What is a Good Life? #85 - Becoming Connected Citizens with Jon Alexander

On the 85th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Jon Alexander. Jon is the author of CITIZENS: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us, a book that seeks to reframe the current moment as one of immense civic opportunity rather than merely a time of crisis and collapse.

In 2014, Jon co-founded the New Citizenship Project, a strategy and innovation consultancy that aims to shift the dominant societal narrative from Consumer to Citizen. He is a Fellow of the Young Foundation, a founding member of the OECD's Innovative Citizen Participation Network, a Strategic Advisor to DemocracyNext, and a member of the Leadership Council of the Democracy and Culture Foundation. Additionally, Jon has represented Great Britain in both rowing and triathlon.

In this inspiring conversation, Jon shares his journey of building greater trust in himself and others, which has shaped his ideas about evolving from a Consumer story to a Citizen story. In this new narrative, we expand our self-interest, connection, and sense of belonging, embracing the uncertainty we collectively face. We discuss the importance of stories over data, becoming who we want to be, reflection, and the immense satisfaction of being part of something bigger than ourselves.

If you feel somewhat stuck and perhaps overwhelmed by the mounting crises, and if you are looking to reengage with a sense of agency and empowerment, this episode, along with Jon’s journey, will give you much to contemplate, as well as inspiration for action.

Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for clips and shorts.

For further content and information check out the following:

Jon's book & website: https://www.jonalexander.net/
Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-alexander-11b66345/
Jon's Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonjalex

- For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/

Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to further explore your own lines of self-inquiry or create experiences that lead to more connecting and genuine conversations amongst groups of people.

00:00 Introduction
02:55 Consumer Story & Citizen Story

05:35 What would you do if you believed in yourself & others

09:15 Self interest and expanded self-interest

13:05 Human and community and connection

16:45 Stories and connection over data

21:55 Collectively becoming who we want to be

25:55 Pretending we have answers and solutions

30:40 Safe uncertainty

34:35 A need for belonging, community, and contribution

38:20 Trusting others

43:55 Time to reflect and portals

50:55 Not something to give up but to gain

55:55 What is a good life for Jon?