John De Graaf
John De Graaf was born on August 26th, 1946 and is currently 79 years old. De Graaf attended the University of Wisconsin–Superior.
John de Graaf is an American best known as an activist, filmmaker, public speaker, and author who advocates for a happier and sustainable quality of life in the modern world.
Early on, De Graff worked for
AmeriCorps VISTA as a volunteer. He actively campaigned against the war in Vietnam, and this would come to shape his lifelong passion for social justice.
Since the late 1970s, John de Graaf has been behind more than 40 documentaries in addition to innumerable shorter pieces for TV.
A Common Man’s Courage, his debut film, was awarded the 1977 Best Local Public Television Program Award by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Over the years, de Graaf has won numerous accolades on the international and national stage which have included several Emmy Awards.
Some of his more notable works in film include
Buyer Be Fair,
Silent Killer and
Affluenza, which combine analysis of environmental issues, hunger and overconsumption.
John is the cofounder of
The Happiness Initiative and
Take Back Your Time, which are organizations that advocate for modern professionals to redefine social definitions of success and find work-life balance.
He is a popular keynote speaker and has been on stages across the world and in more than 100 universities where he has lectured on topics such as the economic reset, happiness and sustainable living. He is also a board member at the
Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival and is an advisor for
Earth Economics.
In 2003, John de Graaf published his debut work
Take Back Your Time, in which he looks at how ordinary Americans are dealing with a famine of time.
He asserts that compared to the citizens of other industrialized countries, Americans have hardly any time for themselves and sometimes work longer than medieval peasants. He uses the work of several researchers and experts to explore the effects of stress, overwork, time pressure, and overscheduling on our environment, health, children, and relationships.
He also proposes legislative, corporate, and personal solutions.
In 2005, he came back with
Affluenza, in which he looks into how problems such as rising family debt, endless working hours, loneliness, rampant commercialism, and environmental pollution can be deadly.
He traces how the
Great Recession was caused by overconsumption and suggests new ways to measure success and social health including recommendations on policy that will make the society love simplicity rather than buying everything we want.
Six years later, John de Graaf published the work
What’s the Economy For, Anyway. In this work, they explore thirteen economic elements and challenge readers to look deeper into what our economy does for us.
He asserts that the economy needs to be for the greatest good of the people by promoting values of equality, pragmatism, and teamwork. De Graff says it is not about GDP but all about markets and people working together to craft an economy that works for everyone.
Related Authors
Fans of John De Graaf also enjoy these authors:
- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
- Dean Koontz, author of the Odd Thomas Series.
- Douglas Adams, author of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Series.
- Michael Crichton, author of the Jurassic Park Series.
- Jared Diamond, author of the Civilizations Rise and Fall Series.
John De Graaf: F.A.Q
When was John De Graaf Born? How old is John De Graaf?
John De Graaf was born on August 26th, 1946. John De Graaf is currently 79 years old.
What was the first book John De Graaf wrote?
The first book written by John De Graaf was Take Back Your Time, published in 2003.
What was the most recent book John De Graaf wrote?
His most recently released work was What's the Economy For, Anyway? on October 11th, 2011.
Are there upcoming new books by John De Graaf?
John De Graaf does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
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How many books has John De Graaf written?
John De Graaf has written 3 books. All of his books are Non-Fiction Books.