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John Elkington

John Elkington

A world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.

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Super Sad True Love Story

John Elkington · 17 September 2010 · Leave a Comment

One real benefit of long-haul flight is that you can plough through books – and on the way to and from Buenos Aires one of the books I read (and finished) was Gary Shteyngart’s extraordinary Super Sad True Love Story (Granta Publications, 2010). One of those books you race to finish – but don’t want to.

Given that I was in Argentina to talk to high net worth individuals, it was interesting that the business of the book’s main protagonist is recruiting ultra-rich people for the biotech company he works for, Post-Human Services. The story, involving the collapse of America, seems to be set 15-20 years into the future – and the language has mutated to suit, in a world where pornography has entered (and corrupted) mainstream culture and no-one reads books.

Interesting to see sustainability reduced to personal SUSTAINABILIT¥, an online measure of personal wealth. Global warming also puts in a fleeting appearance on pages 307 and 328, accorded a word or two each time.

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Introduction

I began this blog with an entry reporting on a visit to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, on 30 September 2003. The blog element of the website has gone through several iterations since, with much of the older material still available.

Like so many things in my life, blog entries blur the boundaries between the personal and the professional. As explained on this site’s Home Page, the website and the blog are part platform for ongoing projects, part autobiography, and part accountability mechanism.

In addition, my blogs have appeared on many sites such as: Chinadialogue, CSRWire, Fast Company, GreenBiz, Guardian Sustainable Business, and the Harvard Business Review.

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About

John Elkington is a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development. He is currently Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of Volans, a future-focused business working at the intersection of the sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation movements.

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john@johnelkington.com  |  +44 203 701 7550 | Twitter: @volansjohn

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