Finished reading a book that came recommended by the ThoughtWorks chief, Roy Singham: Happiness - lessons from a new science.
In an almagam of economics, cognitive science and pure common sense this book explains how Happiness is a possible and ideal co-operative equilibrium. Richly littered with credible research, Mr. Layard, strings together a credible argument for measuring progress and making policy goals, in terms of well-being, satisfaction and happiness. He also buries the archaic notion of a Smithsian wealth and prosperity, by proving that it inevitably leads to a hedonic tradmill, wherein everyone exhibits the proverbial football-crowd behaviour of trying to get a better view, but in the end just cause everyone else to stand up, thus neither having a better view nor a rested disposition
So I got thinking along the following lines,
... and did a little presentation at a X-Conf Pune.
Bibliography
In an almagam of economics, cognitive science and pure common sense this book explains how Happiness is a possible and ideal co-operative equilibrium. Richly littered with credible research, Mr. Layard, strings together a credible argument for measuring progress and making policy goals, in terms of well-being, satisfaction and happiness. He also buries the archaic notion of a Smithsian wealth and prosperity, by proving that it inevitably leads to a hedonic tradmill, wherein everyone exhibits the proverbial football-crowd behaviour of trying to get a better view, but in the end just cause everyone else to stand up, thus neither having a better view nor a rested disposition
So I got thinking along the following lines,
- What is Happiness
- Why Happiness
- Are we getting happier
- What makes us happy
... and did a little presentation at a X-Conf Pune.
Bibliography