The Art and Science of Happiness

>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO JOHN F. KENNEDY JR. FORUM . I AM A FIRST YEAR AT COLLEGE PLANNING TO DO SOCIAL STUDIES AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES. I AM A MEMBER OF JOHN F. KENNEDY JR. FORUM . PLEASE KNOW THE EXIT DOORS ON THE PARKSIDE AND JFK STREET SIDE ARE LOCATED THERE. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY WALKED TO THE EXIT CLOSEST TO AND, GET IN JFK PARK. LASTLY, THESE TAKE A MOMENT TO SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND JIMMY

IN WELCOMING ZACH . >> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO THE JFK JR. FORUM. MY NAME IS JACK AND I MET JR. AT THE COLLEGE AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE JFK JR. FORUM COMMITTEE. TONIGHT, WE ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY , NO PUN INTENDED, TO HAVE WITH US ARTHUR BROOKS , THE PARKER GILBERT MONTGOMERY OFFICER OF THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP AT HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL INSTITUTE OF POLITICS AND PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICE A

T THE HARVARD SCHOOL. PROFESSOR BROOKS IS THE AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS BOOKS INCLUDING "BUILD THE LIFE YOU WANT: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF GETTING HAPPIER" . COHORTS -- CO-AUTHORED WITH OPRAH WINFREY. TUNE INTO THE ART OF HAPPINESS IF YOU ALREADY DO NOT. WE ARE IN FOR A TREAT BECAUSE THIS SESSION WILL BE MODERATED BY TAREK MASOUD, THE FORD FOUNDATION -- PROFESSOR BROOKS . PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME TO THE STAGE PROFESSOR BROOKS AND TAREK MASOUD

. >> GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. >> YOU KNOW OPERA -- OPERA IS NOT HERE. >> THIS WILL BE A HARD ONE FOR ME TO DO. TYPICALLY WHEN I HAVE A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS I TRY TO INTRODUCE SOME TENSION . I TRY TO INTRODUCE DISAGREEMENT. I HAVE NEVER DISAGREED WITH ANYTHING THAT ARTHUR BROOKS HAS EVER SAID OR WRITTEN . I WILL TRY TO DO MY BEST TO BE A TOUGH INTERVIEWER, THAT IT WILL BE HARD GIVEN YOU HAVE WRITTEN SUCH A GREAT

BOOK. I WANT TO START BY ASKING A QUESTION THAT MY LATE FATHER WOULD INVEST. HE WOULD'VE SEEN THIS BOOK, "BUILD THE LIFE YOU WANT: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF GETTING HAPPIER" , AND HE WOULD HAVE SAID WHAT IS THIS AMERICAN OBSESSION WITH HAPPINESS? AMERICANS ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HAPPINESS. EVEN IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS OUR PURPOSE ON THE PLANET IS NOT TO BE HAPPY. OUR PURPOSE IS

TO BE GOOD AND SERVE GOD. THERE IS A MOVIE THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, " THE ART OF THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG. " IT IS A >> Reporter: MOVIE ABOUT EMMETT IMMIGRANT IRANIAN FAMILY . THE FATHER SAYS TO THE SUN AT SOME POINT, THESE AMERICANS HAVE THE EYES OF SMALL CHILDREN. THEY ARE FOREVER LOOKING FOR THE NEXT SOURCE OF DISTRACTED ENTERTAINMENT AND SWEET TASTE IN THE MOUTH . IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING MY FATHER WOULD SAY. WHAT WAS M

Y FATHER GETTING WRONG ABOUT THIS AMERICAN EFFICIENT WITH HAPPINESS? SUCH AS YOUR FATHER AND EVERYBODY'S FATHER BY THE WAY. >> I WAS A PROFESSIONAL CLASS MOVIE PROFESSIONAL THROUGH MY 20s . I LEFT COLLEGE IN 19 . I WAS INVITED TO PURSUE MY EXCELLENCE OUTSIDE THE COLLEGE WHEN I WAS 19, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. I SPENT MY 20s ON THE ROAD. MY PARENTS CALL IT MY GAP DECADE. LATER , WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY 30s, I DECIDED TO MAKE CH

ANGES. I WENT BACK TO COLLEGE. THIS IS NOT THE TYPICAL PATH FOR A HARVARD PROFESSOR. I CALLED MY DAD AFTER GOT MY BACHELORS DEGREE AND DECIDED TO GO TO GRADUATE SCHOOL. DAD, I DECIDED TO CHANGE JOBS. HE SAID, REALLY? I SAID I AM LEAVING MUSIC . WHY, WE INVESTED SO MUCH ? YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH WITH YOUR LIFE. I SAID, BECAUSE I AM NOT HAPPY . THERE IS QUITE. WHAT MAKES YOU SO SPECIAL ? THIS IS A POINT , AND NONTRIVIAL ONE AND

ONE PEOPLE ASK A LOT. WHAT IS THE AMERICAN OBSESSION WITH HAPPINESS? EVERY GENERATION THINKS THE NEXT GENERATION FEELS THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO HAPPINESS. THE WORDING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IS INTERESTING. THE WAY IT CAME ABOUT, ACCORDING TO TRADITION , IS THOMAS JEFFERSON TOOK IT FROM THE VIRGINIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS FROM GEORGE MASON. THE VIRGINIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS TALK ABOUT LIFE, LIBERTY AND PROPERTY. ALMOST CERTAIN

LY, AND JIM AND FRANKLIN CONVINCED THOMAS JEFFERSON TO PUT IN THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. THE IDEA WAS THE UTOPIAN NOTION OF A COUNTRY OF AMBITIOUS RIFF-RAFF , WHICH WE STILL ARE. AND, WE ARE PROUD OF IT, WHICH IS LOVELY. THAT YOU COULD DEFINE HAPPINESS AND YOU COULD GO AFTER IT WITH SUFFICIENT FREEDOM. WITH SUFFICIENT EMPOWERMENT. IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF YOU ARE ENTITLED TO HAPPINESS. NEVER TRUST THE POLITICIAN THE PROMISES YOU HAPPI

NESS. WE ARE ENTITLED TO UNDERSTAND HAPPINESS IN AFTER . WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD A SOCIETY IN WHICH WE ACTUALLY CAN. THAT IS IMPORTANT . IN TRUTH, HAPPINESS IS NOT EVEN OBTAINABLE . ONE OF THE THINGS I READ ABOUT IN MY WORK WAS THE NEUROSCIENCE OF EMOTION THAT SHOWS THE LIMBIC SYSTEM OF THE BRAIN. IT PRODUCES CONSTANT NEGATIVE EMOTIONS IN. WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. IF WE DID NOT, WE WOULD BE DEAD IN A WEEK. THE NEGA

TIVE EFFECT MAKES YOUR HAPPINESS AND POSSIBLE . YOU DO NOT WANT IT. YOU DO NOT NEED IT . IT IS BAD FOR YOU. YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF WHAT THE HAPPINESS PROPOSITION IS ALL ABOUT USING SIGNS AND IDEAS. WHAT MY CO-AUTHOR HAS TERMED HAPPIERNESS. IT IS AND MAKE OBSESSION WITH PROGRESS. WOULD THAT SATISFY YOUR DAD? >> IT WOULD. WHAT DOES HAPPINESS MEAN. I EXPECT A LOT OF IT HINGES ON THE DEFINITION OF HAPPINESS . MY FATHER

WOULD'VE THOUGHT IT MEANT A FEELING OF PLEASURE. FOR MEETING YOUR BOOK, YOU MADE SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THAT. >> INDEED . THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE IS NOT A DIGNIFIED ACES ON WHICH TO BUILD A GREAT COUNTRY, I DARE SAY. PSYCHOLOGISTS AND BEHAVIORAL ECONOMISTS AND NEUROSCIENTISTS DEFINE HAPPINESS IN RELATIVE ESOTERIC WAYS. THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE HAVE ACCOMMODATION OF THREE THINGS THEY GET SKILLFUL AT. WE CALL THEM ENJOYMENT, SATISFACTION AND

MEANING. IF YOU WILL BE GETTING HAPPIER OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL OBTAIN HAPPIERNESS . YOU WILL BE IN PURSUIT OF ENJOYMENT, SECESSION AND MEANING. NEXT, WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS? THAT IS THE SKILL. IT IS NOT A FEELING THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT POINT. IF YOU TOLD ME THANKSGIVING DINNER WAS THE SMELL OF TURKEY , I WOULD SAY THAT IS A DISAPPOINTING THINGS GIVING WORD. THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE SAY HAPPINESS IS A FEELING. THAT IS

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. FEELINGS ARE EVIDENCE OF HAPPINESS. THAT IS ALL THEY ARE. WHICH YOU WANT IS TO FIND THE CORE MACRONUTRIENTS. THE PROTEIN, , HUNTERS AND FAT THAT GOES INTO HAPPINESS. THOSE THREE THINGS ARE LOOKING AT THE EVIDENCE AND UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENCE PROPERLY. THE ENJOYMENT, SECTION AND MEANING. THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS TO DO FIND IT. ENJOYMENT IS NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD, BY THE WAY IT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS PLEASURE,

WHICH HER FATHER WOULD APPRECIATE. THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE IS A GREAT WAY TO RUIN YOUR LIFE. THE OLD HIPPIE VICTIM OF IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT. MY FATHER HEARD THAT AND SAID, THAT IS THE END OF AMERICA AS YOUR FATHER WOULD'VE SAID ALSO. HE WAS KIND OF RIGHT. THE POINT IS THAT PLEASURE IS A OLYMPIC PHENOMENON. ALMOST ANIMAL THING IN THE WAY THAT EMOTIONS, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ARE NOTHING BUT THE DATA. PLEASURE IS A SIGNAL THAT

SOMETHING IS LIKELY TO HELP YOU SURVIVE AND PASS ON YOUR GENES. IF YOU PURSUE THAT YOU ARE HITTING PARTS OF THE LIMBIC SYSTEM, NAMELY THE MENTAL TAG AREA OF THE BRAIN. THE PLEASURE CENTER OF YOUR BRAIN. YOU CAN TAP IT ALL DAY LONG AND YOU WILL BE AMICK ADDICT. WHAT WE WANT FOR BETTER HAPPINESS IS ENJOYMENT . IT TAKES THE SOURCE OF PLEASURE ANNOUNCE TWO THINGS. PEOPLE AND MEMORY. SAUCE, TAKEN EXPERIENCED A PLEASURE AND MOVING IT

TO THE MOST HUMAN PART OF THE BRAIN. THE EXECUTIVE CENTER AND PRE-FOCAL CORTEX WHERE YOU CAN REMEMBER IT AND HAVE IT BE PART OF YOUR PERMANENT HAPPINESS. ONE OF THE WAYS I URGE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THIS IS IF SOMETHING CAN GIVE YOU PLEASURE AND IT IS ADDICTIVE, WHICH MANY PLEASURABLE THINGS ARE, DO NOT DO IT ALONE. THAT IS THE RULE OF THUMB . IF YOU ARE DOING IT ALONE, IT IS A PROBLEM. THAT IS THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE. THE BU

DWEISER - ANHEUSER-BUSCH , THEY DO NOT RUN MARSHALS OF A GUY POUNDING ATUL BACK ALONE IN HIS APARTMENT. MANY PEOPLE USE THE PRODUCT THAT WAY. THAT IS A BAD WAY TO USE THE PRODUCT. THEY HAVE THE SAME GUY OPENING UP A BEER WITH HIS FRIENDS AND BROTHER. AND TAPPING THE BOTTLES TOGETHER . WHAT IS HE DOING? BEER PLUS PEOPLE PLUS MEMORY EQUALS ENJOYMENT. THAT IS PART OF HAPPINESS. >> I WANT TO GET TO THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THIS. IS

THE CLAIM YOU ARE MAKING A CLAIM ROOTED IN SCIENCE OR A CLAIM ROOTED IN MORAL CODE. I COULD IMAGINE SOMEBODY SAYING, IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? IF YOU CAN TAP THE PLEASURE CENTER OF YOUR BRAIN AND BE HAPPY-SO THAT WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE ANYWAY. WHAT IS THE BASIS ON WHICH YOU ARE JUDGING THAT TO NOT BE GENUINE HAPPINESS? OR, WORTHY OF PURSUIT . >> ENTIRELY BASED ON SCIENCE I HAVE MORAL CODES . THIS IS A S

CIENTIFIC CLAIM . THERE IS NO HISTORY THE EVER SAID MY SECRET HAPPINESS IS METHAMPHETAMINE. NOBODY SAID THAT. THE REASON IS BECAUSE ALL IT DOES IS TAP THE VENTRAL TECHNICAL AREA OF THE BRAIN OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT SUBJUGATE YOU AND IS A TYRANNY. TO BE HAPPIER YOU NEED SOURCES OF PLEASURE IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU NEED TO EXPERIENCE THEM IN CONDUCTION WITH LOVE, RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKING MEMORIES SO THAT THEY ARE MEDIATED BY THE PREFRONT

AL CORTEX. >> IF SOMETHING WANTS TO SPEND THE TIME GAMING AND THEIR PARENTS BASEMENT AND THAT IS WHAT I SAID HAPPY, DO WE NOT BELIEVE THAT >> PEOPLE PLUS MEMORY. GAMING, PLUS MONEY -- PLUS PEOPLE AND MEMORY. >> THEY DO IT ONLINE AND THEY NEVER GET MARRIED OR MEET ANYBODY. THEY ARE IN THE BASEMENT AND MOM IS BRINGING THEM TV DINNERS. ARE THEY HAPPY? >> THE PROBLEM IS BOMB. [ LAUGHTER ] -- MOM. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS TO UN

DERSTAND WHAT THOSE PEOPLE NEED TO DO GETS US INTO THE SECOND AND THIRD COMPONENTS OF HAPPINESS. IT IS NOT JUST ENJOYMENT EITHER. YOU CANNOT LEAD A LIFE OF PURE ENJOYMENT . ENJOYMENT IS FINE, BUT IT WILL LEAVE YOU EMPTY. YOU NEED SATISFACTION . YOU NEED MEANING MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THOSE? >> YEAH, I DO. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MEANING , AGAIN I IMAGINE THERE IS PLURALISM IN TERMS OF WHAT CAN GIVE SOMEBO

DY MEANING . WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE TALK ABOUT MEANING? >> BOTH PHILOSOPHERS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE SAME WAY. WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE SECRET OF MEANING OF LIFE. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? IT IS AN ESSENTIAL QUESTION BECAUSE IT IS SO BROAD. I WILL GO TO THE HIMALAYAS AND WILL SIT IN FRONT OF A CAVE AND I WILL ASK THE GROUP, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? HE WILL TELL ME A WORD OR ILLUMINATING PHRASE AND ALL W

ILL BE WELL. MEANING IN LIFE HAS THREE PARTS TO IT. IT IS REALLY THREE QUESTIONS. MEANING IS ABOUT COHERENCE . WHY DO THINGS HAPPEN THE WAY THAT THEY DO PURPOSE . PURPOSE, WHAT IS MY DIRECTION AND GOALS? AND, SIGNIFICANCE. WHY DOES IT MATTER THAT I AM ALIVE? THOSE ARE THE THREE PARTS OF MEANING. IN MY WORK , I HAVE CREATED A QUIZ TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY HAS MEANING CRISIS IN THEIR LIFE TWO QUESTIONS . THE WAY TO PASS THE

EXAM IS ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION. DO YOU WANT TO DO THE QUIZ? >> DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THE QUIZ >> IT DEPENDS ON YOU. I DO NOT MIND. >> I WILL GIVE YOU A QUIZ. HAVING ANSWERS IS A PASSING GRADE. NOT HAVING ANSWERS OR NOT HAVING REAL ANSWERS IS A FAILING GRADE. THAT IS GOOD NEWS BY THE WAY. IF YOU DO NOT PASS, YOU KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. QUESTION ONE . WHY ARE YOU ALIVE ERIC ? >> BECAUSE MY PARENTS

IN 1975- >> EGG AND SPERM. NO . NOTHING BIOLOGICAL. WHY ARE YOU ALIVE COSMICALLY AND METAPHYSICALLY? >> I MUSLIM . MY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS INSPIRED BY MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. >> GOD MADE YOU . >> BECAUSE GOD MADE ME AND MY ROLE IS TO BE A VIRTUOUS PERSON TO SERVE MY FELLOW MAN. LEAVE THIS PLANET BETTER THAN I FOUND IT. >> VERY SOLID. GOD MADE ME A SOLID ANSWER. SECOND QUESTION . FOR WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE YOUR LIFE

ON THIS DAY? >> ON THIS DAY, MY FAMILY. >> ANYTHING ELSE? >> I WOULD BE WILLING TO GIVE MY LIFE FOR THIS COUNTRY. >> FOR THE KENNEDY SCHOOL X >> NO . [ LAUGHTER ] THERE WAS A TIME I WOULD'VE ANSWERED YES. >> NOW HE IS TENURE AND WHAT DO YOU DO. EXCELLENCE . HERE IS THE POINT. YOU FIND LOTS OF PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE ANSWERS THAT THEY FIND BELIEVABLE TO THE QUESTIONS. THAT IS GOOD . THAT IS REALLY GOOD NEWS BECAUSE THESE ARE THE

THINGS TO GO LOOKING FOR. WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR, YOU ARE HALFWAY THERE. I HAVE TESTED MY OWN ADULT CHILDREN WITH THIS IN MY ADULT CHILDREN HOW TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. IT IS SUPER FUN TO BE MY SON OR DAUGHTER. I HAVE THREE , 25, 23 AND 20. MY 25-YEAR-OLD AND 20 ARE SUPER SERIOUS STUDENTS TO. A 23-YEAR-OLD IS NOT A SERIOUS STUDENT. BARELY MADE IT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL . BARELY MADE IT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS

NOT EVEN HAVING FUN. HE DID NOT HAVE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION . WHAT WILL YOU DO TO FIND ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS? MY KIDS HAVE TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL. I TOLD YOU, IT IS NOT FUN. HE WROTE- MY SON CARLOS WROTE A BUSINESS PLAN IN HIGH SCHOOL. I WILL GO TO COLLEGE. I SAID, NO YOU ARE NOT. YOU ARE ROLLING ME . I KNOW YOU WERE NOT GOING TO BECAUSE I AM CARLOS. I WENT TO COLLEGE WHEN I WAS

NOT READY AND I GOT BOUNCED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I WENT OUT AND LIVED MY LIFE. I DID SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT AND CREATED VALUE AND I UNDERSTOOD WHO I WAS . I MOVED TO SPAIN FOR A LONG TIME AND I MET MY WIFE AND GOT MARRIED. THAT IS WHERE I STARTED MY LIFE. I HAD TO DO THOSE THINGS. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? HOW DO YOU FIND THE ANSWER ? HE CAME TO THE PART THAT WAS COMPELLING, OR HE WOULD FIND ANSWERS TO HIS QUESTION

S. HE WANTED TO WORK ON A FARM IN IDAHO FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. IT WAS A REAL THING ABOUT A HOBBY THING. HE WAS MENDING FENCES AND PULLING ROCKS OUT OF THE SOIL MAKING NINE DOLLARS PER HOUR. THEN, HE JOINED THE MARINES . AT 19 HE JOINED THE MARINE CORPS. IT WAS A MORTAR MAN AND THEN A SCOUT SNIPER . IT WAS A SCARY JOB FOR ME AND IS ONE . NOT FOR HIM. HE GOT THE BLOW STUFF UP AND THE BEST THING EVER. FOR ME , I CANNOT.

HIS PHONE. WHERE IS CARLOS? HE IS ON A FIELD TRIP. I DO NOT KNOW . NOW, HE IS 23 AND TWO MONTHS OUT OF THEM IN COURT. IS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AT A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. HE IS MARRIED, HIS WIFE IS PREGNANT AND HE IS ANSWERS TO HIS QUESTIONS. I AM ALIVE BECAUSE GOD MADE ME TO SERVE THE SAME ANSWER AS YOURS. I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE ON THIS DAY FOR MY FAITH, MY FAMILY , FOR MY FELLOW MARINES AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

BOOM , THAT POINT IS HAPPY. THESE ARE NOT YOUR ANSWERS NECESSARILY . THAT IS NOT THE POINT. THEY ARE NOT MY ANSWERS NECESSARILY. I SAW THAT AND IT WAS TRANSFORMATIONAL. HE IS A DIFFERENT PERSON THAN HE WAS WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. IS BECAUSE HE FOUND THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS. IT IS ILLUMINATING TO THE SOUL. >> DO YOU THINK THAT WE AS A COUNTRY ARE LESS ABLE TO FIND THOSE ANSWERS? DO YOU THINK PEOPLE OF OUR PARENTS' GENE

RATION HAD MORE READY ACCESS TO THOSE ANSWERS IN OUR GENERATION DOES AND ARE CHILDREN ABOUT STRESS GENERATION? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. I FIND PEOPLE ARE RUTHLESS. THEY ARE NOT ENCOURAGED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD GIVE THEIR LIFE FOR. I THINK WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO THINK THAT MY LIFE AND ME, ME AND THE SACRED DRAMA OF ORDINARY LIFE IS THE MOST SUPPORTIVE THING. IT IS A BIG ONE, QUITE FRANKLY. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WILL BE CALLED TO

GIVE OUR LIVES. I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE TO NOT BE ABLE TO HANG ON FOR ONE MORE SINGLE SECOND GIVEN MEDICAL SCIENCE. THAT IS NOT GOOD. THAT IS NOT THE BEST I WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE CALLED TO GIVE MY LIFE FOR A PARTICULAR CAUSE. MAN, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS. THAT INFORMATION IS ILLUMINATING ABOUT WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS TO BE A PERSON. ONE OF THE GREAT REASONS THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN IN A SECULAR HAPPINESS CLIENT FOR THE

PAST 30 YEARS IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LESS LIKELY TO KNOW THE MEANING OF THEIR LIVES. >> WHAT HAPPENED TO GET US TO THAT STATE? WHY ARE WE LESS LIKELY TO KNOW THE MEANING OF OUR LIVES NOW THAN WE WERE 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS AGO? >> THE ANSWER IS THE WAY WE FIND IT ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS HAS TO DO WITH THE INSTITUTIONS OF MEANING. THE INSTITUTIONS OF MEANING ARE TIME AND MEMORIAL. NOT AMERICAN INVENTIONS . WE FIND IN THE SCIE

NCE OF HAPPINESS IS THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE HAVE HABITS. THIS IS WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING. I COULD GIVE YOU 1000 HABITS UNTIL YOU WHETHER OR NOT BUCKLEY OR ASPARAGUS MY HAPPINESS , BUT IT WOULD BE MARGINAL AND TRIVIAL AT BEST. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE BIGGIES? WHAT IS THE HAPPINESS 401(K) PLAN ? WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO INVEST IN EVERY DAY . EACH ONE OF US, THAT WILL BE THE INSTITUTIONS OF MEANING SUCH THAT WE KNOW

THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS? WE KNOW WHAT THOSE HABITS ARE. THEY HABITS ARE VERY SIMPLE. THERE ARE ONLY FOUR THESE ARE THE THINGS, THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM, PEOPLE INVEST IN THEM EVERY DAY WHO ARE THE HAPPIEST ABLE HAPPINESS IS 25% UNDER YOUR DIRECT CONTROL . THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT SYSTEMATICALLY IMPROVE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. THEY HELP YOU TO AFFECT THE GENETICS OF YOUR HAPPINESS , WHICH DAY BY DAY IS ABOUT 50% OF YOUR MOOD

. THOSE OF THE FOUR HAPPINESS HABITS . I AM GIVING A BUILDUP AND MIGHT AS WELL TELL YOU WHAT THE HABITS ARE. FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP , WORK. THOSE OF THE FOUR HABITS. THAT COULD BE MISINTERPRETED. YOU COULD MISINTERPRET THAT AS ME SAYING, MY CATHOLIC FAITH . WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY POINT. THERE IS A PRESSURE UNDER ALL YOUR SEATS-I AM KIDDING. [ LAUGHTER ] GROUPS -- WHERE DID THEY GO ? WHEN I SAY FAITH , IT IS A HANDY WAY FOR

ME TO TALK ABOUT TRANSCENDENCE. TRANSCENDENCE IS A FOCUS ON THINGS BIGGER THAN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES. YOU ARE NOT WIRED, NONE OF US IS WIRED -SPENCER MOTHER NATURE DOES NOT WANT US TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE INDIVIDUAL PSYCHODRAMA. WE ARE REVOLVED TO BE FOCUSED ON ME, ME, ME . MY LUNCH. MY JOB. MY CLASS. MY COMMUTE. MY SANDWICH. MY MONEY. ME . IT IS JUST SO BORING . IT IS JUST SO TEDIOUS AND YET, YOU CANNOT STOP GET ABOUT

IT . UNLESS YOU ZOOM OUT AND GET SMALL MY FRIEND DECKER WHO TEACHES AT BERKELEY IS ONE OF THE GREAT HAPPINESS EXPERTS. HE HAS A BOOK CALLED " A WE " AND IT IS ABOUT ZOOMING OUT ON LIFE AND MARVELING AT SOMETHING. YOU NEED A SYSTEM FOR DOING THAT DAY BY DAY, EVERY DAY. FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT IS STUDYING HISTORIC PHOSPHORS . THE WAY I TALK ABOUT HAPPINESS AS YOU POINTED OUT IS PRETTY STOIC IN THE CLASSICAL SENSE. SOME PEOPLE

PREFER TO WALK IN NATURE FOR DON WITHOUT DEVICES EACH DAY . WITHOUT DEVICES IS IMPORTANT. SOME PEOPLE ANALYZE THE FUMES OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH AND MARVEL AT THAT. SOME PEOPLE HAVE A TRADITIONAL MEDITATION PRACTICE . POSITIVE MEDITATION TO BETTER COGNITIVELY UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF YOUR LIFE. SOME PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME PRACTICE THE FAITH OF OUR YOUTH. YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. YOU HAVE TO GO HAVE A PRACTICE YOU GET LITTLE . IF YOU

ARE TOO BIG, YOU WILL BE MISERABLE IS THE BOTTOM LINE. THAT IS NUMBER ONE. SECOND IS FAMILY. WHICH IS THE MYSTICAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE MOST INTENSE AND THAT YOU DID NOT CHOOSE . AND THAT GOD KNOWS YOU WOULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN IN 70 CASES. -- SO MANY CASES . ONE IN SIX AMERICANS IS NOT TALKING TO A FAMILY MEMBER BECAUSE OF POLITICS TODAY. THAT IS INSANITY. WHY? WE ARE BEING BULLIED AND COURSED INTO HATING PEOPLE IN OUR OWN F

AMILIES AT THE BEHEST OF SOMEBODY ON TELEVISION. IT IS CRAZINESS. THERE IS ONE REASON FOR SCHISM IN THE FAMILY AND THAT IS ABUSE. DIFFERENCE IN POLITICAL OPINION IS NOT ABUSE. THE OTHER THING WORTH POINTING OUT . THEY COME BACK FROM THINGS GIVING BREAK AND THEY SAY, HR MARGE . SHE WOULD NOT STOP TALKING ABOUT TRUMPET OR WHATEVER. I GOT IT. YOU DO NOT SEE EYE TO EYE WITH YOUR OUT. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM AND YOU CALL MARGE AT 3:

00 AM, WHICH YOU PICK UP? >> YES. >> THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW. WHO WILL TAKE THE 3:00 AM PHONE CALL. THE PERSON MYSTICALLY RELATED TO YOU FOR REASONS YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT SHE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND. YOU MUST NOT LOSE THAT. THAT IS NUMBER TWO. THIRD IS FRIENDSHIP. I WORK WITH LEADERS ALL THE TIME . THE CENTER OF PUBLIC LEADERSHIP, IT IS WHAT WE DO . AT THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH POLITICAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO. THEIR

THE LONELIEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET. THEY ARE LONELY PEOPLE AND PART OF A LONELINESS EPIDEMIC. THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE ALL DAY LONG. THEY ARE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW. I DO NOT CONNECT. I HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS I SAY, REAL FRIENDS OR DEAL FRIENDS? EVERY ONE OF US KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REAL AND DALE. THAT IS THE REAL R AND D THAT MATTERS. YOU NEED MORE REAL AND NOT SO MANY DEALS IN YOUR LIFE. A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE HAVE

A GROW -- GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER HARVARD. WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO MOVE INTO SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. BUT THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS THAT WE WILL BE ISOLATED AND LONELY. THAT IS JUST THE NATURE OF THE GAME . IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I TALK ABOUT WITH MY CLASS AT THE SCHOOL. IS CALLED LEADERSHIP AND HAPPINESS. WE TALK ABOUT WHY LEADERS ARE LONELY. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IF WE WANT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THEY ARE.

THE HYGIENE OF HAPPINESS REQUIRES YET MORE REAL AND LESS DEALS AND HE CANNOT LEAVE IT UP TO CHANCE. YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK. LAST IS WORK. WORK HAS TWO PARTS THAT MATTER. IT IS NOT MONEY AND IS NOT POSITIONED . IT IS NOT TITLE OR POWER. IT IS NOT ABOVE OR BELOW AVERAGE INCOME . IT IS NOT HAVING A DEGREE FROM THE KENNEDY SCHOOL, LEAVE IT OR NOT. IT IS THE BELIEF YOU ARE EARNING YOUR SUCCESS IN THE BELIEF YOU ARE SERVING OT

HER PEOPLE . THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INFLECT THE JOCUS YOU GET IN YOUR WORK AND WILL GIVE YOU SIGNIFICANT AND ONGOING JOCUS FROM YOUR JOB. EARNED SUCCESS MEANS YOU BELIEVE IN CREATING VALUE WITH YOUR LIFE AND IS RECOMMENDED AND ACKNOWLEDGED. VERY IMPORTANT. THAT IS WHY LEADERS IN THE WORKPLACE ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. IF YOU ARE BEAVERING AWAY IN OBSCURITY , IT WILL BE TO STOP SWEATING -- UNSATISFYING TO YOU. IT

IS ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT WITH HER -- BUT SERVANTS I DID A THING FOR THOUSAND MEMBERS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON FRIDAY THIS IS WHAT I WAS FOCUSING ON . THEY NEED TO EARN THEIR SUCCESS. YOU CANNOT DO IT WITH MONEY. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT? THE SECOND IS SERVICE TO OTHER PEOPLE. PEOPLE ARE MADE TO LOVE . PEOPLE ARE MADE TO SERVE. ONLY WHEN THEY CAN SEE THE PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE SERVING AND UNDERSTAND THE VALUE THEY AR

E CREATING IN OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES AND THEY ARE LETTING OTHER PEOPLE UP AND LIGHTENING THE LOAD FOR SOMEBODY. YOU AND ME, IT IS FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES WHAT WE DO FOR A LIVING. WHEN YOU TALK TO A STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT , IT HAS LIGHTENED THEIR LOAD IN SOME WAY. IT IS COMPLETELY SATISFYING AND YOU LOVE YOUR JOB ON THAT DAY . THOSE OF THE TRUE FORMS OF COMPENSATION.

>> IT IS EXTRAORDINARY. WHAT DO YOU SAY - I WANT TO TOUCH ON EACH OF THESE. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO SAYS I HAVE A VERY STRONG SENSE OF WHAT MY LIFE IS ABOUT. I HAVE A VERY STRONG SENSE OF THE JUSTICE I WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD ET CETERA. AND HR MARGE DOES NOT BELIEVE THE THINGS I BELIEVE I CANNOT OVERLOOK IT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A FAMILIAL CONNECTION . >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO OVERLOOK IT. YOU CAN LOVE SOMEBODY WITHO

UT OVERLOOKING IT . YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PRETEND SOMETHING IS NOT THERE TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON. I GREW UP IN A FAMILY WHERE I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS LYRICALLY THE WAY THAT I DO. THEY THOUGHT I WAS DROPPED ON MY HEAD A LOT OR SOMETHING. GREW UP IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON . MY FATHER IS A PROFESSOR AND MY MOTHER WAS AN ARTIST. WHAT DO YOU THINK THEIR POLITICS ARE OR WERE? THOSE WERE NOT MY POLITICS I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO IS L

IKE HOORAY CAPITALISM. WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM? ONE TIME I WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH DANGEROUS FREE ENTERPRISE IDEAS IN MY 20s. I WAS BACK IN SEATTLE COOKING DINNER WITH MY MOM . IT WAS CHRISTMAS TIME . WE WERE IN THE KITCHEN ALONE. SHE WAS REALLY QUIET WHICH MADE ME A COMFORTABLE. IF YOU KNOW MY MOM, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT WAS NOT RIGHT I SAID MOM, IS SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND? SHE SAYS, YES. YOUR FATHER AND I WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR.

I WANT YOU TO TELL ME THE TRUTH. I WILL LOVE YOU EITHER WAY . HAVE YOU BEEN VOTING FOR REPUBLICANS? [ LAUGHTER ] YOU GET THE IDEA. THEY WERE GREAT PARENTS. THEY TAUGHT ME THAT WE ARE ALL EQUAL DIGNITY . NO EXCEPTIONS . WE ARE ALL SISTERS AND BROTHERS. EVERYTHING I KNOW, I GOT FROM THEM. ALL OF THE THINGS I LOVE, I GOT FROM THEM. THEY WERE GREAT PARENTS. BY THE WAY, THEY WERE RIGHT ABOUT A LOT OF STUFF LYRICALLY I JUST DO

NOT KNOW WHAT YET. THIS IS THE THING . I AM TRYING TO EXPAND MY OWN MIND CONSTANTLY. I AM SURE I AM WRONG WITH ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT THEY WERE RIGHT ABOUT. THAT IS NOT THE POINT. I LOVE THEM AND I SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY. WHO CARES? IT MADE FOR INTERESTING DINNER TIME CONVERSATIONS. >> I WANT HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS. THE FOURTH HABIT, THE HABIT OF WORK. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, I AM GENUINELY ON BOARD WI

TH THE FRAMEWORK HERE WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. ENJOYMENT, SATISFACTION AND MEANING. MAY BE THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO LOOK AT WORK AS A VERY SMALL PART OF YOUR LIFE THAT ENSURES YOU ARE ABLE TO AFFORD THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE. AND YOU DERIVE THOSE THINGS , ENJOYMENT, SATISFACTION AND MEANING FROM THE FRIENDS, FAMILY AND FAITH. IS THAT AN INCOMPLETE LIFE? >> IT IS UNNECESSARILY INCOMPLETE LIFE. THE TRUTH IS, NOT EVERYBODY HAS TO GO

BE A SUCCESS, ADDICTED, SELF-JUSTIFYING WORKAHOLIC . I AM LOOKING AT YOU. I AM LOOKING AT ME. THIS IS WHAT WE DO. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT . YOU NEED A BALANCED LIFE LOTS OF PEOPLE DO NOT LIVE TO WORK. WORK TO LIVE. YOU NEED TO EARN YOUR SUCCESS AND YOU NEED TO SERVE OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH THAT. IS DOING A TELEVISION SHOW THE OTHER DAY. I WAS WORKING WITH A LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE ON A TELEVISION SHOW . ONE OF THE PEOPLE STOOD UP A

ND SAID, I AM FRUSTRATED WITH MY WORK . I WORK 40 HOURS PER WEEK. I SIT IN A CUBICLE . I DO NOT MIGHT WORK MATTERS . I AM A COG IN THE MACHINE AND IT DOES NOT MATTER . I AM WORKING FOR THIS COMPANY AND THEY DO NOT KNOW I EXIST. WHAT SHOULD I DO THE ANSWER I GAVE IS, AT 2:00 TOMORROW AFTERNOON GO TO THE BREAK ROOM AND GET A COUPLE COFFEE AND BRING IT TO THE PERSON IN THE NEXT CUBICLE AND SAY, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU COULD U

SE A FRESH CUP OF COFFEE. AND LOOK AT THE LOOK ON THEIR FACE. IT IS NOT A COMPLETE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING WRONG IN EVERY JOB, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS EVERYBODY CAN LIGHTEN SOMEBODY'S LOAD OVER THE COURSE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING. THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT , WHETHER YOU ARE WORKING FOR MONEY OR TAKING CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN AT HOME. OR, VOLUNTEERING AND RETIRED . YOU CAN DO THAT AND ENDOW THIS THING YOU ARE DOING WITH INCREDI

BLE SIGNIFICANCE BY MAKING IT FOCUS ON SOMEBODY ELSE. >> WE COULD TALK SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THIS. I WANT TO PULL ON THE THREAD YOU INTRODUCED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER . ABOUT THE STATE OF HAPPINESS IN AMERICA AND- I UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT YOU WERE SAYING THAT HAPPINESS IN AMERICA IS AT A LOW RATE. PRESUMABLY, IT IS BECAUSE SOME OF THESE HABITS HAVE DECLINED. I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN WE DO ? IS THE ANSWER THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS

TO READ THIS BOOK? IS THERE INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE? >> IS ALL ABOUT THE BOOK FOLKS. SOMEONE ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY, WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM OPRAH WINFREY? THE ANSWER WAS HOW TO SELL BOOKS. THAT IS NOT TRUE. SORRY . SORT OF. THE DATA IS AN AMBIGUOUS AND DISCOURAGING ABOUT HAPPINESS IN AMERICA . WE FOUND HAPPINESS STARTED TO DECLINE IN 1990. THE GENERAL LEVEL. IT HAS INCHED DOWNWARD FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS . 34 YEARS AT THIS POINT. WI

TH PERIODIC DOWN BLASTS . NEVER UP LAST . ALWAYS DOWN BLASTS. ACCLIMATE PROBLEM AND THE WEATHER PROBLEM IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR HAPPINESS. THE CLIMATE HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT ALL FOUR HAPPINESS HABITS ARE IN DECLINE. FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND WORK. THE ATTITUDES WE HAVE TOWARD WORK. THE LIKELIHOOD OF PEOPLE BEING RELIGIOUS, SPIRITUAL OR EVEN VAGUELY PHILOSOPHICAL ARE IN DECLINE. FAMILY LIFE IS IN DRAMATIC DECLINE FOR THE THINGS I T

ALKED ABOUT EARLIER ALSO THE FACT THAT FAMILY FORMATION IS GOING SOUTH IN A VERY FAST AND BIG WAY. PEOPLE HAVE FEWER FRIENDS. YOU ARE THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO SAY NOBODY KNOWS ME WELL . WE HAVE A HAPPINESS EPIDEMIC. SURGEON GENERAL SAYS IT IS THE BIGGEST PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN AMERICA. IT IS THE LONELINESS EPIDEMIC. AND WE CAN TURN THESE THINGS AROUND, WE HAD TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS . AS LEADERS, WE NEED TO BE TALKING

ABOUT THESE THINGS . WE NEED TO BE PRACTICING THESE THINGS IN OUR OWN LIVES AND SHARING OUR BEST PRACTICES WITH OTHER PEOPLE WITH CONFIDENCE AND JOCUS AND LOVE. OF COURSE, THERE ARE THE STORMS. THE WEATHER PROBLEM OF HAPPINESS. 2008 AND 2009, A MAJOR DOWNDRAFT IN HAPPINESS AN INCREASE IN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE FINANCIAL CRISIS. PEOPLE COMING OUT OF COLLEGE AND CANNOT FIND JOBS THAT WAS WRONG . THAT I

S WHEN SOCIAL MEDIA WENT ON THE DEVICES . THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED. WAS ESPECIALLY ACUTE FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS BETWEEN 15 AND 25 . NOW, IT IS SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE POPULATION THAT WE SEE THE PROBLEMS THAT COME FROM THE ISOLATION. WE KNOW THE NEUROPHYSIOLOGY ABOUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. WE KNOW THE NEURAL PEPTIDE OF OXYTOCIN IS WILLFULLY -- WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT WHEN USE OF THE TWO SOCIAL MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS FOR IN PERSON . EYE CONTACT

AND TOUCH. THAT WAS THE FIRST STORM. THE SECOND STORM THAT WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT IS THE CORONOAVIRUS . WE FOUND SIX MONTHS INTO LOCKDOWN , WHICH WAS TERRIBLE FOR 93% OF THE OPERATION 7% THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY . DOGS HATED IT AND CATS LOVED IT OR SOMETHING. IT WAS PRETTY GRIM FOR MOST PEOPLE. SIX MONTHS INTO LOCKDOWN'S SENTENCE OF CLINICAL DEPRESSION, IDENTIFIABLE DIAGNOSED DEPRESSION , WAS QUALIFIED BOTH . THEY HAVE NOT FALLEN. A LOT OF PE

OPLE NOT GOTTEN SOCIAL CHOPS BACK. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD NOT GONE BACK. A LOT OF PEOPLE MADE DECISIONS THAT PERMANENTLY DETACHED THEM FROM RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAVE IN THEIR LIFE IT HAS TO DO WITH OXYTOCIN AND THE BASIS OF CONNECTION WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS. THE THIRD, WHICH HAS BEEN THE WEATHER PATTERN THAT HAS PERSISTED FOR 10 YEARS IS POLITICS, QUITE FRANKLY . WE HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY ENCOURAGED BY LEADERS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WE N

EED TO NOT JUST DISAGREE WITH, BUT TO HATE PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE WITH US LEADERS OF POLITICS LEADERS IN MEDIA AND LEADERS ON CAMPUS. TELLING PEOPLE THEY SHOULD HATE AND CANCEL AND AVOID AND CAST OUT PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE WITH THEM POLITICALLY THAT IS INSANITY. THE BUDDHA SAID WHEN YOU HATE SOMEBODY IT IS LIKE PICKING UP A HOT COAL WITH YOUR BARE HANDS TO THROW AT ANOTHER PERSON. WHO GETS BURNED WORSE? IT IS EMPIRICAL IRREGULARITY .

THE MORE YOU HATE OR ARE ENCOURAGED TO HATE BY THE MALIGNANT IS ASSISTING LEADERS IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, YOU ARE THERE PRODUCT. ANYBODY ON YOUR SIDE ENCOURAGING YOU TO HATE IS USING YOU AND PROFITING FROM YOU ON THIS CAMPUS . OR, IN WASHINGTON D.C. OR ANYPLACE ELSE. I WILL SAY TO ANYBODY AT THIS POINT . WE NEED TO GET OUR WORLD BACK WE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT WILL GET IT STANDING UP TO THE MALIGNANT BULLYING NARCISSISTS ON OUR

SIDE, WHATEVER OUR SITE HAPPENS TO BE. >> THAT IS DEPRESSING IN THAT YOU ARE RIGHT. THERE SEEM TO BE MORE OF THESE TYPES OF PERSONALITIES THEN THERE WERE. IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THEM BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE PROBLEM. BECAUSE OF THE DECLINE OF FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND WORK. I DO NOT KNOW THAT I COULD EXPLAIN WHY YOU THINK THOSE THINGS HAVE DECLINED. >> WE HAVE FOUND AS AN EMPIRICAL IRREGULARITY THEY HAVE BEEN

IN DECLINE. >> WHAT CAUSED THAT? >> IT IS A CONTESTED QUESTION. IT IS A MYSTERY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR CULTURE IS SYSTEMATICALLY DENIGRATING FAITH. IT IS DOWNGRADING IT. IT IS THE WORLDVIEW OF THE IGNORANT, WHICH IS INCREASINGLY THE CASE FOR TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS FAITH. WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE WILL ADOPT COLTS , LIKE POLITICS. POLITICS IS A CULT IN AMERICA. IS VERY GOOD YOUR SYSTEM OF MEANING AND IN GROUP IDENTITY AND SENSE OF

MORALITY. YOU GET THE SENSE OF WHO THE GOOD PEOPLE ARE AND THE BAD PEOPLE ARE. TAKE THAT INSTEAD UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. FAMILY LIFE HAS BEEN UNDER MAINSTREAM CULTURAL ATTACK FOR A LONG TIME. THE IDEA OF STABLE, HAPPY FAMILIES ON THE BASIS OF ANY SOCIETY . YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE POLITICALLY ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER TO RECOGNIZE THAT. AND YET, THE IDEA THAT IT IS AN ANTIQUATED MODEL FOR THE WAY SOCIETY SHOULD BE ORGANIZED IS A B

IG PROBLEM FOR HAPPINESS. FRIENDSHIP , I DON'T KNOW . AGAIN, FRIENDSHIP IS HOMOGENOUS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA. WHO ARE MY FRIENDS? I DON'T KNOW, PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK I NEVER MET. SORRY, NOT FRIENDS IT IS A WORD THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE INDUSTRY. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT TRUE. THE MONEY MEDIATE RELATIONSHIPS WITHOUT EYE CONTACT AND TOUCH, THE GREATER THE LONELINESS WILL RISE. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE PLAUSIBLE, CULTURAL AND TEC

HNOLOGICAL REASONS FOR THEM THAT WE SEE. >> I COULD GO ON WITH YOU, BUT I WILL NOT LEAVE THIS ROOM ALIVE IF I DO NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS. I THINK WE HAVE SOME MICROPHONES. ONE OVER THERE. ONE UP THERE. LINE YOURSELF UP AT THE MICROPHONES. I WILL CALL ON YOU AND PLEASE HAVE GOOD QUESTIONS AND ASK US A BASICALLY AS POSSIBLE . >> PUT YOUR PROTEST STATEMENT IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION. >> THE BREVITY FOR WHICH PEOPLE

ARE FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER. >> HELLO, I AM LUCY AND A SENIOR AT THE COLLEGE STUDYING SOCIOLOGY AND HISTORY OF SCIENCE. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. YOU BOTH HAVE VERY STYLISH SOCKS. >> THANK YOU. >> WHEN YOU WERE DISCUSSING THE MEANING CRISIS QUIZ YOU MENTIONED TWO WAYS SOMEONE COULD FAIL. THEY DO NOT HAVE ANSWERS TO THE TWO QUESTIONS OR THEY DO NOT HAVE REAL ANSWERS TO THE TWO QUESTIONS. I AM CURIOUS WHAT ARE COMMON EXAMPLES

OF NOT REAL ANSWERS, OR HOW WE CAN INTERNALLY RECOGNIZE WHETHER OUR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ARE TRULY GENUINE? >> WHY AM I LIVE? THE BIOLOGICAL ANSWER TO THAT IS NOT A MEANINGFUL ANSWER TO THAT. AND THAT IS VERY COMMON. WHY AM I LIVE? AND, BY THE WAY, IT IS AS OLD AS THE HILLS PHILOSOPHICALLY IT IS THE ESSENCE OF EXISTENCE CONUNDRUM. FOREVER, THE IDEA WAS YOUR EXISTENCE, YOUR ESSENCE PRECEDED YOUR EXISTENCE. THE MEANING OF LIFE

PRECEDED IT AND YOU HAVE TO DISCOVER AND EMBRACE IT. THE WHOLE WORLD OF 19th CENTURY AND 20th CENTURY EXISTENTIALISM TURNED ON ITS HEAD TO SAY THAT EXISTENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE AND YOU HAVE TO INVENT YOURSELF. THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS WAY OF THINKING . RIGHT OR NOT YOU DECIDE YOURSELF. WORST OF ALL IS THE NIHILISTIC UNDERSTANDING THERE IS NO ESSENCE . THERE ACTUALLY IS NOT ANY ESSENCE THAT IS ERROR NUMBER TWO. LET'S SAY PROBLEM NUMB

ER TWO . THE BELIEF THERE IS NO MEANING. NUMBER ONE IS THE MECHANICAL UNDERSTANDING OF MEANING. THE SECOND IS A BELIEF THERE IS NO MEANING . THE THIRD WAY WE GET THIS WRONG IS TO GIVE THE ANSWERS THAT WE THINK PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR. IF YOU WOULD NOT DIE FOR YOUR FAITH, BUT YOU SEE WHAT, IS A REAL PROBLEM. YOU ARE LIVING UNDER RELATIVELY FALSE PRETENSES OR VERY FALSE PRETENSES . IF YOU WOULD NOT DIE FOR YOUR FAMILY OR YOUR COUN

TRY, BUT YOU SEE WHAT BECAUSE YOU FEEL PRESSURED INTO IT, YOU ARE LIVING A PRETENSE, QUITE FRANKLY. THOSE ARE THE THREE WAYS WE GET THE ANSWERS WRONG. A BEAUTIFUL QUESTION . >> THERE MUST BE A WRONG ANSWER TO THE QUESTION. IN OTHER WORDS, AND A CANCER THAT IS DEEPLY FELT THAT IS SINCERE, BUT THAT YOU WOULD OBJECTIVELY SAY THAT IS NOT A GOOD THING TO DIE FOR . >> I WOULD SAY THERE ARE BAD AND ANSWERS, BUT THEY ARE NOT WRONG ANS

WERS. I AM A RELATIVIST AND IS ONLY PART OF MY LIFE WHERE I THINK I AM. I HAVE ALL KINDS OF INTEREST TO THAT. OBJECT TO IT MORALLY. THAT IS NOT MY POINT. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF MEANING IN THEIR LIFE AND I WISH THEY HAD A DIFFERENT MEANING IN THEIR LIFE. I REALLY WISH THEY DID. DIFFERENT PROBLEM. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT LEADS TO SENSE OF FULFILLMENT AND HAPPINESS. NOT WHAT LEADS TO A BETTER WORLD. DIFFERENT SET OF

ISSUES. >> I THINK YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT LEADS TO A BETTER WORLD. WHEN I WAS READING THIS BOOK , I WAS THINKING THERE IS A TRICK THAT ARTHUR IS PLAYING ON US. BECAUSE HE IS SAYING HERE'S A WAY TO GET HAPPY. BUT WHAT HE IS REALLY TRIED TO SAY IS, HERE IS A WAY TO BE GOOD AND USEFUL. >> GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE GENERAL RULE IS BEING GOOD AND USEFUL WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY. BEING SELFISH WILL NOT. THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT FOC

US ON OTHERS. SERVE THE WORLD. BE A GOOD PERSON . IT IS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD STRATEGY. THERE ARE LOTS OF PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS IF YOU ARE FEELING LONELY, THE NUMBER ONE BEST WAY TO STOP FEELING LONELY IS GO FIND SOMEBODY WHO IS LONELY AND KEEP THEM COMPANY. IS THE SINGLE BEST WAY TO DO IT. I RECOMMEND TO NBA STUDENTS -- LETTER NBA IN THE SECOND SEMESTER. THEY ARE ALL GOING FORTH AND TAKING THEIR FIRST JOBS. A LOT OF THEM

ARE GOING TO SAN FRANCISCO , NEW YORK ET CETERA AND THEY WILL BE LONELY . THE KEY IS TO PRETEND YOU HAVE BEEN IN THAT CITY FOR 10 YEARS AND ACT LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY FOR 10 YEARS AND DO WHAT SOMEBODY WHO IS IT AN OLD-TIMER WITH DUE. GO FIND SOMEONE WHO IS NEW. CAN HELP YOU OUT? DO YOU WANT TO COME OVER? HAVE A DINNER PARTY OR START A BOOK CLUB OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE. YOUR ACTING AS IF YOU WERE NOT ONLY.

REALLY YOU ARE SERVING OTHER PEOPLE . THAT IS THE SECRET TO ALMOST EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE LOTS OF ASPIRANTS IN MY CAREER . WHEN I DID MORE CONVENTIONAL ACADEMIC WORK. EXPERIENCE -- EXPERIENCE ON CHARITABLE GIVING IT WAS RESEARCH ON CHARITABLE GIVING BEHAVIORS DEFINE GIVING MAKES YOU HEALTHY, HAPPY AND RICH. IT EVEN MAKES YOU BETTER LOOKING IN THE EYES OF OTHER PEOPLE. IT IS A GREAT EXPERIMENT . EXAMINES THE HAVE TWO SETS OF PSYCHOLOGIS

TS AND COUPLES, TO THE LABORATORY. THEY WILL SAY TO ONE MEMBER OF THE COUPLE, I WILL GIVE YOU A POCKET FULL OF CHANGE AND YOU'LL WALK WITH YOUR PARTNER DOWN TO THE OTHER BUILDING AND YOU WILL GET INTERVIEWED WHEN YOU GET THERE AND THAT IS THE WHOLE EXPANSE. THEY ARE HALFWAY THERE IN A HOMELESS PERSON COMES WONDERING -- WONDERING ABOUT PATH AND STOP THEM AND SAYS, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGE? ONE PERSON HAS CHANGE IS PART OF THE EXP

ERIMENT. OF COURSE A HOMELESS PERSON IS INVOLVED IN THE EXPONENT. THEY MAKE THE DECISION TO GO ONTO THE NEXT SET OF THE COLLEGES WHO ASK THE QUESTION? HOW MUCH DID YOU SUPPORT THE HOMELESS PERSON WITH CHANGE? HE TURNS THE PARTNER AND SAYS, HOW ATTRACTIVE DO YOU FIND THEM RIGHT NOW? IT TURNS OUT YOUR PARTNER FINDS YOU MORE PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE IF SHE OR HE HAS WITNESSED YOU BE MORE GENEROUS WITH A STRANGER. >> I WILL TRY THAT. GO

AHEAD. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CHATTING TODAY . I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MYTHOLOGY AND DATA USED TO COLLECT THIS. HOW LONG ARE THE STUDIES? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IF IT IS JUST SUBJECTIVE. AND MUST BE DIFFICULT WITH SELF REPORTING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS. HE TOOK US THROUGH THE METHODOLOGY AND DATA? >> THANK YOU. I LOVE THAT QUESTION. I DO NOT GET THAT USUALLY AND IT IS IMPORTANT. STUDIES OF HAPPINESS. THERE AR

E MILLIONS STUDIES OF HAPPINESS AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES EXPERIMENT TOLD DATA ET CETERA AND THEY ALL RELY ON ONE THING. HOW DO THEY MEASURE HAPPINESS ? THAT IS THE METHODOLOGY. THIS WAS A BIG CONTROVERSY FOR A LONG TIME HOW HAPPY ARE YOU? NOT THAT USEFUL . THE GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY, THE MOST CONFERENCE OF SOURCE OF GENERAL SOCIAL DATA IN THE NINE STATES GOES BACK TO 1972. EVERY YEAR OR EVERY SECOND YEAR WHEN THEY

DO THE SURVEY IT ASKS, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, HOW HAPPY ARE YOU ABOUT YOUR LIFE? THE CHOICES ARE NOT TOO HAPPY, SOMEWHAT HAPPY AND VERY HAPPY. IT IS OKAY JUST TO GET A SNAPSHOT. THE BEST QUESTIONS, THEY LOOK AT LARGE SAMPLES . THEY ASK PEOPLE ANONYMOUSLY . YOU CANNOT ANSWER HAPPINESS LESSONS IN FRONT OF YOUR SPOUSE BECAUSE YOU WILL LIE. THEY ASK YOU TO COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE. THIS IS THE BEST WAY. IT IS THE PSYCHOMETRICA

LLY VALIDATED AGAINST MORE SOPHISTICATED MEASURES. BLOOD CORTISOL LEVELS AND THIRD-PARTY VALIDATION OF HOW HAPPY YOU ARE WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASKED ABOUT YOU . A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING IT. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, NOT THIS MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE , IS NOT TO CONTAMINATED THEIR CURRENT MOOD, HOW YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR BREAKFAST. THINK OF THE HAPPIEST PERSON YOU HAVE EVER MET AT A 10. ONE OF THE MOST UNHAPPINESS, THAT IS WHEN. WHAT IS YOUR

NUMBER BUT IT IS INCREDIBLY STABLE ACROSS LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE. IT IS QUITE VALIDATING. THE CONSTRUCT HAS BEEN VALIDATED IN THOUSANDS OF STUDIES AT THIS POINT. IT HAD NOT BEEN . BUT IT HAS BEEN AND I FEEL CONFIDENT USING THAT DATA IN MY OWN RESEARCH. AND REPORTING A GOOD STUDIES AND MEASURES. >> IT IS VERY INTERESTING. CULTURALLY , I REMEMBER ONCE WHEN I WAS A KID MY DAD SAID, HOW ARE YOU ? I JUST COME BACK MY FIRST YEAR BOA

RDING SCHOOL I WAS LIKE, I AM GREAT. GREAT ONLY GOD IS GREAT. I WONDER CROSS-CULTURALLY , U.S. PEOPLE IF THEY ARE HAPPY. AND PRAISE BE TO GOD , THEY DO NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. >> IT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT. WE GET UNITED NATIONS DATA AND CROSS-COUNTRY DATA ABOUT THE HAPPIEST COUNTRIES. IT IS NONSENSE AND YOU CANNOT BELIEVE IT . DIFFERENT PEOPLE ANSWER IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES UNDER DIFFERENT CULTURAL CIRCUMSTANCES IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND THE

N TRANSLATE THE WORD FOR HAPPINESS DIFFERENTLY. THAT SAID, NOT TO NATIONS HAS INTERNATIONAL HAPPINESS DAY COMING UP. WORLD HAPPINESS SUMMIT AND I AM A KEYNOTE . GO TO LONDON AS THEY DO NOT TRUST THESE INDICES . IT IS A SKUNK AT THE GARDEN PARTY. THEY SPENT SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THE INDEX THAT DOES NOT HOLD WATER. THEY WILL TELL US ONCE AGAIN THAT DENMARK IS THE HAPPIEST COUNTRY IN WHICH ALL THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS. WE SHOULD

ALL DO THAT. IF WE HAD TRAINS THAT WERE CLEAN WE WOULD ALL BE HAPPY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. CANNOT BELIEVE IT. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH AND MARK. MARK IS AWESOME THERE IS A REASON MY GRANDPARENTS LEFT DENMARK . BECAUSE THEY WERE AMBITIOUS RIFF-RAFF. YOU GET MY POINT. THEY WANTED TO BE ONE OF YOU IF YOU ARE FROM THE UNITED STATES EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT WHAT THEY WANTED TO BE AN IMMIGRANT LIKE YOU. WE SELF SELECT INTO AN ENVIRO

NMENT. SOME EVEN BELIEVE THERE IS A GENETIC PROCLIVITY TO THINK ABOUT HAPPINESS IN PARTICULAR WAY . WHEN YOU ASK NO REGIONS, DANES, SWEETEST PEOPLE AND PEOPLE FROM ICELAND WHAT HAPPINESS MEANS, THEY TALK ABOUT CONTENTMENT. I DO NOT WANT CONTENTMENT . I WANT ADVENTURE . I WANT INTELLECTUAL ADVENTURE . I WANT IDEAS AND HERESY AND DANGER. THAT IS WHY I AM HERE. THAT IS WHY I DO WHAT I DO. THERE IS A WORD IN DANISH THAT THE GOVERNMENT

USED TO USE HY GGE IT MEANS THE COZY CONVIVIALITY OF THE COMFORT OF FRIENDS ON A COMFORTABLE COUCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IS A PARAPHRASE I DO NOT WANT IT. YOU CAN KEEP YOUR AGE YOU GGE , I WANT THIS. I HAVE LECTURED ON THIS IN RUSSIA. 9% SAY THEY ARE HAPPY WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GUYS? THEY SAY, IT IS BAD LUCK TO SAY YOU ARE HAPPY . I HAVE LECTURED ON THIS IN LATIN AMERICA. 70% OF PEOPLE SAID THEY ARE HAPPY. I REALLY

THAT HAPPY YOU SAY YOU ARE HAPPY . IT IS BAD LUCK TO SEE YOU ARE NOT HAPPY. YOU CANNOT GET A NON-CONTAMINATED SAMPLE ACROSS COUNTRIES WHEN YOU GET BIASES IS THE BOTTOM LINE. >> WAS YOUR FATHER HAPPY? I THINK HE WAS . HE HAD ALL OF THESE THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT. >> HAPPINESS HYGIENE ON POINT. THAT IS GREAT. >> THANK YOU FOR THE TALK. MY QUESTION IS, IS IT HARDER TO BE HAPPY WHEN YOU ARE INTELLIGENT? ESPECIALLY IN THE SENSE OF

CRITICAL INTELLIGENCE. YOU MENTIONED INSTITUTION GIVING MEANING . >> THE FIRST PART IS INTELLIGENCE AND? >> IF YOU QUESTION FATE BROUGHT UP IN A RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENT AND YOU QUESTION YOUR FAITH. IF YOU WERE BROUGHT UP IN A FAMILY, ARMY OR THE COUNTRY BEING IMPORTANT . YOU QUESTION IT BECAUSE WERE CRITICAL AND WANT TO FOR YOURSELF . IS IT HARDER FOR YOU TO BE HAPPY WITH A CRITICAL MIND? >> IS IT HARDER FOR SMART PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY

I MUST BE BRILLIANT. >> YOU ARE A MESS. A VERY GOOD QUESTION . IF YOUR INTELLIGENCE LEADS YOU TO FRESHEN THE STATUS QUO. THAI INSTITUTION GIVING MEANING. >> THE ANSWER IS SOME RESEARCH HAS FOUND THERE IS A MODERATE INCREASE IN HAPPINESS THAT INCREASES AS WE INCREASE COGNITIVE HORSEPOWER UP TO A CERTAIN POINT . AND THEN, HAPPINESS GOES DOWN AGAIN. IT IS A CURVILINEAR RELATIONSHIP. SORRY, YOU ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE HAPPINESS M

ETER. WHY IS THAT? FOR THE REASONS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE. IT IS EASIER TO NEGOTIATE LIFE IN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX WORLD , AS YOU HAVE MORE GIFTS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES . WHICH, BY THE WAY COULD INCLUDE EDUCATION AND A LOT OF THAT GOES INTO WHAT IS MANUFACTURED INTO THESE MEASURES. NATURAL OR OTHERWISE AFTER CERTAIN POINT, YOU FIND IT STARTS TO GET IN THE WAY OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIFE. THAT SAID, EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE GREATES

T INTELLECTUAL EVER , IF YOU HAVE YOUR HAPPINESS DIET ON POINT, YOU CAN DO REALLY WELL. MY STUDENTS AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL ARE DEFINITELY ON THE PART OF THE HAPPINESS CURVE. THEY CAN BE INCREDIBLY HAPPY IF THEY ARE PAYING ATTENTION NOT TO PLEASURE, BUT TO ENJOYMENT . FOR SATISFACTION IF THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT HAVE MORE, HAVE MORE, HAVE MORE BUT, WANT LESS, WANT LESS, WANT LESS MEANING, IF WE CAN LEARN TO ANSWER THESE QUE

STIONS, IT IS NOT THE WORLD OF ONE INTELLECTUAL GROUP OR ANOTHER. WE ALL HAVE TO BE SUBJECT -- WE ARE ALL SUBJECT TO THE SAME SET OF RULES AND CIRCUMSTANCES. WE CAN ALL GET HAPPIER. >> MY NAME IS THOMAS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. MOST OF WHAT YOU SHARED REALLY RESONATES WITH ME. WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS MISSING FROM THE CONVERSATION AND WHAT MY QUESTION RELATES TO IS THE ROLE OF POLICY IN ENABLING OR INHIBITING HAPPINESS .

MORE SPECIFICALLY, MY QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE ENSURE HAPPINESS IS NOT A PERSONAL SELF-HELP PROJECT SOLELY FOR THE PRIVILEGE . BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, A PRODUCT OF STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS THAT PROMOTE THE HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING FOR ALL WORKING PEOPLE . PUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY, TO WHAT EXTENT IS HAPPINESS DETERMINED BY INDIVIDUAL VERSUS SYSTEMIC ACTION? SUCH A GREAT QUESTION. WE ARE AT A POLICY SCHOOL . I SUFFERED THROUGH A PHD IN PUBLIC P

OLICY THAT GIVEN THAT A LOT OF THOUGHT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. A VERY ASTUTE QUESTION. AN ANSWER IS COUNTERINTUITIVE. HERE ON THE TRAIL TO THE ANSWER. I WAS IN DENMARK MAKING A FILM ABOUT HAPPINESS. I WAS SPEAKING TO THE SPEAKER OF THE DANISH HOUSE. HE SAID, I AM A SOCIAL DEMOCRAT. I SAID, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THIS IS THE HAPPIEST COUNTRY . WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN GOVERNMENT TO CREATE SUCH HAPPINESS IN THIS COUNTRY ? HE SAID, IT IS

A LIE AND IT IS NOT TRUE. GOVERNMENT CANNOT RAISE HAPPINESS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HE SAID, GOVERNMENT CAN ILLUMINATE THE SOURCES OF UNHAPPINESS. THAT IS A NONTRIVIAL DISTINCTION. WHY? BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IN THE PAST 25 YEARS OF RESEARCH IS THAT HAPPINESS AND UNHAPPINESS ARE NOT OPPOSITES. THIS IS NOT LOGIC CHOPPING, WHICH WE DO FOR A LIVING AROUND HERE. HAPPINESS AND UNHAPPINESS ARE LARGELY BASED ON EMOTIONAL STATES THAT

ARE PROCESSED IN DIFFERENT HEMISPHERES OF THE BRAIN. IN POINT OF FACT, GOVERNMENT CANNOT MAKE YOU HAPPIER IN POINT OF FACT, IT CAN RELIEVE THE AVOIDABLE SOURCES OF UNHAPPINESS THAT INHIBIT OUR PURSUIT OF THE BEST LIFE AS WE WANT TO LIVE IT. AND THAT IS WHY POLICY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THAT IS WHY FOR EXAMPLE, YOU FIND ALL OF THE STUDIES THAT SHOW ABOVE $75,000 PER YEAR IN INCOME PEOPLE DO NOT GET HAPPIER. NO, WHAT HAPPENS I

S RELATIVELY MINIMAL TO LOW INCOME LEVELS , UNHAPPINESS IS AVOIDED BECAUSE OF CALORIE NEEDS BEING MET AND BECAUSE OF HEALTH CARE BEING PROVIDED ET CETERA . AND, BECAUSE WERE NOT WORRIED ALL NIGHT ABOUT YOUR RENT UNDER THE CENSUS. ON THAT, IT BECOMES INDIVIDUAL PROJECT. THE COLLECTIVE PROJECT IS AT LOW LEVELS AND ON UNHAPPINESS SAID. THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND CAN BE ON THE HAPPINESS SAID . IF WE DO NOT GET THA

T AND WORK TOGETHER, WE WILL HAVE CRUMMY PUBLIC AUSSIES THAT DO NOT HELP. WILL HAVE MORE AND MORE POLITICIANS INSTEAD OF BACK AND TELL US, IF YOU VOTE FOR ME YOU WILL BE HAPPY. THEY ARE LYING IS THE BOTTOM LINE BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY CANNOT DO THAT. WE HERE AT THE KENNEDY SCHOOL CAN ILLUMINATE A LOT OF SOURCES OF UNHAPPINESS THAT WE FIND AROUND THE WORLD. WE WILL GO HAMMER AND TONGS ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS. WITH THE TAX RATE

SHOULD BE ET CETERA. GOOD. WE CAN MAKE REAL AGGRESSIVELY PUT OUR MINDS TO IT. >> ARTHUR , TRYING TO READ THE BOOK AND THE QUESTIONERS QUESTION CAUSES ME TO THINK POLICY IMPLICATIONS . YOU COULD IMAGINE POLICY IMPLICATION OF THE BOOK WOULD BE WE SHOULD PURSUE POLICIES TO INCENTIVIZE THE FORMATION. YOU COULD IMAGINE A POLICY INDICATION OF THE BOOK TO BE, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THE UNIVERSAL BASED INCOME BECAUSE OF THIS INCENTI

VIZE WORK . WHY WOULD THAT BE THE WRONG INTERPRETATION? >> BECAUSE I WAITED ABOUT IT IS PUBLIC POLICY SHOULD BE IN THE BUSINESS OF GETTING RID OF BARRIERS TO THOSE THINGS. AND THEN HELPING PEOPLE BE FACILITATED IN THEIR PURSUIT OF THESE THINGS THAT IS WHAT WE NEED. IN OTHER WORDS, I REALLY DO NOT WANT A GOVERNMENT AGENCY DEDICATED TO FAMILY FORMATION . OR, EVERYBODY GOING TO CHURCH. I DO NOT WANT THAT. IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO BE

GIN WITH AND IT IS UNDESIRABLE BECAUSE IT IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. >> CHURCHES, TAX BREAKS- >> TAX BREAKS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO SOCIAL GOOD ON THE BASIS OF CONTRIBUTION. A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AREA. THAT IS GETTING OUT OF THE WAY OF OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THESE ORGANIZATIONS AS A SOCIETY. SIMPLY NOT TAXES SOMETHING IS NOT THE SAME AS SUBSIDIZING. THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION BOTH IN POLICY AND IN PRAC

TICE. >> INSTALLATIONS UP AND SAYS, UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME- >> I SAY BAD IDEA. >> OUR QUESTIONER WOULD SAY, THIS IS THE WAY WE WILL ALLEVIATE SUFFERING. YOU WOULD SAY- >> THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY CREATES INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO NOT WORK AND THAT IS A PROBLEM. WORK BRINGS DIGNITY. WORK HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEY CAN CREATE VALUE. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO DO THAT IS WHAT WORK TO PAY MORE AND EXPAND

THE WORK TAX CREDIT. THERE ARE WONKY WAYS WE MAKE OUR LIVINGS AT THE KENNEDY SCHOOL WE CAN HELP WORK PAY MORE AND HELP PEOPLE WORK MORE AT THIS IN TIME. OR WORK AT LEAST FOR LIVING. >> ONE MORE QUESTION. I COULD SEE HER ALL NIGHT. >> HOW MUCH OF LONELINESS YOU THINK IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A LACK OF SELF CONNECTION VERSUS SOCIAL CONNECTION ? AND DO YOU THINK LONELINESS CAN BE A MINDSET ? >> IT IS A GOOD QUESTION. SOLITUDE AND ISO

LATION ARE DIFFERENT THINGS. THIS IS A DISTINCTION THAT HENRY DAVID THOREAU MADE AT WALDEN 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM HERE. SOLITUDE IS A BEAUTIFUL THING AS HE SAT AROUND WALDEN POND . I WILL NOTE HIS MOTHER WAS DOING HIS LAUNDRY AND BRINGING HIM DINNER EVERY NIGHT. [ LAUGHTER ] STYLISTICALLY, IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE AT LEAST. WHEREAS ISOLATION IS A DIFFERENT MATTER. TEEPLE CAN BE UNBELIEVABLY ISOLATED EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT ALONE SOLITUDE

IS SOMETHING YOU CAN FIND THE YOU IN POINT OF FACT NEED A LOT OF TIMES I RECOMMEND TO ALL STUDENTS AND ALL OF YOU YOU DO A SILENT RETREAT EVERY YEAR. GO SOMEPLACE AND SIT SOMEPLACE IN SILENCE FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS PER YEAR. IT WILL SOLVE A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS. EVEN BETTER IF IT IS GUIDED WITH RESPECT TO YOUR FAITH OR LIFE PHILOSOPHY. SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU A HIGHER SENSE OF TRANSCENDENCE WHILE YOU ARE DOING THIS . IT I

S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WILL GIVE YOU THE SOLITUDE YOU NEED. BUT MANY PEOPLE , EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SURROUNDED CONSTANTLY AND EVEN IN A FAMILY OR MARRIAGE ARE DEEPLY ISOLATED. THAT HAS NOT JUST TO DO WITH MINDSET, IT HAS TO DO WITH THE QUALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AND WHAT THEY ARE SEEKING FROM RELATIONSHIPS. THAT SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS I TALK ABOUT AN AWFUL LOT IS HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS. HOW TO TREAT THEM IN A WAY

AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE. PROBABLY THE MOST POPULAR UNITS OF THE CLASS I TEACH AT HPS IS ABOUT FAMILY FORMATION AND LOVE. ABOUT HOW ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS , HOW WE CAN FALL IN LOVE AND STAY IN LOVE AND PURSUE A PARTNERSHIP LOSS EACH ONE OF US FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES . THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I TEACH AS A MATTER FACT. IS IF THERE'S ONE THING YOU WILL LEARN THAT YOU WILL TAKE WITH YOU FOR THE REST YOUR LIFE O

NLY TO HAPPINESS IT IS HOW NOT TO BE ISOLATED WHEN YOU'RE WITH YOUR PARTNER. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR TIME. ONE QUESTION I MIGHT ASK YOU IS , IS HARVARD A HAPPY PLACE? ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? [ >> THERE IS A LOT OF HAPPINESS HERE . I AM LOOKING OUT AND A LOT OF YOU HAVE HAPPINESS IN YOUR LIVES. HARVARD IS NOT A SINGLE UNITARY ORGANISM . IT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING A LOT OF THINGS. THAT DOE

S NOT MEAN WE HAVE A HAPPY CULTURE RIGHT NOW . IT DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE A CULTURE FOSTERING HAPPINESS RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE WE DO NOT AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN. I AM ACTUALLY MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS PLACE THAN I HAVE BEEN IN THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE. THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE DISCOMFORT WE ARE FEELING AS A COMMUNITY IS A SPUR TO OUR GROWTH. IT IS INCREDIBLE. IF EVERYTHING IS KIND OF OKAY, NOBODY WANTS TO CHANGE. NOB

ODY THINGS THAT IS OKAY. WE CAN CHANGE. YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS. BY THE WAY, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW TAREK MASOUD IS THE EDITOR OF THE SINGLE MOST EXCITING AND IMPORTANT INTELLECTUAL JOURNAL IN THE STUDY OF DEMOCRACY OF ALL POLITICAL SCIENCE. THE JOURNAL OF DEMOCRACY WHOSE IDEAS AND IT HAS FOR MANY YEARS AND HE IS THE EDITOR. WE WERE WORKING ON AN ARTICLE THAT I AM PUBLISHING IN THE JOURNAL OF DEMOCRACY THAT COMES OUT SOO

N. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IS HOW TO GET AN INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITY THAT IS HAPPIER? DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT? IT IS MORE DIVERSITY OF IDEAS. MORE HERESY. MORE DURING. MORE ADVENTURE . IT IS FUNNY BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WENT TO HARVARD IN THE 80s. THE HAPPIEST TIME OF MY LIFE. I MET PEOPLE . I DISAGREED WITH PEOPLE AND WE HAD DINNER TOGETHER AND IT WAS GREAT. TO COME BACK AND ARE LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON?

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE ? EVERYBODY IS AFRAID OF WALKING ON EGG SHELLS AND YOU CANNOT TALK ABOUT CERTAIN IDEAS BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO SCARY. WHO KNOWS WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN? THAT IS WHAT LEADS TO UNHAPPINESS AND THAT IS WHERE OPPORTUNITY IS. TAREK MASOUD HAS A GREAT METAPHOR. THIS PLACE IS NOT A COMFY COUCH, THIS PLACES A GYM WE GO TO GET STRONGER AND YOU REVEL IN IT AND ENJOY THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS. AND, NO

T PARADOXICALLY, BUT LOGICALLY, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HAPPIEST AVERMENTS I HAVE EVER BEEN IN . PEOPLE GO TO THE GYM AND IT HURTS AND IT FEELS GOOD AND YOU ENJOY IT AND YOU ARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS. THAT IS WHAT YOU TELL ME WE SHOULD HAVE HERE AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT . THAT IS THE WAY BACK TO THIS INSTITUTION. I AM MORE CONFIDENT THAT I HAVE BEEN SINCE WE HAVE BEEN HERE THAT WE CAN GET THERE. >> ARTHUR BROOKS , HAPPINES

S, PLEASURE, ENJOYMENT, MEANING, SATISFACTION . ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I GOT OUT OF THE SHOWER WITH YOU. I KNOW OUR AUDIENCE DID ALSO. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING ARTHUR BROOKS. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU. >> [ EVENT CONCLUDED ]