Why the ‘Faithful’ Need a Wellbeing Framework to Win Traitors

- Stewart Martin, PhD candidate at Northumbria University researching the perceived barriers and enablers to the successful implementation of wellbeing frameworks
- 27 January 2025
- 3 minute read
In the BBC series The Traitors, success for ‘The Faithful’ hinges on trust, collaboration, and shared goals. These qualities, which serve contestants well, can also guide society toward greater wellbeing. If we prioritise collective progress and shared objectives over individual gains, we stand the best chance of thriving.
A Shared Purpose: The Power of Collaboration
When Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is framed as the number one goal, we risk mirroring the mistakes of contestants fixated on growing the prize pot at the expense of the group. In The Traitors, contestants focused solely on the cash prize would fail; collaboration, identifying threats, and solving problems are essential for survival. This mirrors wellbeing governance, where success stems from prioritising public health, environmental sustainability, and education over purely economic growth.
GDP is a backward-looking measure, much like presenter Claudia Winkleman’s reminders of the pot’s value. While it measures past flows of output and income, it overlooks future potential and the true costs of current actions. In contrast, a wellbeing approach—which considers natural, human, knowledge, social, physical and institutional capitals—looks forward, accounting for future generations’ needs. Wales’ Well-being of Future Generations Act exemplifies this forward-thinking model.
Beyond the Zero-Sum Game
The drama of The Traitors stems from its zero-sum nature: the more competitors eliminated the more the remaining contestants might win. This dynamic breeds conflict and undermines collective potential. Wellbeing governance flips this script, emphasising collaboration over competition and celebrating collective gains over individual triumphs.
Trust is the currency of survival in The Traitors, just as it is in society. Trust strengthens social cohesion, enhances resilience, and enables governments to enact transformative policies. It’s why trust and social capital are core elements of wellbeing frameworks especially in seeking to improve both economic and social outcomes.
Exposing Hidden Threats: Wellbeing Metrics
In The Traitors, the greatest danger lies in unseen threats—the hidden Traitors. Similarly, societies face systemic risks such as inequality, mental health crises, and environmental degradation. Wellbeing frameworks function as tools for discovery, revealing these issues before they become insurmountable. Metrics like happiness, life satisfaction, social connectedness, and access to green spaces provide a clearer picture of a nation’s wellbeing.
These insights enable governments to unmask threats and safeguard collective progress. For instance, new infrastructure projects can balance environmental impacts with projected benefits, and policies can ensure food quality isn’t sacrificed for profits, preserving public health.
Learning and Sharing for Progress
Players in The Traitors learn from previous series, and those working on wellbeing frameworks can similarly benefit from shared experiences. New resources like the OECD’s wellbeing repository and the Wellbeing Economy Alliance’s policy design course highlight emerging practices and foster collaboration. These tools help policymakers create frameworks that are both adaptable and effective, not least because as the Centre for Thriving Places put it, they have ‘shared ingredients’,
So, if you were heading into the Castle, you could do worse than adopting a wellbeing framework. In both the game and society, it’s a strategy that prioritises trust, collaboration, and shared purpose for the good of all.
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