interesting thoughts shared. More came up in the discussion at the end. I still feel that when you look at the good life and what it really is .. happy was a word that came up that somehow did not fit the bill. Today I am wondering if it is self actualisation that is true happiness. The inner self knowing and understanding. From this place then the 'Good' life seems plausible ... I am just concerned to say the 'Good' life implies more greed and self satisfaction than attention on creating a better world for us all. Ultimately that is life's challenge, can we empower everyone on the planet, do we all have enough compassion in our hearts for that and is that the inner happiness journey..
September 12
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Andrew Cameron
Nothing truly new, remarkable, or interesting said at this talk. A Couple of academics talking about happiness and money, except it seems like their target audience is non-academic. I kept waiting for the goods, but they didn't deliver. Don't get me started on their suggestions to the government to increase happiness in the state! If you're going to get political, please think pragmatically and realistically!
September 12
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eliana20
A decent well rounded discussion (i.e. considering all due relevant thinkers and theories diligently) which embeds money as "symbol" (sign, more than symbol, actually) into socio-historical systems and communicates it organically to many.
There's a lack of general public awareness and plenty of narrow views on several levels on the topic, and I applaud any decent attempt to grow such general awareness.I would caution on lightly dismissing it, even if just because "one has heard it all already" or "something was missing or not sufficiently spelled out" unless you can provide sound arguments upon which resting such dismissal or, you've read the whole book.
It is not too often to hear sufficiently well-rounded discussions. Besides, this was a short presentation of a book (not the whole book itself).September 12
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Andrew Cameron
Nothing truly new, remarkable, or interesting said here. A couple of academics talking about happiness and money, except it seems like their target audience is non-academic. I was bored, and kept waiting for the goods to be delivered, but ended up getting impatient and walking out after around 40 minutes. Don't get me started on their suggestions to the government to increase happiness in society... Here, they went from boring to unrealistic. Fatal combination for me.
September 12
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Susan
Some good points but argument was patchy. Didn’t persuade me to buy their book. Good atmosphere but latecomers were a distraction for those of us at the back.
September 12
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A former member
Good - but didn't really leave you with a clear sense of what their argument was...
September 11
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Andreina Perez
I had a good time. I forgot to ask them who does the cleaning in their house and and about how much they know about the labour contributing to their success.
September 11
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Jules Evans
Looking forward to seeing everyone this evening. If you can't come, say so now so that someone on the waiting list can come. We'll start 7.15 prompt, and please remember to bring £2 for the room and more if you want to get wine. Thanks, Jules
1 · September 11
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Karen
Apologies. A meeting ran over. I am in Wimbledon and won't be able to make it on time if someone wants to take my place.
September 11
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Jules Evans
Hi everyone, sorry about the automatic emails from the comments below. Its a thing on Meetup that we can't switch off, but you can switch it off yourself by pressing the 'notifications' button above the comments. Can people save any ideas / comments on the subject until the meetup? See you all then, Jules
August 27
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Andreina Perez
@Surose:
My sincere apologies in advance for intervene in your exchange but everytime I read/hear someone saying "you misunderstand" I can't help to ask: do I misunderstand really or did you not make yourself clear?. It's silly of me to comment in such a way but I feel it's somehow relevant to the knowledge distinctions we are trying to convey. It could be that the very distinction is lost in translation, reason being for its enquiry....
August 27
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surose
u misunderstand stand the way i am using 'the good life.' i mean in the philosophic sense ie. the philosophic life which questions.
August 27
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surose
don't know much about economics but do know about the good life
and the not so good lifeAugust 23
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asif hameed
someone can make a guess or conclusion about something of good or not good according to his own knowledge but in reality that is good or not good , its never clear.
August 26
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asif hameed
rich and poor , both are just states of mind , and its depends on individual what he choose , intelligence is not to choose anything , just live
August 26
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