In recent years I’ve asked hundreds of parents what they want above all for their children. Although their answers vary, nearly all of them say something like “I really just want them to be happy”. Happiness is the thing we want the most for the people we love the most. But the problem is that... Find out more
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Ideas, as well as people, now move more freely. We have put new models, drawn from other classes and other parts of the world, before the local people, creating new aspirations and new ideas.Michael Young and Peter Willmott.
Family and Kinship in East London, 1957
Improving Wellbeing Should Be Our Global Priority
People’s daily experiences and concerns differ enormously around the world. While a farmer in Angola prays for a good harvest, a manager in Greece worries about losing her job. And while a mother in Egypt comes to terms with life in a conflict zone, a doctor in Denmark struggles with work-related stress. But there is... Find out more
Good news, we’re slightly happier. But why?
How satisfied are you with your life? It’s a question we’ve probably all pondered at times. But for the last two years it’s also been one of a handful of new “subjective wellbeing” questions which the Office for National Statistics has been asking people all over the UK. You may be surprised to learn that... Find out more
Community spirit and caring nature of Brits is reassuring
What are your most important values? You may not have been asked this question before, but it’s a very significant one. Our values shape every aspect of our lives; they determine what we care about, how we behave and what we prioritise. Perhaps your list would include honesty, achievement or independence? Or maybe trust, fairness... Find out more
A momentous day for a happier UK
Today should, in my humble view, go down as a momentous day in UK history. The Office for National Statistics has published the very first official results from its new programme to measure our national wellbeing. The announcement has been rather low-key and the data is only based on a very small sample (4,200 adults)... Find out more
Riots show why the happiness agenda is vital
In the aftermath of last night’s riots in London and other cities across the UK, people are shocked and angry. The images of burning buildings and streets in ruin are more like scenes from a disaster movie than something you’d expect to see in a prosperous country like the UK in 2011. There are far... Find out more