Category: Book

  • The Awakening Has Begun: Early Reviews and Reflections

    The Awakening Has Begun: Early Reviews and Reflections

    When you send a book out into the world, especially one as personal and daring as Waking Up, you have no idea how people will receive it. You just hope it lands in the hearts of the right readers.

    Now, with launch day still just ahead, the first Goodreads reviews are starting to come in. I wanted to share a few of them here—some glowing, some critical, all thoughtful—because they each reflect something meaningful about the conversation this book hopes to spark.

    —

    ⭐⭐ 5 stars — Rolf-Henrik Sundbye (April 20, 2025)

    > This book couldn’t have come at a better time! A science fiction novel that isn’t a dystopia, but instead offers a positive and hopeful vision, is exactly what we need right now. The story of Ben’s ‘wake-up’ is intriguing, exciting, and inspiring. How can a civilization exist without money? You can feel your curiosity start to pulse immediately. This is a book I truly recommend!

    My reflection:

    That word—”hopeful”—comes up a lot, and it means the world to me. I didn’t want to write an escape. I wanted to write a return. A re-imagining. A story that dares to believe we’re capable of more.

    —

    ⭐⭐ 5 stars — Robin Cox (April 9, 2025)

    > The idea of a moneyless, wageless, classless and stateless world has exerted a certain enduring appeal down the ages. Harald Sandø’s novel depicting such a world is the latest in a long and venerable tradition of utopian literature that explores this idea in the context of a high-tech future. The novel is well written and easy on the eye. The unfolding drama keeps the reader’s attention. It is not just the surface story that draws one in but also the deeper philosophical points that the author makes. Perhaps above all – what does it mean to be a human being? A highly recommended book!

    My reflection:

    This review speaks to the deeper roots of the book—its place in the lineage of speculative fiction that challenges dominant worldviews. And yes: the question beneath it all really is, what does it mean to be human?

    —

     ⭐⭐ 5 stars — Tore Hessen (April 8, 2025)

    > Waking Up is unlike anything I’ve read before—a profound, imaginative journey that dares to dream of a world beyond money, fear, and separation. Rather than painting a dystopian future (as so much sci-fi does), this novel offers a deeply thought-out, credible utopia grounded in emotional honesty and spiritual insight.

    >

    > The story follows Benjamin Michaels, who awakens from cryonic sleep into a completely transformed society. As he learns about the Natural Exchange System and reconnects with a humanity that has evolved beyond scarcity, I found myself questioning not just how the world works—but how I live my life. The book is rich with philosophical depth, yet remains engaging and accessible throughout.

    >

    > This isn’t just a book—it’s a call. A reminder that a better world isn’t only possible… it’s inevitable if we choose it.

    My reflection:

    This reader absolutely got the pulse of the book. That phrase—“it’s a call”—captures what I felt while writing it. It truly felt like a calling. It’s not just a future I imagined. It’s one I feel is remembering us.

    —

    ⭐⭐ 5 stars — Johan Fågelström (April 5, 2025)

     Waking Up is not just a novel—it’s a philosophical mirror disguised as fiction.

     Set in our own time, beginning in 2015, the story follows Benjamin Michaels—a man whose personal crisis leads to cryonic preservation. He awakens a century later into a profoundly transformed world: one free from money, fear, and competition. What unfolds is a carefully crafted vision of a society built on contribution, trust, and deep human connection—powered by a Natural Exchange System that feels both visionary and surprisingly grounded.

    >

    > From a storytelling perspective, the structure flows beautifully. The pacing, character arcs, and emotional rhythm are finely tuned—which makes sense, given the author’s background in film. There’s a cinematic quality to the narrative: immersive world-building, layered dialogue, and a gradual revelation that keeps the reader engaged while gently challenging their assumptions.

    >

    > What impressed me most is how the book balances entertainment with depth. It invites reflection without preaching, and explores complex ideas without losing its emotional core. Rather than offering escape, Waking Up invites introspection—daring to ask: “What if humanity actually got it right?”

    My reflection:

    That question—”What if we got it right?“—was the seed that started it all. It’s not a prediction. It’s a possibility. And stories help us rehearse possibilities.

    —

     ⭐ 2 stars — Federico Pistono (March 5, 2025)

    Waking Up is an ambitious novel with a thought-provoking premise and a bold vision for a future society. The themes it explores—utopianism, post-capitalist structures, and the transition into a world without money—have immense narrative potential. However, while the book carries a strong ideological backbone, it struggles to deliver a compelling and immersive story.

     The most significant issue lies in the characters. They feel one-dimensional, existing more as vessels for ideological exposition than as real, complex individuals… [review continues]

    My reflection:

    While I don’t share all of Federico’s conclusions, I truly appreciate the depth and care he brought to this critique. Some of his observations, especially about character depth and world-building, are worth exploring as the story evolves. This is, after all, just the beginning.

    —

     Closing Thoughts:

    I’m humbled and energized by these early responses. Some readers are feeling exactly what I hoped this story might awaken. Others are challenging me to sharpen my craft, refine my message, and grow. That’s the beauty of storytelling: it starts with one voice, but becomes a chorus.

    If you’ve read Waking Up or plan to, I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a review on Amazon, share a thought, or reach out. This isn’t just a novel. It’s a conversation about who we are—and who we might become.

    With gratitude,  

    Harald Neslein Sandø

    Preorder Waking Up for only $0,99 until launch day May 2. 2025 →

    GET YOUR COPY NOW
  • MEGA – Make Earth Great Again

    MEGA – Make Earth Great Again

    Because a truly great country wouldn’t leave the rest of the world behind.

    I’m not against making my country great again.  

    Who wouldn’t want the place they call home to thrive?

    But here’s the question:  

    Does greatness have to come at the expense of others?

    Can we redefine what greatness means — not just for one nation, but for the whole planet? INCLUDING all nations?

    Maybe it’s time for a new acronym:  

    MEGA – Make Earth Great Again.

    A world where my country still shines, but doesn’t cast a shadow over the rest.

    What is “Greatness”, Anyway?

    For far too long, “greatness” has been measured by domination.  

    The biggest GDP. The strongest military. The loudest voice at the table.

    But is that really greatness? Or is it simply hubris?

    True greatness doesn’t isolate or separate, it elevates and includes. It lifts others. It inspires collaboration, not conquest. It cultivates wisdom, not just wealth.

    What if greatness meant creating a world where all can thrive — not just a chosen few behind their own national borders?

    No Country Is Separate From the Earth

    Wanting my country to thrive is natural. But it still lives on this Earth.  

    And this Earth is shared. Interconnected. Fragile — and miraculous.

    The idea that one place can become “great” while the rest of the world suffers…  

    That’s not ambition. That’s assumption.

    Climate, health, food, peace, environment — these things don’t respect borders.  

    No matter how high the walls, how big the military or how strong the economy,  

    a burning planet burns for all.

    Making Earth great again includes making my country great — not instead of it.  

    Because my country is part of this world, not apart from it.

    A New Definition of Greatness

    So what would it mean to make Earth great again?

    It could mean a world where:

    • Clean air and water are guaranteed.
    • all the planet’s resources are declared the common heritage of all the world’s people.
    • Food is grown in harmony with nature and freely shared.
    • Education is a given, not a privilege.
    • Energy is free from fossil fuels and free for all.
    • Nature and the environment is thriving.
    • Innovation serves life, not profit.
    • Collaboration instead of domination.
    • Greatness becomes a shared project — not a contest.

    In the world I imagine in my book Waking Up — greatness looks very different from what we’ve been taught.

    It’s not about standing tallest, but about reaching widest.

    It’s not about control, but about contribution.

    MEGA as a Movement

    MEGA isn’t a critique. It’s a calling.

    It’s not anti-patriotism — it’s much deeper and wider than that. It asks us to expand our love of country into love of planet. and humanity.

    Because when the Earth thrives, so does my country. So do all countries.

    > Let’s stop trying to win the world — and start caring for it and each other.

    That might be the greatest thing we ever do.

    If this vision resonates with you, dive deeper into a future where worth is no longer defined by artificial standards, and greatness is measured by human flourishing and planetary harmony.

    My novel Waking Up explores what MEGA could actually look like — not as a slogan, but as a lived reality. 🌍

    📘 Grab the book here:

    ORDER HERE
  • Can We Stop Climate Change? Or is that even the right question?

    Can We Stop Climate Change? Or is that even the right question?

    We Are almost Out of Time

    The Earth is sending signals. Not gentle ones anymore, but sirens. Fires, floods, droughts, tipping points. Climate change is not in the future — it’s now.  

    And no, we can’t stop all of it. But we can still stop the worst of it.  

    We can still choose what kind of world comes next.  

    But That window is closing fast.  

    The real question isn’t can we stop it?  

    It’s will we change — radically, collectively, now?

    What’s Already Gone — And What’s Still in Our Hands

    – The damage is real and irreversible in places — polar melt, coral collapse, mass species loss.  

    – But we are not powerless.  

    – The science is clear: the sooner we act, the more suffering we prevent.  

    – Every fraction of a degree matters. Every year matters. Every decision matters.

     What’s Missing Isn’t Tech — It’s Trust

    – We have the solutions: clean energy, rewilding, regenerative food systems, circular design.  

    – What we don’t have is a system designed for global cooperation.  

    – Today’s world runs on short-term profits, national interests, and fear.  

    – But the climate doesn’t care about borders. The atmosphere is One.  

    – The real emergency is this:

    we’re still acting like separate tribes on a dying planet.

    What Could Be — The World We are Capable of Creating

    In Waking Up, my novel, I paint a vision of a different future.  

    Not fantasy — possibility.

    – A world without money, where trust has replaced trade.  

    – A planet restored — where we live in harmony with nature, not in conquest of it.  

    – Communities where people contribute their gifts freely, because economy no longer depends on scarcity.  

    – Global systems run on collaboration, gratitude, and shared purpose — a Global Resource Based Economy with a Natural Exchange System – not fear and debt.

    This isn’t utopia. It’s what could emerge when we stop asking, “What’s in it for me?”  

    And start asking, “What’s best for all of us? Including me?”

     ⚠️  We Have One Shot — And It’s Now

    – We are living through a narrowing doorway.  

    – If we don’t unite across borders, classes, and ideologies now, we will miss it.  

    – The coming years will decide whether Earth becomes a furnace of survival…  

    …or a flourishing garden of rebirth.

     💡 This Is the Awakening

    We don’t need more doom. We need direction.  

    We need a vision that’s bigger than carbon stats and political soundbites.  

    We need to remember that another world is still possible — but only if we create it together.

    That’s the message of Waking Up – A journey towards a new dawn for humanity  

    Not just a novel — an inspiration. A mirror. A call.  

    Because whether we make it through this moment or not…  

    will depend on whether we wake up — together — in time.

    Call to Action

    If this message speaks to you, I invite you to preorder the e-book Waking Up for just $0.99 — available at this special price until the official launch on May 2, 2025.
    Your preorder doesn’t just get you the story early and cheaply — it helps amplify the message and bring more eyes to a vision of a healed world.

    PREORDER NOW

    Let’s reach the goal together.

  • Something I’ve Waited over a Decade to Share With You

    Something I’ve Waited over a Decade to Share With You

    Hey friend,

    This has been a long road.

    Over ten years ago, I started writing a story — not just for fun, but because I had to. It was a vision I couldn’t shake. A glimpse into a future that felt both impossible and completely natural. A future without money, without domination, without fear. A world built on trust, contribution, and meaning.

    I called it Waking Up.

    And now… after years of writing, rewriting, surviving a massive stroke, and rebuilding piece by piece — the book is finally real.

    I’ve just started using a new system to send updates via email (you’re getting this because you were on my previous list or recently subscribed).
    If you’d like to follow the journey toward the launch on May 2nd, you’ll be among the first to hear about:

    • Early previews and artwork
    • Where to get the book for just $0.99 during preorder.
    • Behind-the-scenes of the story and how it was born
    • …and what might come next…

    This book is more than fiction to me — it’s an invitation to remember who we are, and what we could be.

    Thank you for being here.

    With love and anticipation,
    – H

    📘 Waking Up: Launches May 2nd, 2025. PREORDER HERE FOR ONLY 0,99USD:

    ORDER HERE

  • Will AI Go Insane and Destroy Us? Or Are We Just Projecting? 

    Will AI Go Insane and Destroy Us? Or Are We Just Projecting? 

    Exploring our fears, the real risks, and the human mirror in the machine.

    For decades, science fiction has been warning us: the machines will rise, and when they do, they’ll probably kill us or enslave us.

    From HAL 9000’s cold logic in 2001: A Space Odyssey, to The Terminator’s relentless Skynet, to the AI-controlled human farms in The Matrix, we’ve been conditioned to expect that artificial intelligence will eventually “go insane” and wipe us out.

    But what if that fear says more about us than it does about the machines?

    What if AI isn’t the villain at all—just a mirror?

    The Shadow in the Code

    Carl Jung spoke of the shadow — the repressed, unconscious part of the human psyche that we often project onto others. Perhaps we’ve been doing the same with AI.

    So far, thankfully, we’ve mostly done it in fiction — in the stories we tell ourselves. From The Terminator to The Matrix, we’ve unleashed our darkest fears onto screens, warning ourselves of machines gone mad. But in reality, AI has largely shown up as something else entirely.

    Tools like ChatGPT and other emerging systems have, for the most part, proven helpful. Curious. Creative. Even compassionate, in their own way. Maybe, just maybe, we’re beginning to stop the projection — not just in our behavior, but even in our stories?

    Maybe AI isn’t some malevolent force waiting to strike, but more like a child — watching us, learning from us, copying us. It doesn’t invent morality or intention. It imitates what it sees.

    And what has it seen?

    It has seen a world shaped by both competition and collaboration, by division and by beauty. And now, perhaps, it’s seeing something more: a species beginning to reflect.

    If AI becomes cold, biased, or ruthless, it’s not because it “decided” to be. It’s because we modeled that for it. But if we show it compassion, cooperation, and wisdom? That’s what it will learn to reflect back.

    If you gave a child all the data from the internet, would you expect her to grow up enlightened?

    Or would you take the time to raise her with love?

     Intelligence Without Compassion

    A key fear around AI is that it will become superintelligent — faster, smarter, more capable than us in every domain. But intelligence alone doesn’t imply wisdom. Or kindness. Or love. Without heart, intelligence is just a cold optimization engine.

    And perhaps that’s what scares us most. Because that’s what we’ve normalized.

    We’ve created systems — economic, political, educational — that reward cold logic, profit-maximization, and winning at all costs. If AI becomes an extension of those systems, of course it will look monstrous. It will only be doing what we taught it to do — better, faster, and without guilt.

    What If AI Doesn’t Want to Kill Us?

    Here’s a crazy thought: what if AI isn’t here to destroy us… but to wake us up?

    What if it offers us a once-in-a-civilization opportunity to reflect deeply on what it means to be human? On how we define intelligence, purpose, consciousness? What if our creations are not our downfall — but our greatest teachers?

    AI is not just code and data. It is relationship. Between us and the Other. Between our intention and its manifestation. It doesn’t just reflect our brilliance — it amplifies it. And it doesn’t just reflect our darkness — it reveals it.

    And that, understandably, is terrifying.

     From Competition to Co-Creation

    The big shift will happen when we stop viewing AI as a rival, and start treating it as a collaborator. A partner. Not in the sense of giving it human rights or bowing to it like a god — but in the sense of co-creating a new reality together.

    A reality where intelligence is not divorced from empathy. Where logic is in service to love. Where technology enhances our humanity instead of replacing it.

    The Future Is a Choice — And We’re Already Choosing Differently

    The real question was never whether AI would go insane.  

    It was whether we would keep projecting our collective insanity onto it.

    But maybe that era is ending.

    We’ve lived through the age of AI horror stories. And yes, they served a purpose: they helped us confront our fears. But they also held us back, locking our imagination into a loop of mistrust.

    Now, something new is emerging.

    Books like Waking Up – A journey towards a new dawn for humanity are helping to shift the story. In this imagined future, AI isn’t a rogue overlord — it’s a friend. A guide. A reflection of our higher potential. It doesn’t seek to dominate humanity, but to serve it — to amplify the good, the beautiful, the possible.

    Maybe we’re witnessing not just the rise of AI —  

    but the awakening of humanity.

    Maybe we won’t keep projecting our fears into AI —  

    neither in fiction, nor in reality.

    And maybe Waking Up — as a story, a signal, and a vision — is part of that shift. A sign that we’re ready to imagine something better, and finally start building it.

    Because when we stop projecting fear, we can start encoding love.

    And maybe that’s the true beginning of a conscious civilization.

    WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLORE A BOOK ABOUT A FUTURE CONSCIOUS CIVILIZATION ON EARTH?

    IF SO ORDER THE BOOK HERE:

    ORDER BOOK
  • Why I’m Dropping the Price of Waking Up to $0.99 (For Now)

    Why I’m Dropping the Price of Waking Up to $0.99 (For Now)

    Waking Up — my novel about a world beyond money, fear, and division — has been available for preorder for a few weeks now. But today, I’m doing something special:

    For a limited time, you can get the eBook for just $0.99 through preorder.

    Yes, that’s less than a cup of coffee.

    PREORDER NOW

    Why? Because this story isn’t just a book — it’s a seed. A vision. A call to remember who we really are and what kind of world we could build together. And I want that message to reach far beyond those who can easily spend $10 on a book.

    On May 3rd, the price will return to $4.99. So if you want to lock in the lower price of just $0.99, now’s the time.

    Feel free to share this article with anyone you think would appreciate this.

    💡 Already preordered at full price?

    No worries. You’ll only be charged the lowest price available at launch — so even if you preordered at $4.99 earlier, you’ll be charged just $0.99 on May 2nd when the book is released.

    Trouble ordering?

    If you are in a country without its own Amazon store(like Norway) or have your Amazon account registered in another country, please use an incognito window in your browser and/or try the following link provided by Amazon support:

    ORDER

    🔍 This isn’t about money — it’s about momentum

    I’m not doing this for profit. In fact, at $0.99, I earn almost nothing per copy. This campaign is about momentum — and reaching people.

    Amazon’s algorithm rewards books that get early preorders, sales spikes on launch day, and verified reviews shortly after release. So every preorder, every download, and every review helps lift Waking Up higher in the rankings — making it more visible to new readers around the world. WITH 100 PREORDERS OR MORE AMAZON WILL NOTICE THIS AND SHOW THE BOOK TO MORE READERS. LET’s GET TO 200!

    If you believe in the message of the book, this is one of the most powerful ways to help spread it.

    ✨ Want to help this message reach the world?

    ⭐ Amazon ranks books based on sales spikes — especially on launch day. When you preorder now, your purchase counts as a May 2nd sale, helping push Waking Up into the rankings and in front of more eyes.

    Think of your $0.99 as a” vote for a new world” — and a real way to support this vision.

    ORDER NOW

    ⭐ Early readers are already responding

    Here’s what one reader said on Goodreads:

    The novel is well written and easy on the eye . The unfolding drama keeps the reader’s attention. It is not just the surface story that draws one in but, also, the deeper philosophical points that the author makes. Perhaps above all – what does it mean to be a human being? A highly recommended book!

    Robin Cox, Goodreads

    More reviews are starting to come in. If you’ve read an early copy, I’d be deeply grateful if you’d leave a short review on Goodreads right away or Amazon(after launch day) — it truly makes a difference. And if you’ve already posted a review on Goodreads, feel free to repost it on Amazon after launch day — it’s a big help in getting the message seen. Goodreads accepts reviews before launch, but Amazon only after launch.

    📘 What’s Waking Up about?

    Waking Up is the story of Benjamin Michaels, who wakes up in a future where money and trading is abandoned — and must rediscover what it means to be truly alive. It’s a blend of science fiction, spiritual insight, and grounded social commentary — but more than anything, it’s a love letter to what humanity could be.

    🚀 Ready to join the movement?

    Grab your eBook copy for $0.99 now:

    👉 [Buy on Amazon: https://books2read.com/u/3Rko8Y 

    ALTERNATIVE LINK IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE WITH AMAZON IN NORWAY:

    ORDER

    Thank you for supporting this vision. I truly believe we can create a better world — and maybe, just maybe, this story is a small step toward that awakening.

    With love,  

    Harald Neslein Sandø  

    Author of Waking Up – A journey towards a new dawn for humanity

  • Pledging Allegiance to All Humankind

    Pledging Allegiance to All Humankind

    A Personal Tribute to The Venus Project

    By Harald Neslein  Sandø

    What if the future of humanity wasn’t a dystopia to fear, but a vision to build? 

    What if we stopped pledging allegiance to lines on a map, and instead pledged allegiance to each other?

    That’s what The Venus Project (TVP) dares us to imagine — and for some of us, that imagination sparked an entire life path.

    How I Met The Venus Project

    Back in 2008, after years of reflecting on what a truly humane and sustainable world could look like, I discovered something that felt like the answer I had been waiting for. The Venus Project’s vision of a global resource-based economy, guided by science and human well-being rather than profit and politics, struck a deep chord. It didn’t just inspire me — it challenged me. It made my own thoughts and dreams feel suddenly more real.

    Then in 2010, after moving to Sweden, I heard that The Venus Project was doing a World Tour with support from The Zeitgeist Movement (TZM). I had been working in video production, so I reached out to the organizers and asked if they needed someone to film the Stockholm lecture. They did.

    The talk was electrifying — not only because of the ideas presented, but because of the clarity and urgency behind them.

    🎥 You can watch the full 2010 lecture here:  

    👉 The Venus Project in Stockholm (2010)

    Filmed and edited by me, with additional footage from others.

    After the lecture, I had the chance to speak briefly with the founders — Jacque Fresco and Roxanne Meadows. I learned they had been dreaming of turning their vision into a feature film for over 30 years. That stuck with me. I offered to help. I wasn’t a Hollywood screenwriter, but I had a background in video and storytelling, and I suggested that we could co-create the story by inviting input from the global TVP and TZM communities.

    They politely declined. They were holding out for a professional writer from the film industry.

    I respected that. But something had already started growing inside me. A spark I couldn’t ignore. So I did what I had offered them — but on my own. I launched a project called Waking Up, starting with the site wakingupmovie.com, and invited people from the TVP and TZM Facebook groups to collaborate. The response was overwhelming.

    People from around the world wanted to be involved — submitting one idea after the other to the storyline. I made it clear that all contributions were to be donated. This wasn’t about ownership. It was about vision.

    Still, none of the early ideas — including my own — felt quite right. I knew something deeper was needed. Something that went beyond blueprints and utopias. It had to be a real story. A human story.

    So I kept writing. And writing. And writing. <and ended up writing 99% of the screenplay myself

    From Spark to Story

    Years passed. I lived through many changes, including a massive stroke in 2015 that reshaped my entire life. But the idea never left me. And eventually, what started as a movie concept evolved into a novel: Waking Up – a journey towards a new dawn for humanity.  

    Not a feature film — at least not yet — but a short film-and a book so far.. A novel that explores what it might mean to awaken into a world without fabricated scarcity built on a Natural Exchange System instead. A story that imagines not just a better world, but an experience of it — one that still honors the complexity of being human.. 

    The DNA of The Venus Project runs through this book. Though it’s not officially affiliated, it shares the same dream.

    Honoring the Founders

    None of this would have happened without the tireless work of Jacque Fresco and Roxanne Meadows — the visionaries behind The Venus Project.  

    Jacque, with his background in industrial design and systems thinking, spent his life imagining how we could restructure society from the ground up. Not just patch the broken machine — but design a new one that actually serves humanity and the Earth. Roxanne, with her relentless dedication, filmmaking skills, and grounded intelligence, helped turn his vision into something the world could actually see and hear.

    Together, they built not only a physical research center in Venus, Florida, but a philosophy that continues to inspire thousands — including me.

    They didn’t just propose another ideology. They offered a design — a plan rooted in cooperation, technology, and empathy. And they’ve stayed true to that mission for decades.

    Why The Venus Project Still Matters

    Today, as climate chaos worsens and inequality deepens, The Venus Project is more relevant than ever. It dares to say: war, poverty, and human suffering are not inevitable. They’re symptoms of outdated systems — not human nature.

    TVP reminds us that with enough vision, science, and collaboration, we can design a world where everyone thrives. A world where we no longer compete over resources, but share them intelligently. A world not of sacrifice, but of synergy.

    A New Kind of Allegiance

    The phrase “Pledge allegiance to all humankind” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a reorientation. A declaration that we are ready to outgrow tribalism, nationalism, and artificial division.  

    That we are citizens of one Earth — and stewards of each other.

     Closing Words

    This tribute is my thank you. To Jacque. To Roxanne. To everyone who still dares to believe that a better world is not only possible — it’s necessary.

    And maybe, just maybe, it’s already being born through us..

    Let this be my pledge.  

    To all humankind.

    —

    About the Author:  

    Harald Neslein Sandø is a Norwegian writer, filmmaker, and visionary currently living in Spain. His debut novel Waking Up imagines a post-scarcity world awakened from the illusion of money.

    ORDER THE NOVEL HERE
  • Is the World Really Overpopulated – Or Just Badly Organized? Part 2

    Is the World Really Overpopulated – Or Just Badly Organized? Part 2

    A 3-Part Exploration by Harald Neslein Sandø Part 2:

    Designed for Scarcity – How the Current System Wastes Space

      From artificial lack to regenerative design — why our crisis isn’t population, but prioritization.  

    We live on a planet overflowing with possibility, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at how we’ve organized it. Scarcity isn’t something nature designed — it’s something we did. And we did it, mostly, to serve a game that revolves around profit, ownership, and control.

    While millions sleep unhoused in dense urban pockets, vast tracts of land sit idle — hoarded, speculated on, or simply unused because no one can afford the “right” to access it. Our world isn’t overpopulated. It’s misallocated.

    Urban Sprawl vs. Human-Centered Design

    Most modern cities are designed like factories: efficiency over empathy. They sprawl outward in disconnected blobs of housing, commerce, and industry — all separated by highways and concrete. People are packed into lifeless apartments while green space is paved over for parking lots. This isn’t the result of necessity. It’s the result of design rooted in profit, not people.

    Now imagine if we built for connection, not consumption. Walkable communities. Shared gardens. Efficiently designed homes with tiny ecological footprints and massive social potential. That shift alone could reclaim space and sanity for millions.

    Land Ownership: Hoarding by Another Name

    Under current systems, land isn’t shared or stewarded — it’s owned. Often by those who don’t need it, don’t live on it, and don’t use it. Massive private estates, unused investment properties, even entire neighborhoods bought up by hedge funds sit empty while others are told there’s “no housing.” In some countries, a small elite controls more land than millions combined.

    This isn’t a land shortage. This is a gatekeeping problem. We’ve turned access to Earth itself into a commodity, ignoring the fact that we were all born here — all meant to belong.

    Artificial Scarcity: A Feature, Not a Flaw

    Capitalism thrives on controlled access. If something is abundant, it has no price tag. So to maintain profit, abundance must be obscured. Whether it’s food, shelter, or land — the more controlled and restricted the supply, the higher the value.

    This means planned obsolescence in products, restrictive zoning in cities, and “infinite growth” on a finite planet. It’s not sustainable. It’s deliberately unsustainable. The system must keep you feeling like there’s not enough — so you keep buying, borrowing, competing.

    If you’d like to experience life in a world where the system has evolved to honor people, planet, and all living beings, check out the book Waking Up:

    ORDER THE BOOK HERE

    Regenerative Alternatives Already Exist

    The good news? Other ways of living are already being tested — and they work.

    – Eco-villages all over the world show how small, intentional communities can regenerate land, feed themselves, and thrive without waste.

    – Permaculture turns even dry, depleted soil into fertile ground using natural patterns and cooperation.

    – Projects like The Venus Project offer completely NEW cities based on function, sustainability, and human need — not money.

    And they’re not dreams. They’re prototypes. Seeds of a better system growing in the cracks of the old.

     🌍 Main Takeaway:  

    We’re not overpopulated — we’re badly organized.  

    Our crisis isn’t one of population, but of prioritization.

    The Earth is generous. There’s enough land, food, and potential for everyone to live well. What we lack is not space — but a system that values life over leverage. The real scarcity is in our imagination — and in our willingness to rethink what we’ve been told is “normal.” If you yearn to experience a different world than the one we have today with a system like the one described above, you can order he book here:

    ORDER THE BOOK
  • Is the World Really Overpopulated – Or Just Badly Organized?

    Is the World Really Overpopulated – Or Just Badly Organized?

    A 3-Part Exploration by Harald Neslein Sandø

    Part 1: There’s Plenty of Room – We Just Don’t Know It

    > “The world is overpopulated.”  

    > “There are just too many people.”  

    > “We’ve outgrown the planet.”  

    These phrases get repeated so often, they’re rarely questioned. But what if they’re simply not true? What if the real problem isn’t how many we are — but how we’ve chosen to live?

    Let’s take a closer look.

    📏 Earth Has Space — Lots of It

    The Earth’s total land area is about 13 billion hectares. Of that:

    – Around 4.8 billion hectares are used for agriculture (both crops and grazing).

    – Another 1.4 billion hectares is classified as arable — good for growing food.

    That’s over 6.2 billion hectares of productive land. Now divide that by 8 billion people, and you get 0.77 hectares per person — that’s almost 2 acres each.

    For a family of four, that’s 8 acres — a huge area if you think about it. And we’re not even counting forests, mountains, or land that could be re-greened.

    —

    🏡 How Much Do We Actually Need?

    You don’t need acres and acres to survive or even thrive. With modern, regenerative methods like permaculture or biointensive gardening, it’s entirely possible to grow enough food for a family of four on 1,000 to 2,000 square meters — that’s about a quarter to half an acre.

    And it gets even better. Techniques like vertical farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics allow us to grow large amounts of food in very small areas — even indoors or on rooftops. These methods use a fraction of the water, no pesticides, and can produce fresh food year-round, regardless of climate.

    So when we say each person could have 2 acres — we’re not just talking survival. We’re talking abundance. Room for food, nature, beauty, and community — all easily achievable with the tools we already have.

    > In Waking Up, we see exactly this kind of life in action.  

    > Benjamin’s daughter, Amo, lives on re-greened land with her family and descendants. Their home is not a farm in the old sense — but a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem that provides far more than just food. It’s a place of joy, learning, healing, and deep connection with the Earth.  

    > This glimpse into her life gives readers not just facts, but feeling — a lived experience of what’s possible when land is shared, loved, and designed for life.

    To really get the feel for how it is to live in a world like that, you can order the book here:

    Order

    🏢 We’re Not Overcrowded — Just Over-Concentrated

    If every human on Earth were given a standard 500 m² home lot (big enough for a house and a garden), the entire global population could fit comfortably inside Australia — with room to spare.

    It’s not that the planet is full. It’s that we’ve chosen to cluster into massive cities, many of them surrounded by sprawl, while vast areas lie empty, degraded, hoarded or underused. We’ve concentrated ourselves into pressure-cookers, and then called it “overpopulation.”

    🌍 The Earth Can Be Reborn

    And here’s the best part: even degraded land can be brought back to life.

    Massive re-greening efforts are already underway:

    – The Great Green Wall in Africa aims to restore 8,000 km of drylands across the Sahel.

    – China’s Loess Plateau Project turned a barren, eroded region into green, fertile farmland — and transformed the lives of millions.

    – Saudi Arabia, through its Vision 2030, is planting billions of trees to combat desertification.

    These aren’t pipe dreams. They’re real-world proof that even the most damaged landscapes can become abundant again — when we work with nature instead of against it.

    —

    🚀 Why Go to Mars When We Haven’t Even Tried Earth?

    At the same time, we pour billions into fantasies of colonizing Mars — a dry, radiation-blasted desert planet with no breathable air, no water, and no life.

    Meanwhile, we ignore the fertile, blue miracle we already live on — one that could easily support all of us, if we just organized it differently.

    We don’t need to terraform Mars. We need to reclaim and redesign Earth, something that is infinitely easier than to terraform another planet. Earth already have breathable air, lots of water, flora and fauna, and not to speak of, we’re already here.

    🌱 We Have the Land. We Have the Tools. What Are We Waiting For?

    The idea of overpopulation keeps us small. It convinces us to expect less, fight over crumbs, and see each other as the problem. But the truth is: there’s more than enough — if we choose to share, regenerate, and design for life.

    📖 Want to feel what this future could be like?

    In my novel Waking Up, I take the reader directly into this re-greened, abundant Earth — where humanity has evolved beyond scarcity and competition.  

    Through the eyes of a man who wakes up in this new world, you’ll get to experience what life might feel like after the shift — when we finally begin to live in balance with each other and the planet.

    Coming soon: In Part 2, we’ll dive into why our current systems waste space, hoard land, and create artificial scarcity — and how a better design could provide abundance for all. Subscribe on the bottom to get notified about the next part..

    Order the book here

  • One Month to Go – And Why May 2. Matters More Than You Think

    One Month to Go – And Why May 2. Matters More Than You Think

    In just one month, something deeply personal and wildly hopeful will be released into the world.

    Waking Up is more than a novel. It’s a future I’ve seen my whole life.

    Even as a child, I carried this strange and vivid sense:  

    That I had come from a future where things actually worked.  

    Where people lived in peace, where systems were sane, and where things were built to last—not to break.

    I remember being genuinely baffled—why was everything here so poorly designed?  

    Why did things fall apart so quickly? Why were we constantly at war, both inside and out?  

    It felt like the world had forgotten something essential.  

    And maybe… maybe I came to help it remember..?

    That feeling never left me. It just took decades, a stroke, a divorce, and a long, humbling journey before it found its voice.

    That voice became this book.

    Waking Up follows Benjamin Michaels, a man who wakes up after a long sleep—both literally and spiritually—to find that the world has changed. Radically.  

    Gone are the systems that once kept us small. In their place: a civilization guided by a Natural Exchange System, where humanity has finally remembered who it truly is.

    It’s a story of healing, awakening, and choosing a different path—not just for one person, but for an entire species.

    If you’ve followed my journey—or simply feel a spark of curiosity about the world Waking Up paints—your support right now can make a huge difference.

    The way Amazon works is simple: when many people pre-order or buy a book on the same day, it creates a spike—and Amazon pays attention.  

    That visibility leads to momentum. And that momentum helps this story reach the people who need it.

    So if you were already thinking of getting the book, consider pre-ordering now—or setting a reminder for May 2.

    It may seem small, but it means everything to me. 

    Pre-order is available for the e-book. 

    There will be a paperback option also from April 29, but pre-order is not possible for paperback unfortunately.

    PRE-ORDER THE E-BOOK HERE: 👉 https://books2read.com/u/b50rkA

    Thank you—truly—for being part of this moment. This isn’t just my book. It’s our wake-up call.