It is not a coincidence that both the Sharing Economy and the concept of Collaborative Consumption are converging tendencies supported by our Happiness Framework, and in general, by what positive psychologists report as key factors for driving happiness.
The Sharing Economy was born as a necessity to respond to the dire consequences of an extended recession which points to a fundamental paradigm shift in how humanity is to create value in the future. As in other occasions in history, together we are finding ways to withstand adversity creating new means to meet our needs.
Technology is surely bringing about a new generation of solutions. It almost seems a new sharing platform is born every day. You can now share your car, office, travel accommodations, textbooks, children's clothing, parking spots, gardens, camera lenses, luxury bags, household items, and a lot more. It is all about sharing goods and resources for the common good.
Additional trends are converging to further motivate these sharing phenomena:
As society widely adopts these trends, they will shape a new lifestyle not as a solution to an economic crisis, but as a way to guarantee our future overall prosperity. What is most thrilling about these trends is that Positive Psychology research has found that we are indeed happier when we are part of a group that meets frequently to share and contribute to each other. Our ability to connect meaningfully with other people to contribute and to receive help is the key to success and be happy. The fact that all these tendencies are converging in finding means for our holistic well-being is a sign that those of us committed to such a journey are in fact headed in the right direction.
