Extensive analysis of 152 countries uncovers societal determinants of happiness
Eric W. Dolanpsypost.org
Extensive analysis of 152 countries uncovers societal determinants of happiness
Extensive analysis of 152 countries uncovers societal determinants of happiness
Eric W. Dolanpsypost.org
money and its big brother, gross domestic product (GDP), are poor measures of well-being and happiness.33 Other indicators of social health and happiness not only exist, but are far more revealing. The Human Development Index published by the United Nations Development Programme bundles national income with data about health and education. The Gend
... See moreRaj Patel • The Value of Nothing: How to Reshape Market Society and Redefine Democracy
Getting richer is not the only or even the best way of getting happier. Social and political liberation is far more effective, says the political scientist Ronald Ingleheart: the big gains in happiness come from living in a society that frees you to make choices about your lifestyle – about where to live, who to marry, how to express your sexuality... See more
Matt Ridley • The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves (P.S.)
Rather, apart from such basic conditions as how well people feel, how much freedom they enjoy, and whether they possess the necessities and comforts of life, the most important sources of happiness seem to include having close relationships with family and friends, helping others, and being active in community, charitable, and political activities.
Derek Bok • The Politics of Happiness: What Government Can Learn from the New Research on Well-Being
What rarely gets reported is what actually goes into constructing these national scores: GDP per capita, social support (determined by asking if, when in trouble, people have relatives or friends to count on), healthy life expectancy (taken from the World Health Organization’s assessment of 100 different health factors), freedom to make life choice
... See moreVaclav Smil • Numbers Don't Lie
“If you’re looking for something that’s special about the countries where youth unhappiness is rising, they’re mostly Western developed countries,” says John Helliwell, an economics professor at the University of British Columbia and a co-author of the World Happiness Report. “And for the most part, they are countries that speak English.”
Work in Progress, The Atlantic • America’s Top Export May Be Anxiety
Diener believes he can measure happiness. He conducted a study that found a correlation between the incomes of undergraduates nineteen years after graduation with their level of cheerfulness.8 His research also showed that happy people have higher supervisor ratings, higher organizational citizenship, and higher incomes.
Chris Hedges • Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle
“Between 2006 and 2023, happiness among Americans under 30 in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand declined significantly [and] also declined in Western Europe,” the report says. But here’s the catch: In the rest of the world, under-30 happiness mostly increased in this period. “Happiness at every age has risen sharply in Central and Easter
... See more