This is the book I've been looking for. A noted economist and member of the British House of Lords starts his book with the central premise--how do we create public policies which will increase human happiness and well-being?-and explores the subject from a variety of disciplines. Layard's findings make clear how the Anglo-American policies of the last 30 years have worked to undermine well-being while European social democratic policies are working far better. Most powerful is Layard's assessment of how low taxes actually lead to time poverty and overwork, with tremendous negative impacts for families, friendships, community, health, and other key factors that are the most important underpinnings of happiness. This book makes it clear why consumer society undermines our well-being and must be tamed. We need to begin trading productivity increases for time instead of money and stuff if we are to build a happier, fairer world. All that's missing is the ecological sustainability argument, but it would only further bolster Layard's point of view since our consumer society is clearly ecologically destructive as well. This book should be must-reading for policy makers. It clearly demolishes the arguments of right-wingers who want more tax cutting, etc. After reading it, one should recognize immediately the non-sense at the foundation of the rightwing (especially of the Ayn Rand libertartian variety)agenda. This is the book progressives need to make the case for social democracy and economic justice. Well done, Dr. Layard!!!
This book looks at the major causes of happiness and why they don't seem to be working. He asks, "If money can't buy happiness, what can?" More people have money to use for trips, vacations, pleasure, cruises, clothes, cars, houses, etc. -- more than they know what to do with it.
Americans have a higher standard of living at present, but do our many possessions and luxuries make us happier? Doesn't seem to, as we're all stressed almost to the limit.
Societal pressures to make and spend money on more and expensive possessions takes an enormous toll on overall happiness. Do we even know what it is to be happy anymore, to be loved, to be in love, to have good children who care; exactly what is happiness?
He attributes the lack of average satisfaction on the vast difference between the "haves" and the "have-nots", but it seems he is mainly concerned with Britain there. In this small backward town, there is the same thing. Some who have it all, and the rest are ignored as if they don't exist.
Love, family togetherness, contentment, community ties, religion, employment -- all are lacking and almost nonexistent. A person's health will influence the amount or lack of his happiness. Americans are the most medicated people on earth. Have you heard someone brag about how many pills a day he or she must take just to keep going? I know someone who spends as much every month on so many medications as the meager income I must use to survive, plus enormous amounts of money on insurance so he can live longer than his ancestors. Don't they realize they've turned into drug addicts almost on a par with meth users?
There will be discontentment as long as the rich flaunt their finery in front of poorer citizens, aliens, and the homeless -- and look down their long noses at them. They care only for themselves, and that is not conducive to happiness. The wealthy aren not happier, just more comfortable than the rest of us -- for the time being. Any kind of catastrophe could render them penniless and homeless, and then they will experience misery.
Sir Richard Layard is a British professor at London School of Economics and was inducted into the House of Lords in 2000.
