Tag Archives: well-being

What’s the meaning of happiness?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by

Satisfaction? Contentment? Excitement? Peace? All of the above? Earlier this week, the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) published findings from its initial investigation into the UK’s subjective well-being. It tested out various types of questions, asking people about their … Continue reading →

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Is democracy a luxury?

Posted on August 29, 2011 by

There is a good quote from Yes Prime Minister, the 1980s sitcom parodying British politics, when Prime Minister Jim Hacker is discussing foreign policy with senior civil servant, Sir Humphrey Appleby. Jim (Prime Minister): Humphrey, are you saying that Britain … Continue reading →

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Can the happiness index makes us happier?

Posted on November 15, 2010 by

The UK Government is planning to publish regular measures of the UK population’s happiness. On the surface, this seems like a good thing. We all know that measuring income alone is unlikely to capture well-being, but can measuring happiness really … Continue reading →

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When shopping took on religion

Posted on October 24, 2010 by

I don’t mean to sound preachy or patronising, but apparently going to church instead of shopping makes women happier. It’s not clear why, if this is the case, they are not going to church and continuing to go shopping. Maybe … Continue reading →

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9/11 worse than getting divorced

Posted on July 31, 2010 by

“Terrorism is a major negative externality” is something only an economist would write. So begins a recent paper by economists at the University of York and Imperial College London, who have been studying the impact of 9/11 on well-being in … Continue reading →

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