Joy Works

SECTION TWOJoy in a Post‐2020 World: How to Create More Joy

Many people around the world think of 2020 as a dividing line between the “before times” and the “after times.” In the second half of this book, we'll consider the reality of life after 2020, in those “after times.”

But before we think about all of the implications of 2020—the pandemic, the fight for social justice, and the sudden move to remote work—I want to offer a different perspective on 2020.

On January 25, 2020, people around the world celebrated Chinese New Year, a day that signifies renewal and rebirth. And this one was especially meaningful, because 2020 was the start of a new 60‐year cycle—composed of 12 lunar years times the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). It heralds a new beginning and a unique pivot point in human history: a new cycle and a year of reckoning.

There's a magnitude and mysticism about the number 60 that threads through many cultures. It's right there in the origin of mathematics with the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians. Related to that, it's how we measure the passing of time: 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour.

The year 2020 was always foreseen as heralding a tectonic shift, as 1960 did before it. And yes, it certainly delivered. But it's not just about COVID‐19. It seems like all catastrophes converged at once. The continuing fear that puts knees onto necks and razor wire between children and their parents. The persecution of individuals and groups for ...