Book Release: Why Did We Lose Connection with Each Other? From Collective to Individual

The book release event takes place at Helsinki Central Library Oodi (3rd floor, Saarikoski carpet) on 31.8. starting at 17:00.

Why Did We Lose Connection with Each Other? is an interdisciplinary work that examines how societal development has created distance between the individual and community. The book's central argument is that individualism has emerged as a byproduct of a long modernization process - everyday structures, incentives, metrics, services, working life, education, economy, and digital environment guide us toward situations where optimizing personal gain is often the easiest and most rewarding path. Thirty experts explore how we arrived at this point, what effects individualism has on different sectors of society, and how we might change direction. The book is edited by educational psychology professor Niina Junttila and researcher Emil Salovuori, and published by Santalahti.

Event programme:

17.00 Welcome

17.10 Why has life become more individualistic and how does it affect us? Panelists: docent in ecology and evolutionary biology Emma Vitikainen, leading organizational psychologist Pekka Tölli, youth physician and docent in youth medicine Silja Kosola, CEO Katri Vataja, unit director Jarmo Kokkonen, and educational psychology professor and book editor Niina Junttila.

17.40 How can individual and collective interests be reconciled? Panelists: assistant professor Frank Martela, professor of sustainable wellbeing Arto O. Salonen, professor of social and health policy Juho Saari, and researcher and book editor Emil Salovuori.

18.20 Programme concludes - afterwards there will be an opportunity to discuss with the authors.