DISQUS

Sam · 3 years ago

For the sake of consistency, Will, I wouldn't be too fulsome in your praise. Adrian White's study is based entirely on the life satisfaction data set we developed for the Happy Planet Index report, replete with all of our 'made-up' data...

Best wishes
Sam

Will Wilkinson · 3 years ago

Sam, I noticed that, and wondered why he didn't just use the staright WDH data without your estimations. I thought maybe because when you're making a map, it's nice to minimize black spots.

Jeff Brown · 3 years ago

To chase a side point: I think the zombies-as-metaphor-for-capitalism idea's kind of good. I wouldn't call it a fair depiction of capitalism, but the image is psychologically useful.

Just like many people occasionally imagine that their friends are murderers, many occasionally imagine that the system they're a part of is some horrible wicked thing. That's part of the brain figuring out what to make of the world; it's not necessarily unhealthy. Zombie movies, like other artforms, can serve as metaphors for whatever the viewer wants. I'll bet capitalism is one of the most symbolized candidates, along with family, school, old age, etc.

I haven't read her book. If she's arguing that capitalism actually IS a brain-sucking system of death, then that's dumb. But the image itself, separate from any endorsement of it, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Chad Van Schoelandt · 3 years ago

I've actually seen and argued for many Zombie films representing the supposed enemies, such as communism and terrorists. I guess it is a loose symbol and can represent many things at different times.

Will, as for happiness, can you clarify for me what type of questions are asked and how reliable we should take the self reported happiness? Why should we say that wealthy people are happier instead of always stating it as "wealthy people claim to be happier"? Their are many reasons to think that they could be understanding the question differently or that people are systematically misreporting? Maybe unhappy people in wealthy nations are more likely to avoid surveys relative to unhappy people in poor nations, for example. I'm sure you can illuminate me from this dark ignorance I find myself in, I'm just not familiar enough with the research.

M2 · 1 year ago

All the other studies I've ever heard of regarding happiness's relationship to wealth always states this:

1) earnings amount required for basic survival + education = happiness the same whatever earnings.

I know a lot of people who say they are happy but look miserable! People sometimes don't want to admit their lives are worthless, which let's face it buying stuff in a zombie like fashion because that's what you've been brainwashed in to doing by your television isn't really living. You might as well kill yourself!

Lol most people I meet are brainwashed. What fun. I went to Cambridge (UK) recently and most people there are brainwashed even though they are allegedly intelligent. Upper middle class are mostly brain dead.

Zombie comment is fair enough! Where's my chainsaw lol.

M2 · 1 year ago

Yeah your posting system doesn't work. It "cut out" point 2).


My post was this:


All the other studies I've ever heard of regarding happiness's relationship to wealth always states this:

1) earnings amount required for basic survival + education = happiness the same whatever earnings.

I know a lot of people who say they are happy but look miserable! People sometimes don't want to admit their lives are worthless, which let's face it buying stuff in a zombie like fashion because that's what you've been brainwashed in to doing by your television isn't really living. You might as well kill yourself!

Lol most people I meet are brainwashed. What fun. I went to Cambridge (UK) recently and most people there are brainwashed even though they are allegedly intelligent. Upper middle class are mostly brain dead.

Zombie comment is fair enough! Where's my chainsaw lol.

M2 · 1 year ago

OK it did the same again. You have a bug!

2) earnings > amount required for basic survival + education = happiness the same whatever earnings.