Change and Persistence: The Demand for an Enhanced Quality of Life in the Future

This paper lies at the intersection of two intellectual fashions that are now popular in the United States. One is the current enthusiasm for futurist studies, with its new journals, associations and conferences. Another is the quality of life discussion that stems from a general turning inward, a journey back from concern with internationalism, economic growth and power. This concern also expresses itself in zero population, social indicator, and corporate social responsibility movements. However, both discussions of the future and of quality of life suffer from serious defects that make them more insubstantial and superficial than they need to be. This paper is an attempt to relate and lay a basis for a deeper understanding of both.