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Happiness Around the World Andrew Oswald University of Warwick

Happiness Around the World Andrew Oswald University of Warwick

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Happiness Around the World Andrew Oswald University of Warwick

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  1. Happiness Around the World Andrew Oswald University of Warwick I am deeply grateful to John Helliwell and Shun Wang for their advice and for generously providing their data and tables. I would like to acknowledge that much of this work is joint with coauthors Andrew Clark, Nick Powdthavee, David G. Blanchflower, Alex Weiss, Rainer Winkelmann, and Steve Wu. I thank the ESRC for support.

  2. The background

  3. The background Is modern society going in a sensible direction?

  4. To be able to know, we have to decide what should be measured.

  5. Singapore's GDP up 5.1% in Q3, expansion into 2014 expected • Channel News Asia- Oct 2013 • Singapore's economy grew 5.1 per cent on-year in the third quarter, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry in advance estimates, while the ...

  6. Yet in 1934

  7. Yet in 1934 • “...the welfare of a nation [can] scarcely be inferred from a measure of national income...”

  8. Hug a tree today

  9. Prof. Simon Kuznets • The originator of the concept of GDP

  10. “...the welfare of a nation [can] scarcely be inferred from a measure of national income...”

  11. Today Governments around the world are starting to change what they measure.

  12. Stiglitz Report 2009 www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr

  13. “Measures of .. objective and subjective well-being provide key information about people’s quality of life. Statistical offices [worldwide] should incorporate questions to capture people’s life evaluations, hedonic experiences …”

  14. The Stiglitz Commission Report advocated a shift of emphasis away from national income measures … toward broader measures of social progress.

  15. But how could that be done?

  16. Using random samples from many nations: Researchers try to understand what influences the psychological wellbeing of (i) (ii)

  17. Using random samples from many nations: Researchers try to understand what influences the psychological wellbeing of (i) individuals (ii) nations.

  18. Survey question for the USA • “Taken all together, how would you say things are these days—would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?”

  19. New UK survey questions

  20. New UK survey questions • Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?

  21. New UK survey questions • Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? • Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?

  22. New UK survey questions • Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? • Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? • Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?

  23. New UK survey questions • Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? • Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? • Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday? • Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?

  24. Typical GHQ mental-strain questions Have you recently: Lost much sleep over worry? Felt constantly under strain? Felt you could not overcome your difficulties? Been feeling unhappy and depressed? Been losing confidence in yourself? Been thinking of yourself as a worthless person? Been able to enjoy your normal day-to-day activities?

  25. The distribution of life-satisfaction levels among British people Source: BHPS, 1997-2003. N = 74,481

  26. One backdrop

  27. One backdrop • The intriguing, and worrying, ‘Easterlin Paradox’

  28. Economic growth doesn’t seem to be making us happier.

  29. Average Happiness and Real GDP per Capita Over Time in the USA.

  30. The very latest evidence

  31. The very latest evidence Title: China's life satisfaction, 1990-2010 Easterlin, Richard A.; Morgan, Robson; Switek, Malgorzata; et al. • Source: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  Volume: 109 : JUN 19 2012

  32. Modern China’s happiness has not risen

  33. To get a sense of why, let’s think about human nature.

  34. 5 dollars

  35. 500,000 dollars

  36. 5 dollars

  37. 500,000 dollars

  38. “A watch defines a man's look and tone.”Rolex advert.

  39. “A watch defines a man's look and tone.”Rolex advert.

  40. ps: A recent online bargain offer

  41. ps: A recent online bargain offer • Retail Price: $179,300.00 Condition: Unused with Blancpain box • $143,500.00You save 20% ($35,800.00)

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  43. How can we make sense of these facts?

  44. Subconsciously, humans seem frightened of falling behind.

  45. There is a huge amount of evidence that human beings care about their relative position.

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