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The New Long Life: A Framework for Flourishing in a Changing World
Smart new technologies. Longer, healthier lives. Human progress has risen to great heights, but at the same time it has prompted anxiety about where we're heading. Are our jobs under threat? If we live to 100, will we ever really stop working? And how will this change the way we love, manage and learn from others?
One thing is clear: advances in technology have not been matched by the necessary innovation to our social structures. In our era of unprecedented change, we haven't yet discovered new ways of living.
Drawing from the fields of economics and psychology, Andrew J Scott and Lynda Gratton offer a simple framework based on three fundamental principles (Narrate, Explore and Relate) to give you the tools to navigate the challenges ahead. Both a personal road-map and a primer for governments, corporations and colleges, The New Long Life is the essential guide to a longer, smarter, happier life.
One thing is clear: advances in technology have not been matched by the necessary innovation to our social structures. In our era of unprecedented change, we haven't yet discovered new ways of living.
Drawing from the fields of economics and psychology, Andrew J Scott and Lynda Gratton offer a simple framework based on three fundamental principles (Narrate, Explore and Relate) to give you the tools to navigate the challenges ahead. Both a personal road-map and a primer for governments, corporations and colleges, The New Long Life is the essential guide to a longer, smarter, happier life.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published May 28, 2020
63 people are currently reading
549 people want to read
About the author
Andrew J. Scott
2 books10 followersAndrew J. Scott is Professor of Economics at London Business School and a consulting scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Longevity. Through multi-award-winning research, writing and teaching, his pioneering work and ideas inform a global understanding of the profound shifts reshaping our world and impacting us all, and envision the actions needed for us to flourish individually and as a society. Board member and advisor to a range of corporates and governments, he is co-founder of The Longevity Forum, an organisation aimed at achieving healthier longer lives, and member of the Cabinet Office Honours Committee (Science and Technology).
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 19, 2021
How would you plan differently if you knew you would live to be 120 and your current job was going to be automated? Those are the premises these two British economists rather optimistically address in The New Long Life. Written before the pandemic (which is important as new strains of CoVid may have a downward pull on long-term life expectancies), the authors work through a few hypothetical case studies to demonstrate how individuals at different stages of life, living in different countries, might choose to address the problem of suddenly being made redundant at work, or planning for elder care, or managing their freelance careers.
Broadly, Scott and Gratton argue that we need to be lifelong learners who are ready to retool and up skill periodically- and companies would be wise to invest in those opportunities for their employees. They argue that people need to plan to work longer into their old age- though with more flexible, part-time schedules. (That’s one place that seemed overly optimistic to me as what they proposed sounded very similar to the unstable gig economy that is unlikely to prevent poverty in old age.) They also argue for practices that defy ageism at the workplace and encourage countries to plan for future needs using cohort life expectancy, which calculates likely improvements in healthcare into the average person’s life expectancy, instead of the more used period calculation, which just considers the current average age of the people dying the year when a baby is born.
Overall, it’s a good discussion starter for individuals, management teams, and policy drafters. It’s easy to read- a perfect plane companion, and even just having some of these possibilities in the back of your head will make you think a little more carefully about the life you want for your future self- your future organization- your future nation.
Broadly, Scott and Gratton argue that we need to be lifelong learners who are ready to retool and up skill periodically- and companies would be wise to invest in those opportunities for their employees. They argue that people need to plan to work longer into their old age- though with more flexible, part-time schedules. (That’s one place that seemed overly optimistic to me as what they proposed sounded very similar to the unstable gig economy that is unlikely to prevent poverty in old age.) They also argue for practices that defy ageism at the workplace and encourage countries to plan for future needs using cohort life expectancy, which calculates likely improvements in healthcare into the average person’s life expectancy, instead of the more used period calculation, which just considers the current average age of the people dying the year when a baby is born.
Overall, it’s a good discussion starter for individuals, management teams, and policy drafters. It’s easy to read- a perfect plane companion, and even just having some of these possibilities in the back of your head will make you think a little more carefully about the life you want for your future self- your future organization- your future nation.
October 17, 2022
Unlike other framework books (red- I have read) that always structured in a way from point to point with explanation, this book didnt follow that . I was little lost at the begining, but after finishing the book I realized that confusion comes from dispersion of the discussion, because the target audience is kinda broad from individual, goverment, and educator.
However, good starter book for individual to think what we should do given current life expectancy is getting longer and longer, while AI/automisation is getting faster. Good tips that I can find in the books are as follow :
1. Act pre-emptively; take action now!
2. Orientate yourself to the future; we have a longer time horizon ahead, hence thinking carefully about investments that can compound over time
3. Be aware of your possible selves; Explore many possibilitied and keep the options open longer
4. Focus on malleability and recursivity; Our action now can influence how we age and our future options and choices
5. Accept transitions; substantive life changes can be difficult, but it will inevitably be more frequent and will form the knots that tie the threads ofa multistage life together
However, good starter book for individual to think what we should do given current life expectancy is getting longer and longer, while AI/automisation is getting faster. Good tips that I can find in the books are as follow :
1. Act pre-emptively; take action now!
2. Orientate yourself to the future; we have a longer time horizon ahead, hence thinking carefully about investments that can compound over time
3. Be aware of your possible selves; Explore many possibilitied and keep the options open longer
4. Focus on malleability and recursivity; Our action now can influence how we age and our future options and choices
5. Accept transitions; substantive life changes can be difficult, but it will inevitably be more frequent and will form the knots that tie the threads ofa multistage life together
July 19, 2022
Andrew Scott and Lynda Gratton are forcing a discussion within individuals, companies, and governments through this book. With life expectancy increasing and with increasing levels of automation using AI, there is a need for all of us to take a fresh look at handling the future. Tech Progress has always resulted in improved standard of living but it has a lag of one or two generations. Transitioning smoothly is important for us to ride the fast pace of change, as the young are facing instability in employment, getting less pensions, and having to take care of the older generations.
Till few years back, life was split into 3 stages - learning, work, and retirement. In the new paradigm, multiple stages with multiple sequences have become the norm for life - like taking a break for recharging, doing part time courses while working, taking breaks for family commitments, working part time while pursuing non-work interests, etc. This shift in paradigm requires us, organisations, and policy makers to change.
Many suggestions are made:
- individuals taking a bird’s eye view of work, health, and relationships (over a long horizon)
- formal learning spread over life as against complete front load (it also reduces the heavy student debts)
- Creating Personalised interactive courses in companies
- Govt funding reskilling of SME employees
- re-looking at retirement age - increasing the age limit and possibly gradual phasing of retirement (studies show people live longer when they work longer)
- Societies built to get a mix of different age groups in one area for better integrity
- Universal basic income to avoid burden of old people on the young
- Companies paying similar to full time and flexi time workers
- Companies creating multiple points of entry and focusing on horizontal movements in addition to vertical promotions
- etc
Lots of new jobs in digital space are expected to be created by 2050 (Estimate is 20-50 million jobs), so it is about Govts/ Companies creating policies and culture for the future and for Individuals to continuously learn and taking preemptive actions.
A book worth reading
Till few years back, life was split into 3 stages - learning, work, and retirement. In the new paradigm, multiple stages with multiple sequences have become the norm for life - like taking a break for recharging, doing part time courses while working, taking breaks for family commitments, working part time while pursuing non-work interests, etc. This shift in paradigm requires us, organisations, and policy makers to change.
Many suggestions are made:
- individuals taking a bird’s eye view of work, health, and relationships (over a long horizon)
- formal learning spread over life as against complete front load (it also reduces the heavy student debts)
- Creating Personalised interactive courses in companies
- Govt funding reskilling of SME employees
- re-looking at retirement age - increasing the age limit and possibly gradual phasing of retirement (studies show people live longer when they work longer)
- Societies built to get a mix of different age groups in one area for better integrity
- Universal basic income to avoid burden of old people on the young
- Companies paying similar to full time and flexi time workers
- Companies creating multiple points of entry and focusing on horizontal movements in addition to vertical promotions
- etc
Lots of new jobs in digital space are expected to be created by 2050 (Estimate is 20-50 million jobs), so it is about Govts/ Companies creating policies and culture for the future and for Individuals to continuously learn and taking preemptive actions.
A book worth reading
September 4, 2023
Главные мысли:
1. Самая глобальная перестройка нас ждет в области интеллекта, социального взаимодействия, медицины, обучения, семейных отношений и построения карьеры.
2. Наше поколение доживет до 80-90 лет, а дети, рожденные в 2021 году, перешагнут 100-летний рубеж.
3. Жизнь больше не будет представлять собой трехступенчатую систему «образование - карьера - пенсия».
4. Мы должны постоянно учиться, эффективнее управлять своими финансами и тщательнее следить за здоровьем.
5. Чувствовать себя более счастливыми в наступающем хаосе поможет выстраивание близкого круга общения. Рассматривайте свой нетворк как важнейший жизненный проект.
6. Высока вероятность, что образование будет устаревать каждые два-три года.
7. Та пенсионная система, которая существует сейчас, вероятно, прекратит свое сушествование в ближайшие 10-15 лет.
8. Отработайте собственные противокризисные меры еще до того, как жизнь поставит вас в тяжелые условия. Подумайте, с какими вызовами вы можете столкнуться в плане карьеры и частной жизни, и действуйте превентивно.
1. Самая глобальная перестройка нас ждет в области интеллекта, социального взаимодействия, медицины, обучения, семейных отношений и построения карьеры.
2. Наше поколение доживет до 80-90 лет, а дети, рожденные в 2021 году, перешагнут 100-летний рубеж.
3. Жизнь больше не будет представлять собой трехступенчатую систему «образование - карьера - пенсия».
4. Мы должны постоянно учиться, эффективнее управлять своими финансами и тщательнее следить за здоровьем.
5. Чувствовать себя более счастливыми в наступающем хаосе поможет выстраивание близкого круга общения. Рассматривайте свой нетворк как важнейший жизненный проект.
6. Высока вероятность, что образование будет устаревать каждые два-три года.
7. Та пенсионная система, которая существует сейчас, вероятно, прекратит свое сушествование в ближайшие 10-15 лет.
8. Отработайте собственные противокризисные меры еще до того, как жизнь поставит вас в тяжелые условия. Подумайте, с какими вызовами вы можете столкнуться в плане карьеры и частной жизни, и действуйте превентивно.
May 13, 2025
As we grow older and face the reality of working longer, it’s important to consider how we can adapt. Leveraging technology and rethinking our attitudes toward jobs, lifelong learning, and retirement are key to navigating this shift. These are some of the compelling ideas explored in the book.
The concepts are clearly presented and supported by solid data. The author examines them from various perspectives, offering insights into how individuals, companies, and governments might need to respond to these trends.
However, while the topic is interesting, the book’s structure feels somewhat awkward. The transitions between data-driven analysis and the personal examples are often abrupt. At times, it reads more like an extended whitepaper than a book. The repetition of the same ideas from multiple angles, though intentional, can become a bit tedious and is making the book less engaging after a while.
Still, I found the concepts thought provoking, and they led me to reflect on some important aspects of life. In that sense,
the authors are succeeding in achieving their goal.
The concepts are clearly presented and supported by solid data. The author examines them from various perspectives, offering insights into how individuals, companies, and governments might need to respond to these trends.
However, while the topic is interesting, the book’s structure feels somewhat awkward. The transitions between data-driven analysis and the personal examples are often abrupt. At times, it reads more like an extended whitepaper than a book. The repetition of the same ideas from multiple angles, though intentional, can become a bit tedious and is making the book less engaging after a while.
Still, I found the concepts thought provoking, and they led me to reflect on some important aspects of life. In that sense,
the authors are succeeding in achieving their goal.
January 1, 2023
Really well written and well documented book. It’s important in its essence because it captures the many faceted changes we are all endeavoring.
The world as we know are in a translation - as it should be. So many things have developed the last 150 years in relation to our way of living and working, yet too many of our values and ways of thinking are too strongly connected to the industrialization.
We need to change our mindsets, but it’s not easy; which is also why it’s easy to stick with what we know.
Gratton and Scott’s book are important in the sense that they demonstrate what we are facing, both in relation to what we cannot do anything about, and in relation to what is within our own power to act on.
The book has a strong scientific foundation, which also validates their “call to action” and finally, unlike must other books of this kind they suggest actions and reflection-questions, allowing you to act on your new knowledge.
Great and important book!
The world as we know are in a translation - as it should be. So many things have developed the last 150 years in relation to our way of living and working, yet too many of our values and ways of thinking are too strongly connected to the industrialization.
We need to change our mindsets, but it’s not easy; which is also why it’s easy to stick with what we know.
Gratton and Scott’s book are important in the sense that they demonstrate what we are facing, both in relation to what we cannot do anything about, and in relation to what is within our own power to act on.
The book has a strong scientific foundation, which also validates their “call to action” and finally, unlike must other books of this kind they suggest actions and reflection-questions, allowing you to act on your new knowledge.
Great and important book!
May 21, 2025
This book is a roadmap for thriving in a world where people live longer and face faster change. The authors argue that while longevity and technology have unlocked new possibilities, the social systems around us — especially education, work, and government — are still built for a world that no longer exists.
To flourish in this future, humans must:
- Ask deeper questions about what makes a good life.
- Use ingenuity to shape meaningful life narratives, embrace lifelong learning, and cultivate deep relationships.
- Push societal change across corporations, schools, and governments to support evolving human needs.
Ultimately, The New Long Life is not about reacting to change — it’s about reshaping it with intention, empathy, and imagination.
To flourish in this future, humans must:
- Ask deeper questions about what makes a good life.
- Use ingenuity to shape meaningful life narratives, embrace lifelong learning, and cultivate deep relationships.
- Push societal change across corporations, schools, and governments to support evolving human needs.
Ultimately, The New Long Life is not about reacting to change — it’s about reshaping it with intention, empathy, and imagination.
December 25, 2020
We are likely going to live longer and jobs are changing. Understanding implications for that and what can be done to make the transition smoother. Move away from the 3 tier life of college, working, then retirement to something more flexible where you retrain periodically in smaller amounts than a traditional degree and work later in life but possibly part time.
Reduce intergenerational conflict. More people working later in life will cause problems for younger people's jobs. There's enough jobs for everyone based on what happened when women entered the workforce.
How governments at all levels can assist with retraining people for future jobs.
Reduce intergenerational conflict. More people working later in life will cause problems for younger people's jobs. There's enough jobs for everyone based on what happened when women entered the workforce.
How governments at all levels can assist with retraining people for future jobs.
December 21, 2020
This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 12/20, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. Advances in technology have not been matched by the necessary innovation to our social structures.
Find more Business Books of the week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more recommended books on my Amazon Influencer page at https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747 or by searching for me on Google.
Find more Business Books of the week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more recommended books on my Amazon Influencer page at https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747 or by searching for me on Google.
July 11, 2023
Despite really promising title the book does not offer much new stuff. It's a kind of frame for what shoud be done, and rather on organisational or state levels than personal one. Examples of made-up characters feel quite fake and theoretical divagations what they might do sound unrealistic. The word "ingenuity" is mentioned numerous times but I haven't seen many up-to-date examples for it in the book. Also the word "malleability" is used so many times, however, how it should be introduced practically - it is not said.
January 23, 2022
I tried to get through this one a few times but didn't get as far as I'd hoped. I skimmed the rest of the book and thought it was especially applicable to those in the workforce, particularly those with older relatives or looking for a mid-life crisis.
I think I would have had better success if I knew this was a shorter book. It looked and sounded intimidating and serious, despite the gecko on the cover.
I think I would have had better success if I knew this was a shorter book. It looked and sounded intimidating and serious, despite the gecko on the cover.
July 22, 2025
I appreciate the introduction to a new paradigm of planning for a long life and its possible implications like the need for continued education. However, I disagree on some fundamental assumptions. These assumptions lie not in the data put forward, but relate to spiritual and philosophical matters. For example: I believe the deteriorating nuclear family is not a an opportunity but a serious problem.
April 16, 2021
The premise is wonderful and something all of us need to be mindful of. But the authors delve too deep into the subject matter - I got the feeling that a lot of content was more for policy makers than for individuals. But some of the core concepts are very interesting and worth contemplating on.
July 17, 2023
Gives a good template for navigating various stages of life with flexibility, learning and forward looking perspective. Useful for every individual. Sprinkled with a lot of global data and analytics and argues the case well.
June 19, 2020
Highly recommended. Video book review to follow.
September 20, 2021
Introducing an important concept of how we meaningfully live longer lives.
October 18, 2021
Un interesante libro que conecta longevidad, tecnología y el futuro del trabajo.
October 18, 2021
Probably sound advice for someone younger and still working. Glad I checked it out from library.
December 12, 2021
كيف للتكنولوجيا وطول العمر أن يؤثر على العالم بطريقة تشعر بها أنت أولاً..
وبالتالي تتطلب منك ومن الأنظمة الكثير من المبادرة لضمان عالم أكثر رحابة..
وبالتالي تتطلب منك ومن الأنظمة الكثير من المبادرة لضمان عالم أكثر رحابة..
December 26, 2023
Rozczarowanie. Książka głównie o pracy, a liczyłam, że zostaną także poruszone szerzej wątki zdrowia, hobby, szkoły.
May 7, 2021
https://www.ft.com/content/c0eff5e6-a...
3 stages life:learn-work-retire is broken, longer life- continuing education, young generation can't support the old, multigenerational living
3 stages life:learn-work-retire is broken, longer life- continuing education, young generation can't support the old, multigenerational living
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2023
Książka zmusza do refleksji. Dostarcza na szczęście również sporo optymizmu. W trakcie lektury zauważyłem kilka literówek i błędów składniowych. Niektóre zadania zdawały się być dziwacznie zbudowane, nie wiem czy to kwestia pióra autorów czy inwencja tłumacza.
November 9, 2023
Holt-Delhi library Nonfiction Book Discussion group title September 2023.
November 16, 2023
Książka dobrze podsumowuje rzeczywstość w której żyjemy oraz co warto zrobić, żeby się w niej odnaleźć. Przeczytałam z ciekawością.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews