Show Notes
What happens when the story of “more is always better” stops working—economically, socially, and spiritually?
In this episode of The Space In Between, Leigh Morgan sits down with wellbeing economist and sustainability researcher Gaya Herrington to explore why a ‘growth-at-all-costs’ mindset and economic system is colliding with real-world limits, and what a healthier paradigm could look like—one centered on human and ecological wellbeing, not just GDP. Leigh and Gaya discuss how to actually do this at a time of great polarization and polycrisis in the US and globally. Together, they unpack how leaders – and indeed, everyone – can hold complexity without despair, build agency in unsettled times, and bridge divides by talking about what people actually long for: stability, dignity, belonging, and a future that feels livable.
Gaya lays out how the Western narrative of achievement and progress—often measured through markets and growth—doesn’t reliably translate into wellbeing. Even in a “good” market year, more people can be struggling, and plenty of folks feel more isolated, anxious, and divided than ever.
Rather than blaming or condemning, this conversation slows down and asks a more human question: What happens when an old economic story stops serving our wellbeing—and what might want to take its place? Gaya Hetherington knows a lot about this topic and shares profound insights and a way-forward to renew connection, affirm prosperity and center connection at a time of
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
- Gaya’s personal motivation: the spiritual/emotional human need to contribute to something larger—and how unmet basic needs steal dignity
- A clear, accessible explanation of neoclassical economics and the “homo economicus” assumption
- Why the book The Limits to Growth became influential—and then “effectively buried” because it predicted the eventual decline of economic growth in its current form
- A grounded take on “poly-crisis”: why it can feel like everything is happening at once—and why that sense isn’t limited to one ideology
- A nuanced view of global development: why growth can improve wellbeing in low-income contexts, while high-wealth countries face diminishing returns and different problems
- Why “greenwashing” complicates consumer choices—and what’s more reliable (often) about community-rooted and employee-owned models
- The invitation to shift identity from consumer to citizen: reconnect locally, organize, and build the new narrative together
Listener Reflection
A few questions to sit with after you listen:
- Where in your life has “more” started to feel like a cost instead of a win?
- What does enough mean for you right now—time, money, status, consumption, achievement?
- When you feel pulled to buy/strive/upgrade—can you name the message underneath it? (Is it whispering: you’re not enough?)
- What’s one small way you could practice “citizen energy” this week—show up locally, reconnect with neighbors, support community-rooted initiatives?
About Gaya
Gaya Herrington is an economist and speaker focused on post-growth and wellbeing economics. In this episode, she shares her background in finance and institutions (including central banking and banking supervision), her research journey into sustainability, and why she believes the central question isn’t whether growth will end, but whether the transition happens by design or by disaster.
Resources Mentioned / Helpful Links
- Gaya’s TED Talk: “Will the End of Economic Growth Come by Design — or Disaster?”
- The Club of Rome page for The Limits to Growth https://www.ted.com/talks/gaya_herrington_will_the_end_of_economic_growth_come_by_design_or_disaster
- Overview of the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)
- Edelman Trust Barometer – Trust & Health (report PDF)
- Research on the happiness–income relationship (Easterlin’s “happiness–income paradox” revisited)
- Bioregionalism (what it is and how it’s practiced)
Call to Action
If this episode gave you language for something you’ve been feeling, share it with one person who’s been wrestling with the “more, more, more” drumbeat. And if you want to support the show: hit follow, leave a rating/review wherever you listen, and send Leigh a message through the show’s website—your notes help shape what comes next.
