User:Tsarina CatarinaToo/sandbox

The economics of happiness is an emerging branch of the economy. It differs from welfare economics in that it does not base its analyses on objective and general considerations (health, education, the environment…) but on what is commonly known as happiness. It is therefore the quantitative and theoretical study of happiness. The economy of happiness finds its source in the 18th century Utilitarianism philosophy of Jeremy Bentham.[3] Nevertheless, this branch developed significantly in the 20th century with the creation of the internet, surveys, self-assessment scales and measurement tools such as the Day Reconstructing Method (DRM), the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), the Gross National Happiness (GNH) or The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Economic advancement should bring greater happiness. However, this doesn't necessarily follow. In 1973 economist Richard Easterlin quantified this in what became known as the Easterlin Paradox- that over time, happiness is not increased comparable to increased income. In his 2018 book, "Enlightenment Now", Stephen Pinker explained this through two psychology theories: the Hedonic Treadmill and Social Comparison (Pinker. P.263) - we have a baseline of happiness, and we are happier if we are doing better than our neighbours. Above an income of $75,000 day to day happiness will not increase.

Anthropology

A long, healthy life free of sickness, will automatically lead to a greater sense of happiness than a bad humour and negative outlook. From an anthropoligical view, workplace happiness depends on