The Bento

Bentoism is a theory of multi-dimensional self-interest.

Today self-interest is seen in terms of short-term individualism: what I as an individual want right now.

The Bento (an acronym for BEyond Near Term Orientation) is a wider lens for what’s valuable and in our self-interest.

This includes what I as an individual want and need right now (Now Me), but also the considerations of our future selves (Future Me), the people we rely on and who rely on us (Now Us), and the next generation (Future Us). All of these spaces impact us and are impacted by us. They are all in our self-interest.

The Bento was introduced in the book This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World in 2019. In the years following, a community of people from all around the world and every walk of life came together to learn about and share their experiences as members of the Bento Society.

Learn more about Bentoism’s origins here. Learn how to apply the Bento to your own life and group here: