Transcript THE SEATTLE AREA HAPPINESS INITIATIVE
The Happiness Initiative
A project of Sustainable Seattle www.sustainableseattle.org
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“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 GDP
Gross 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 replace the GDP
Bobby Kennedy on GDP
“It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile…”
Measuring happiness instead of growth “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.
” Jigme Singye Wangchuk, Fourth King of Bhutan, 1972
Bhutan’s nine domains of happiness
Talking 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 as 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 happiest countries--2010 1. Denmark 2. Finland 3. Norway 4. Sweden 5. The Netherlands … 11. United States
Unhappy America?
A ccording to the Gallup-Healthways World Poll, the United States Ranks: (1 is best; 150 is worst) 69 th in SADNESS 75 th in ANGER 89 th in ANXIETY 145 th in STRESS
Lonely 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 cost
The United States spends nearly twice as much as other rich countries for health care, yet we rank: 49 th 45 th 2 nd in the world in life expectancy in the world in infant mortality in the world in obesity
Our Economy is Unsustainable
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: The Greater Victoria Well Being 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 Results
Material Well-Being Satisfaction With Life Overall Well-Being Health Positive Affect Governance Education Environment Time Balance Community Participation 73 70 67 67 62 57 53 46 43 41
The Happiness Initiative
Goals: • • Gather well-being data – Survey & Objective indicators Action for positive change. – Individual – Organization – Policy
Happiness Initiative 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: John de Graaf
, HI co-director, Executive Director, Take Back Your Time — [email protected]
Laura Musikanski
, HI co-director, Executive Director, Sustainable Seattle – [email protected]