Micael Dahlén

Our days are numbered. Literally. Everything we do, from morning till night, is influenced, measured, nudged, controlled, incentivized and punished by numbers. We rejoice over them, agonize over them, think of them, dream of them, define ourselves by them. Drawing on years of research, Dahlen dissects the numbers that make us tick, affect our well-being and how that shapes the world as we know it.

The future isn’t set in stone, but with the right statistical tools and an outside-the-box mindset, it might be divined. Join professor Dahlen as he uses his full skillset to feel out the shape of the future, tracing trends and chasing change that will transform consumer behavior – sooner rather than later.

How happy are you, really? And how can you get more out of life, your relationship or your career? All the little things that affect how we think, feel and perform have been shown to affect our happiness – and our ability to be creative. In his signature personal and entertaining way, Micael Dahlen shows the results of his own research as well as others’, and provides the tips and tricks that are scientifically shown to make us like our lives just a little bit better. (For example: just by looking forward to this talk, you’ve automatically gotten a little bit happier.)

Wielding his own research and that of others, Dahlen tackles one of life’s greatest questions. He may not find that one big once-and-for-all answer, but the myriad of smaller answers that pop up along the way paint a picture of how we can each imbue our lives with purpose – or purposes. The meaning of life has never been explored in a way this truthful and heartfelt, scientifically sound and surprisingly brief.

Question: how can you be sure to succeed in a world in a world that is growing ever more complex, in a time where the future is just one click away? Answer: You can’t. But with insights from the fields of social psychology, evolutionary biology and consumer trends Michael Dahlen shows how an unexpected force can stack the deck in your favour – a force that has been released since the first human ancestor slipped on the first banana peel. With his own research and examples from politics and the media, giant corporations and startups, Dahlen reveals the enormous potential of humour and helps you take advantage of this misunderstood resource. Because one thing is certain in this ever changing world: success is spelled F-U-N.