Bentoism: The Radical Framework to Reboot Our Values and Our Future

What if we could rethink rationality itself? What if the goal of life wasn’t just to maximize financial gain but to balance a rich set of values that nourish our well-being, community, and future? Bentoism offers just that—a radical new framework inspired by the Japanese bento box, which neatly organizes diverse foods into balanced compartments.

Bentoism divides values along two axes: social (self vs. others) and temporal (now vs. future). This creates four perspectives: Now Me, Now Us, Future Me, and Future Us. Each compartment represents vital concerns—from immediate personal needs to long-term collective well-being.

This pluralistic approach rejects the narrow focus on money and embraces fairness, community, purpose, and sustainability. It aligns with psychological research showing that human motivation is driven by autonomy, mastery, and purpose—values that financial incentives alone cannot satisfy.

Applying Bentoism means making decisions that balance competing interests thoughtfully, rather than defaulting to profit maximization. It encourages us to consider how our actions affect not only ourselves but also our communities and future generations.

Organizations can adopt Bentoism by embedding pluralistic values into their missions and structures, such as becoming public benefit corporations. Individuals can create personal Bentos to guide their choices with clarity and integrity.

Bentoism is more than a theory; it is a call to expand our imagination about what success and rationality mean. It invites us to build a more generous, balanced, and meaningful future for all. For a deeper dive, the book 'This Could Be Our Future' explores this transformative idea in detail. 1 4