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An overview of the impact of dementia that focuses on underdeveloped countries across the globe, and migrant and minority ethnic communities within the developed world. Increased longevity increases the risk of dementia and brings new challenges in terms of cultural perspectives and cultural obligations in the care of elders. The chapter examines these challenges in detail and their consequences in planning for support and care.

Our perception and analysis gradually grow and mature from subjectivity to objectivity as we investigate different periods of society and widen the temporal and spatial framework. The egocentric viewpoint is responsible for some of humanity's greatest mistakes and social crises throughout history. Without perceiving the ‘other’ and considering individuals who are different from them, societies will not be able to create permanent solutions. Although the answers offered are appropriate for one's own civilisation, when looking at the problem from a global perspective, it is extremely likely that there will be a significant incompatibility with other nations and societies. In this context, while our study advises a method of approaching social arrangements regardless of location, particularly time period, it also provides analysis. So much so that today's analysis differs from yesterday's, and tomorrow's will differ even more from today's. Today, more than 80% of the population lives in cities, and this trend is expected to continue. We find that the perceptions of the demands of generations x, y, z and alpha, living today in the same time period, for public goods and/or services, and the value they place on them, are considerably different in the demographic segment, which continues to develop and grow.

Our study intends to explain, on a worldwide scale, how the value ascribed to events, objects and phenomena differentiate these perceptions through social observations and bilateral interviews with these people living simultaneously in an urban environment. Despite the fact that our research will define a geographical area as an urban area in terms of scope, it will also present examples of these urban areas from other countries throughout the world, putting the problem in a global context. Our sample comprises the major cities of the countries with the most people on each continent, whereas our study universe spans the entire globe. It is about observing the values given to these generations' perceptions of urban services in these capitals, ensuring that generations better understand each other based on these findings and reforming the production and presentation of urban goods and/or services based on these findings. Developed and emerging countries are the focus of our judgements and observations.

A personal narrative of my escape from Kosovo, and the genocide and ethnic cleansing that occurred there are presented. My time as a refugee and my efforts to be resettled in the US are chronicled. An account of my life in the US, highlighting the enormous generosity I received from my sponsors and others along with personal and professional conflicts I encountered in the US, is reported. My narrative ends with my hopes for Kosovo and my fears about the future of refugees in the US.

As I suggested earlier, Stabile's “lessons” typically take the form of questions. For example, what is the conceptual basis for defining a minimum income sufficient to sustain a labor force (what Stabile dubs the argument from sustainability)? Is there an absolute standard based strictly on basic biological needs, as Rose Friedman argued (p. 53)? Or do the necessities of life also include “whatever the custom of the country renders it indecent for creditable people, even of the lowest order, to be without,” as Adam Smith declared (quoted in Stabile, p. 17)? Introducing Amartya Sen's notion of capability broadens our scope even further, for now we are concerned about developing the traits, abilities, and opportunities that can make workers more productive, effective, and valuable citizens (a concern that Stabile finds implicitly in numerous authors, including Aristotle, Smith, Marshall, and Richard Ely).

In this critical decade and century of climate chaos, ecocide and interconnected crises, a public policy approach is needed based on the primacy of compassionate action and ecological regeneration. Ecological regeneration focuses on the health of the Earth's planetary systems of water, soil, air, minerals, microbes, plants, insects and animals. Compassionate action is concerned with relieving the suffering and enhancing the happiness of the entire human population, present and future. An integral process is needed that brings these two priority concerns into the creation of new individual mindsets and behaviours and collective cultures and policies. The innovative leadership methods needed to realize these changes include mindfulness taught by Thich Nhat Hanh, group facilitation as formulated by the Institute of Cultural Affairs in its Technology of Participation (ToP), social artistry as developed by Jean Houston and four-quadrant thinking, planning and acting as expounded by Ken Wilber in his Integral Quadrants.

In this chapter, we will first identify some of the dimensions of humanity's systemic suffering. Next, we will review how the principles and practices of engaged Buddhism and compassionate action might help relieve that suffering. Then, we will explore some of the visions, obstacles, strategies and actions of compassionate policies that can help relieve systemic suffering.