Prof Tim Jackson does not accept that wealth and happiness can only be achieved by continuous economic growth. He argues that our addiction to new products, services, brands – more and more stuff – is actually fuelling our fears and anxieties.
In his influential book, Prosperity without Growth, he writes: "The starting point must be to unravel the forces that keep us in damaging denial ... the profit motive stimulates a continual search for newer, better or cheaper products and services. Our own relentless search for novelty and social status locks us into an iron cage of consumerism. Affluence has itself betrayed us."
Economic suicide? Or a blueprint for transforming our self-destructive lifestyles? Jackson will be with us between 1pm and 2pm on Friday 18 March to answer your questions. You might like to ask him why he is dismissive of David Cameron's desire to create a happiness index, for example.
You can start posing questions for Prof Jackson to answer in the comments below.
