WhyWearehappy上课讲义Word文档格式.docx

WhyWearehappy上课讲义Word文档格式.docx

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mgoingtomakethisassumption,andIthinkI'

minprettysmartcompanytodoso.Socratesonceaskedhisstudents,"

Donotallmendesirehappiness?

"

Astudentansweredhim,"

Thereisnoonewhodoesnot."

IfSocrateswasright,isn'

titreasonabletoassumethatadecentnationwill,atminimum,createtheconditionsinwhichitscitizenscanbestpursuehappiness?

IntheDeclarationofIndependence,theFoundersdidn'

ttreathappinessassomefuzzyconcept;

theybelievedthatpeoplewantedhappinessandhadtherighttopursueit.Alongwithlifeandliberty,happinesswastheconnectionbetweentheCreatorandournation'

sdestiny,andtheabilityofitscitizenstopursueandachievehappinesswasameasureoftheeffectivenessandmoralityofthestate.

Whatmattersmostforhappinessisnothavingalotofthingsbuthavinghealthyvalues.

Buttoday'

sleadersandpolicymakersseemtohaveforgottenthis.Tohearpoliticianstalkaboutgrossdomesticproduct,health-carereform,andSocialSecurity,you'

dthinkthatthisnation'

sFoundingFathersheldasself-evidentthatweareendowedbyourCreatorwiththeabilitytopurchasenew,high-qualityconsumerdurableseachandeveryyear,ortoenjoyhealthyeconomicgrowthwithlowinflationandfullemployment.TheFoundersdidn'

ttalkaboutthesematters,notbecausethey'

reunimportant,butbecausetheybelievedhappinesswentdeeper.

Asaprofessorofbusinessandgovernmentpolicy,I'

velongbeeninterestedinthepursuitofhappinessasanationalconcept.Accordingtohundredsofreliablesurveysofthousandsofpeopleacrosstheland,happypeopleincreaseourprosperityandstrengthenourcommunities.Theymakebettercitizens--andbettercitizensarevitaltomakingournationhealthyandstrong.Happiness,inotherwords,isimportantforAmerica.SowhenIchancedupondataacoupleofyearsagosayingthatcertainAmericanswerelivinginamannerthatfacilitatedhappiness--whileotherswerenot--Ijumpedonit.

Iwantedtobeabletoarticulatewhichpersonallifestylesandpublicpolicieswouldmakeusthehappiestnationpossible.Ialsowantedtoknowwhichofmyownvalues,learnedduringmychildhoodinSeattleandpracticedduringmycareerasauniversityprofessor,werethemostconducivetohappiness.IhadalwaysthoughtthatmarchingtothebeatofmyowndrummerandmakingupmyownvaluesasIwentalongweretherightthingstodo,andthattraditionalvalues,toputitbluntly,wereforsuckers.

TurnsoutthatIwasinforsomesurprises.

First,justwhatishappiness?

Mostresearchersagreethatitinvolvesanassessmentofthegoodandbadinourlives.It'

stheemotionalbalancesheetwekeepthatallowsustosayhonestlywhetherwe'

relivingahappylife,inspiteofbadthingsnowandthen.

YoumightsuspectthatAmericansaregettinghappierallthetime.Afterall,many（thoughclearlynotall）aregettingricher,andthisshouldmakethembetterableandequippedtofollowtheirdreams.Ontheotherhand,there'

salotoftalkaboutthegoodolddays,whenkidscouldplayoutsidewithoutanyworryaboutbeingkidnapped.Andthere'

sagreatdealofstressinthiscountryrightnow,duetofinancialconcerns,negativeworkplaceenvironments,andchronichealthproblems,amongotherpressingissues.

ButaveragehappinesslevelsinAmericahavestayedlargelyconstantformanyyears.In1972,30percentofthepopulationsaidtheywereveryhappywiththeirlives,accordingtotheNationalOpinionResearchCenter'

sGeneralSocialSurvey.In1982,31percentsaidso,andin2006,31percentsaidsoaswell.Thepercentagesayingtheywerenottoohappywassimilarlyconstant,generallyhoveringaround13percent.

Thefactorsthatadduptoahappylifeformostpeoplearenotwhatwetypicallyhearabout.Thingslikewinningthelottery,gettingliposuction,andearningamaster'

sdegreedon'

tmakepeoplehappyoverthelonghaul.Rather,thekeytohappiness,andthedifferencebetweenhappyandunhappyAmericans,isalifethatreflectsvaluesandpracticeslikefaith,hardwork,marriage,charity,andfreedom.

HappinessPredictor1:

Faith

Roughly85percentofAmericansidentifywithareligion,andaboutathirdofAmericansattendahouseofworshipeveryweekormore.Thesestatisticshavechangedrelativelylittleoverthedecades.Byinternationalstandards,America'

slevelofreligiouspracticeisexceptionallyhigh.InHolland,forexample,just9percentofthepopulationattendschurchonaregularbasis;

inFrance,it'

s7percent;

inLatvia,3percent.

Ingeneral,religiousAmericans（thosewhoattendaplaceofworshipalmosteveryweekormore）arehappierthanthosewhorarelyorneverattend.In2004theGeneralSocialSurveyfoundthat43percentofreligiousfolkssaidtheywereveryhappywiththeirli