Happiness: Lessons from a New Science Kindle Edition

It can sometimes be incredibly helpful for an "outsider" to have a look at a problem. So it proves in this excellent book by Lord Richard Layard, a former Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, and now an active member of the British House of Lords.

What can an economist tell us about the science and the art of happiness? The answer is a great deal. In 2004 Layard wrote a report - that is available online - in which he pointed out that despite the advances in the economy and in the provision of healthcare, we are no happier than we were fifty years ago. He went on to say that psychological problems and mental illness are amongst the biggest causes of misery. At a time when political action only seems to happen when we can attach a dollar cost and potential savings, he added that human suffering imposes severe burdens on the economy. At the same time we already have good evidence that the tools for dealing with all this psychological distress already exist. In his report he went on to propose that the United Kingdom needs 10,000 new cognitive behavioral therapists to make a major dent in all this suffering. What was different was that he went on to show that this expenditure made good economic sense.

The book is broken into two parts. The first is an excellent review of the factors involved in happiness, as well as a foray into the work of the English Utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham, who believed that personal and societal decisions should all be based on the idea of creating the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. In the second part Layard discusses his report and his prescriptions for action. One weakness of the book is that it does not stand well on its own. His action plan is easier to understand if you have read the report. (I cannot include the website address in this review, but if you look for Layard's name and "Prime Minister's Strategy Unit," you will quickly find it online.)

This is not in any way a book about how to create more personal happiness. It is instead an interesting attempt to draw up the bare bones of a strategy for increasing the happiness quotient of a country. It rather begs the questions about whether the creation of happiness is a legitimate concern of government. Not long ago there were news reports of one Asian country in which moves were afoot to make happiness not just a right but also a duty!

Nobody wants to pathologize ordinary life, and few would claim that cognitive behavior therapy is the only way to help people in trouble. But the fact that a powerful economist and advisor to the British Government has seen not just the human cost of unhappiness, but also added the dollars and cents that may lead to action is remarkable.

Why do the people in some nations say they are happy and others from nations with similar or higher economic status say they are less happy? Read this book and you will learn some of the reasons. This book is not aimed specifically at the individual who seeks happiness, but it would help them. It is aimed at national policy to increase the level of world happiness.

This book is easy to read because Dr. Layard makes simple statements about happiness and footnotes them to refer to proof or comprehensive reference works. You get the quick answer, but can find detailed scientific proof if you want to dig deeper.

Dr. Layard asks the right questions and usually poses logical answers. Most, but not all of his conclusions, are probably correct. In particular, when he calls on the developed nations to help the nations where the people are less happy, it is probably erroneous to conclude that you can raise the level of happiness or the median economic standing of people in countries where the birth rate hovers near the maximum that is biologically possible and the people are proud of it. After 68 years of observing people, I am convinced that if a person or nation is determined to self destruct they can overwhelm any level of help. It may be true that you will be happier if you try and don't get too concerned with the results of your efforts.

I wish our politicians would read this book. I also hope you will read this book. It is likely to make you happier and more aware of the effect of government policies on happiness. I give Dr. Layard's book a 5 because this book has lessons that are likely to stick with you.

A new (but really Old) way to look at happines from internal and external forces. Happiness can be measured and as such can be acted upon it. A well written and sourced book which could be read in a couple of sittings. After the book I could not agree more with the author. Happines should be the maximum goal that an individual and a society can achieve.

If you're seeking a brief, readable book that discusses what contemporary psychology and biology has to say about happiness, you would do well to pass over Layard and pick up Daniel Nettle's Happiness: The Science Behind your Smile. They cover similar territory, but Nettle packs more information into fewer pages and conveys it with far greater precision.

1st half of book is great; good foundational philosophy. Second half not nearly so much; political opinion. Worth a used book price for the first half's content though.

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one of the most well written books I've ever read!

Excellent, everyone who has a mind should read this book