According to ‘The new world book of happiness’, a well-functioning society is one where individuals are encouraged and supported to pursue goals that lead to personal wellbeing, within a society that is inclusive and egalitarian.
Personal happiness is stimulated by:
- Material circumstances (food, home, etc)
- Mental and physical wellbeing
- Personal qualities
- Good citizenship
Sustainable happiness as government goal
Sustainable happiness has been an aspiration of the UN since 2013
Sustainable happiness and wellbeing leads to better societies with happier, more productive/effective people/citizens.
- Using happiness and wellbeing for most - and the measure of suffering for others - as a way to evaluate government policy will lead happier people and therefor better functioning societies
- Stimulating virtuous behavior - good citizenship - leads to happier people
- pro-social behavior leads to happiness - everyday friendliness toward each other
- Deeds of friendliness lead to more happiness
- More happiness also leads to more deeds of friendliness
- Strive to shrink the happiness gap - the size of the divide between the happiness and unhappiness of others.
- Happiness is in relation to others. The happier others are than you, the unhappier you’ll likely feel
prosocialadjective
1. Beneficial to all parties and consistent with community laws and mores.
2. Contributing to a beneficial outcome by negotiation, problem solving, problem analysis, clarification, or respectful behaviors.