Bono's Awesome List Of What Next

Yesterday morning, Twitter was ablaze with unexpected delight at U2 lead singer Bono's Op-Ed about ten things that need to happen in the next decade. While it certainly has its roots in the sort of world changing that is increasingly Bono's main business on earth, it is rather different than one might expect. There are a few interesting threads:

1) The Power Of Brand, Design, and Aspiration. The list kicks off with "Return of the automobile as a sexual object." Bono's point is that in the mid 20th century, the vehicle was an object of desire, but now, it's just a utility. Because of that, designers haven't found a way to make cleaner, friendly vehicles objects of desire that create the mass market demand for better environmental cars. From a different, but important alternative angle, he talks about how the South Africa hosted World Cup will kick off a decade where Africa surprises the cynics with its own innovation and leadership.

2) New Power of Self Organizing. There is a definite thread in the predictions of understanding how people - whether it's protesters in Iran or base of the pyramid consumers - are reorganizing themselves in more powerful collective blocks to shift markets and politics.

3) Rock Still Rules. Of course, this being Bono, he's gotta throw the power of music in there somewhere. He suggests a "Festival Of Abraham," celebrating the common root of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, held in a different city each year, starting with Jerusalem. Artists only, no politicians.

Read the full list at the New York Times.

(Photo: vectorportal)