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Editor's note
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Many countries around the world have begun to look beyond GDP as a measure of national success. Instead, they are starting to focus on happiness, by measuring certain factors from income to life expectancy and social support. Such a change in focus is great news, but is this really a good way to create the conditions for happiness – by measuring its supposed ingredients? Sam Wren-Lewis isn’t sure.
He looks to recent developments in psychology and the mindfulness revolution, which urges people to look beyond categories of good and bad, goals and fears, and instead to be present and learn how to accept things as they are, for inspiration. If happiness on an individual level depends less on what we want or what we have, and more on how we view the world, then a happy society is surely one that depends on more than simply creating the right conditions for happiness (although of course that is important too). Happy people tend to be humble, curious and compassionate. A happy society needs to create the conditions for its citizens to do the same.
Many children will be very happy at the prospect of Santa Claus visiting them this Christmas – and there’s some surprising psychology behind that, too. And more bad news on the climate crisis – it looks like global warming may reverse progress around the world in achieving gender equality.
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Josephine Lethbridge
Interdisciplinary Editor
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Top stories
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Bruce Mars/Unsplash
Sam Wren-Lewis, University of Nottingham
Societies have much to learn from the pursuit of happiness on an individual level.
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Who made him up?
Shutterstock
Rohan Kapitany, Keele University
The Santa myth tells us more about adults than children.
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A woman of the Pa'O tribe waits for a boat at Nang Pan market by Inle Lake, eastern Shan State of Myanmar.
EPA-EFE/HOW HWEE YOUNG
Nitya Rao, University of East Anglia
Climate change will affect everyone, but women will overwhelmingly bear the greatest burden.
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Environment + Energy
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Simon Lewis, UCL
Here’s a rare chance to lever serious resources to transform society.
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Stephen Peake, The Open University
To get 'system change not climate change', we need to start making specific demands. Here's where to start.
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Science + Technology
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Tess Johnson, University of Oxford
Ideas from economics might help us decide the most ethical way of using gene editing technology for human enhancement in the future.
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Myrsini Samaroudi, University of Brighton; Karina Rodriguez Echavarria, University of Brighton
New technology means museums can return items to their countries of origin while still representing those cultures in fair, interesting ways.
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Business + Economy
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Brian Scott-Quinn, University of Reading
New digital bank Bó is the first attempt by a high street bank to beat the likes of Monzo and Revolut at their own game.
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Ciaran Driver, SOAS, University of London
There is no denying that the shareholder model of business needs countering, but this doesn't mean IOFs are the best remedy.
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Politics + Society
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David Lowe, Leeds Beckett University
A terrorism expert explains the legislation that led to the attacker's release.
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Mike Berry, Cardiff University
The BBC relies for too much of its analysis on one think tank in particular.
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Health + Medicine
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Ian Hamilton, University of York; Harry Sumnall, Liverpool John Moores University
People in the UK continue to die from alcohol while the government continues to cut funding for treatment services.
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Featured events
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Oxford Martin School, 34 Broad Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3BD, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of Oxford
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Lecture Theatre One, UEA, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of East Anglia
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Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2AB, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of Portsmouth
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