DAMNº 77 – A Conversation on Happiness

The celebrations that erupted across the world as Joe Biden’s presidential win became apparent rang like a victory for basic human decency. There was a real rapture – despite the ongoing spread of a devastating pandemic – and it was contagious. Might this decency and a return to so-called “norms” usher in a new era of stability for 2021? And does stability lie at the core of happiness anyway?

We also join a Dutch curator on his trip across the American election trail where he visited artists to hear how the American political landscape influences their work. The conclusion is a more humble understanding of what really makes us happy, a much-needed skepticism of the role technology plays, and a nuanced awareness of how design shapes it all.