Happiness: Lessons from a New Science by Richard Layard

Happiness: Lessons from a New Science by Richard Layard

      Enlightenment

      Defines the Common Good as the Greatest Happiness of All -requiring us to

      Care for others as well as for ourselves- it advocates a kind of Fellow- Feeling for

      Others that in itself increases our Happiness and reduces our isolation

 

This is radical and excellent thinking from what starts as an Outstanding book:

      We can develop a new vision of what lifestyles and what policies are sensible

      Drawing on the New Psychology as well as on economics, brain science

      Sociology and philosophy

      This is an effort at a new evidence-based vision of how we can live better

      If the book does anything, I hope it creates a bit more happiness

 

      There is a paradox at the heart of our lives- most people want more income and

      Strive for it… as societies have got richer, people have become no happier today than

      50 years ago- this should cause each government to rethink objectives and all of us to

      Reappraise our goals: this book is about the causes of happiness and the means to affect it

      We have a lot of Evidence to change our personal choices and rethink government policy

      The main evidence comes from the new psychology of happiness, but neuroscience,

      Sociology, control trials, economics all play their part-

      By bringing them together, we can produce a new vision of how we can live better

      Both as social beings and in terms of our inner spirit

 

What Philosophy?

      The philosophy is that of the Enlightenment, as articulated by Jeremy Bentham

      Bentham was one of the greatest thinkers of the Enlightenment- he said:

      “The best society is one where the citizens are happiest” so-

      The best Public Policy is that which produces the greatest happiness

      The Right Moral Action is that which produces the most happiness for the people it affects

      This is The Greatest Happiness Principle and it is egalitarian and humane, close to the

      Opening passages of the American Declaration of Independence

      After socialism came individualism, where each is anxious to get things for himself

      If we want to be happy, we need a concept of a Common Good-  Enlightenment

      Defines the Common Good as the Greatest Happiness of All -requiring us to

      Care for others as well as for ourselves- it advocates a kind of Fellow- Feeling for

      Others that in itself increases our happiness and reduces our isolation

 

 

What Psychology?

 

      The new psychology gives us insight into the nature of Happiness and

      What brings it about

      The Enlightenment philosophy can be applied using Evidence, instead of speculation

      There is more on the subject in the book

 

What Social Message?

 

      There is more to life than prosperity and freedom- our wants depend on what

      Other people have and what we are accustomed to…they are affected by TV and

      Advertising- we are driven by the desire to keep up with other people, which leads to

      A status race, which is wrong- if I do better , someone else must do worse

      People want security, want to trust other people- we are social and

      Our Happiness depends Above All on our relationships with Other people