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TheTheHappiness Happiness
Initiative InitiativeA project ofA project of
Sustainable SeattleSustainable Seattle
www.sustainableseattle.orgwww.sustainableseattle.org
GrGroowth Maniawth Mania“In the near term, every policy must be viewed through a single prism: Does it help the economy grow?”
--Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, 2010 election post-mortem in
The New York Times
What’s the Economy for, Anyway?
More stuff ?
or
A healthy, happy, fair and sustainable society?
THE PROBLEM WITH GDPGross Domestic Product is a
poor guide to well-being
It counts (as positive): Oil spills, cancer, divorce…etc.
It does not count: volunteering, taking care of friends and family, unpaid work, exercise…etc.
We need new indicators of progress to replacethe
GDP
Bobby Kennedy on GDP
“It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile…”
Measuring happiness Measuring happiness instead of growthinstead of growth
“Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.”
Jigme Singye Wangchuk,
Fourth King of Bhutan,
1972
Bhutan’s nine domains Bhutan’s nine domains of happinessof happiness
Talking about happinessTalking about happiness
We can change the conversation from GDP to well-being or happiness…as have
• France• Canada• Brazil
• United Kingdom…
Happiness is as American Happiness is as American
as as Apple Pie Apple Pie
“The only orthodox object of the institution of government is to secure the greatest degree of happiness possible to the general
mass of those associated under it.”
-- Thomas Jefferson
Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” speech, 1964
“The purpose of protecting the life of our nation and preserving the liberty of our citizens is to pursue the happiness of our people. Our success in that pursuit is the test of our success as a nation…
Your imagination, your initiative, and your
indignation will determine whether we build
a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth.”
Gallup-Healthways rankings of Gallup-Healthways rankings of happiest countries--2010happiest countries--2010
1. Denmark 2. Finland3. Norway4. Sweden5. The Netherlands…11. United States
Unhappy America?Unhappy America? According to the Gallup-Healthways
World Poll, the United States Ranks:
(1 is best; 150 is worst)
69th in SADNESS
75th in ANGER
89th in ANXIETY
145th in STRESS
Lonely and DepressedLonely and Depressed
According to a 2010 TIME/AARP study, the percentage of Americans over 45 who are chronically lonely rose from 20% to 35% during the past ten years.
Americans consume 60 percent of the world’s anti- depressants.
Why don’t we talk about this?
Unhealthy at any costUnhealthy at any cost
The United States
spends nearly twice
as much as other
rich countries for
health care, yet we
rank:
49th in the world in life expectancy45th in the world in infant mortality2nd in the world in obesity
Our Economy is Our Economy is UnsustainableUnsustainable
If everyone on Earth were to consume at
the level of Americans, we would need
FIVE PLANETS.
We can’t grow on like this.
Measuring Happiness:Measuring Happiness:The Greater Victoria Well-The Greater Victoria Well-
Being SurveyBeing Survey
Take the Survey!
• Go to:
www.sustainableseattle.org
• It includes 150 questions and takes about 25-30 minutes
• You get your results immediately along with national median results
Some Key ResultsSome Key Results
Material Well-Being 73
Satisfaction With Life 70
Overall Well-Being 67
Health 67
Positive Affect 62
Governance 57
Education 53
Environment 46
Time Balance 43
Community Participation 41
The Happiness InitiativeThe Happiness Initiative
Goals:
• Gather well-being data– Survey & Objective indicators
• Action for positive change. – Individual– Organization– Policy
Happiness Initiative Happiness Initiative key activities key activities
• Partnerships• Town Meetings• Analysis and Recommendations• Actions • Happiness Circles• Duplication in other cities
College Partnerships
The Happiness Initiative can provide:
• On-line survey and analysis for students
• Referral code so colleges can see aggregate scores
• Resources for classroom discussions
• Tool kit for conducting campus initiatives
Email us: [email protected]
Colleges Currently Using Survey
• Allegheny College• Amherst College• Antioch University, Seattle• Ball State University• Mount Holyoke• Spalding University• University of Washington• Western Kentucky University• Western Washington University
Pursuit of Happiness Day
Friday, April 13 is Pursuit of Happiness Day!
• Thomas Jefferson’s birthday
• First celebration will be in 2012
Will include:
• Campus teach-ins and celebrations
• Community events
• Large nationwide media outreach
For more information contact:For more information contact:
John de Graaf, HI co-director,Executive Director, Take Back YourTime — [email protected]
Laura Musikanski, HI co-director,Executive Director, Sustainable Seattle – [email protected]
