politics of happiness

8/8/2019 Politics of Happiness

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Toward

sOnePlanetFu

tures


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Contents:

Text: Demos Helsinki

Olli Alanen, Tuuli Kaskinen, Tommi Laitio,

Roope Mokka, Aleksi Neuvonen, Satu Onnela,

Outi Silverberg and Simo Vassinen.

Layout and graphic design:

Kirmo Kivel & Inari Savola

Reviewed: Sampsa Kiianmaa, WWF Finland

Foreword 3

Introduction: Now is the timeor politics o happiness 4

1. Better ree time! 6

2. From spaces to meaningul places 10

3. Doing meaningul things together 14

4. The culture o well-being 18

5. Friends, neighbours and amily 22

Reerences 26

Publisher: WWF

Lintulahdenkatu 10

FI-00500 Helsinki

www.ww.

WWF Finland, 2010


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Foreword

3

Dear reader,

At the present time, the people on this planet consume

natural resources at a rate that exceeds the Planets car-

rying capacity by 50%. In other words, we are creating

an ecological decit that will be borne by uture genera-

tions.

Ensuring the preconditions or lie and well-being

must be a key goal in society. Economic growth hasbeen used as a means o improving well-being, but now

growth based on excessive consumption is quickly be-

coming an obstacle to well-being rather than an engine

or its creation.

In order to ensure that the Planet can sustain lie

in the uture, we have to re-evaluate what we consume

and how these goods are produced. The key question,

however, remains this: Why do we consume? Does the

growing consumption o natural resources truly produce

well-being and happiness?

WWF believes that a sustainable liestyle that is inline with the capacity o this one planet is possible with-

out having to compromise on well-being. Well-being can

increase as we adapt our economic activity to match the

Planets capacity. This requires support or new environ-

mental innovations, shiting to production methods that

are based on recycling and reusing raw materials, and

ocusing consumption on services rather than physical

goods.

Happiness and well-being have become objects o

increasing interest rom researchers. On the basis o re-cent studies, WWF believes that reassessing priorities

to emphasise well-being rather than the consumption

o physical goods oers an excellent way to reduce our

ecological ootprint. WWF Finland asked Demos Hel-

sinki to build on this idea. How can society support the

improvement o its citizens well-being? The Politics of

Happiness A Manifesto is based on this collaborative

eort and presents a positive message. Who would not

want to ensure the happiness o people and the well-

being o the Planet?

WWF hopes that this maniesto will give impetus toa process in which political decision-makers and people

at large will refect upon the direction in which we wish

to develop.

Liisa Rohweder

Secretary General

WWF Finland

Foreword How does WWF denewell-being?WWF strives or a world in which everyone has a

high level o well-being, and we can enjoy healthy

and happy lives while using only our air share o our

planets resources. WWF denes well-being in accord-ance with the UN Millennium Ecosystem Approach.

Human well-being depends on a number o actors:

basic material needs, reedom to engage in meaning-

ul activity, reedom o choice, health, good social rela-

tionships and saety. The eradication o poverty is also

essential to the objectives o environmental preserva-

tion. Improving quality o lie and well-being is a way

to put a stop to the dwindling o natural resources.

Human well-being and the well-being o the en-

vironment are closely interdependent. The diversity

o nature orms ecosystems that oer ecosystem ser-vices. These include nutrient cycling, soil ormation,

climate regulation and the production o natural re-

sources such as ood, potable water and raw materials.

Ecosystem services also comprise cultural services

such as beauty, spirituality and ree time. Together

they make lie on our planet possible.

Human activity causes both direct and indirect

changes to ecosystems. Due to the interdependent

nature o the relationship, these changes aect hu-

man well-being. Human activity also has an impact

on other species and on ecosystems as a whole. Thewell-being o people and the planet is dependent on

the well-being o ecosystems. We have reached a point

at which increasing raw material-intensive consump-

tion no longer produces well-being in the Western

world. On the contrary, it endangers the well-being

o ecosystems, people, other species and our uture

generations.


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ThePoliticsofHappinessAManifesto

4

The time or politicso happiness

Introduction:

Our genetic traits determine one hal o our level o hap-piness. Even those who have been dealt a poor hand in

terms o genes can be happy, but it requires more eort.

The other hal o the actors infuencing happiness are

primarily made up o actions, with very little signicance

given to prevailing circumstances such as income level,

having or not having children, the products we consume,

or our marital status.4 I we operate in meaningul com-

munities we can be ill, divorced, childless and poor, and

still be happy. Similarly, a healthy member o a wealthy

nuclear amily can be unhappy. The politics o happiness

can infuence the extent to which we all have opportuni-ties or meaningul activity.

In light o these ndings, it is no wonder that the

trend o increasing happiness has levelled o. For sev-

eral decades, the growth in material well-being has not

made the citizens o any Western country any happier5.

Nevertheless, politics is still ocused on increasing in-

come levels. We are victims o a collective syndrome o

just a little bit more and then.... It is a view that prevails

despite the act that the relationship between wealth and

happiness is an illusion in todays world.

Happiness is not only the only objective with intrin-sic value, but also what we genuinely desire. The major-

ity o people value happiness more than wealth6. In a

democratic society this should infuence politics. Under

conditions o relative poverty, eliminating material shor-

[4] Lyubomirsky 2009

[5] Bacon et al. 2010

[6] Halpern 2010

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men arecreated equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with

certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty

and the pursuit of happiness.

United States Declaration o Independence, 1776

Every one o us is in pursuit o a happier lie.

A growing number o studies have been carried out

in recent years on the subject o happiness. The research

indicates that we are incredibly ill-equipped to assess

what would truly make us happier1

. We generally try tobuild happiness through short-term xes such as picking

up a greasy pastry at the supermarket or working longer

hours in the hope o earning more money. We reach

out or short-term pleasures because we simply cannot

perceive the long-term consequences o our actions2. It is

dicult or us to intuitively assess how various changes

impact on our happiness.

In the meantime, social and human sciences are once

again thriving: relevant, experimental and practical re-

search gives us more insight into happiness than ever

beore. The studies highlight two undamental obser-vations on human nature. The rst is that we are social

creatures who create meaning or ourselves through

comparisons with others. The second is that we adapt

to changes incredibly quickly.3

[1] Kahneman & Thaler 2006

[2] Gilbert 2006



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Introduction:Thetimeforpoliticsofhappiness

5

tages contributed to increasing happiness. In that era,

economic growth was indeed the politics o happiness.

Unortunately, in wealthy modern societies such a direct

route to happiness does not exist. The end and the means

have become conused.

For the time being, Finland has largely due to the

welare states oundation o strong social policy beenranked highly in international studies measuring subjec-

tive happiness7. Nevertheless, new challenges call or new

mechanisms. The politics o happiness is about develo-

ping these mechanisms and making optimal use o them.

In addition to the decoupling o gross national prod-

uct and happiness, increased understanding o climate

change and diminishing natural resources has orced us

to reassess the manner in which we grow our wealth. Eco-

nomic growth leads to increases in greenhouse gas emis-

sions and the consumption o natural resources. Studies

such as the WWF Living Planet Report (2008) indicatethat we are increasing our wealth in an unsustainable

manner. Trends in economic growth and the total con-

sumption o natural resources have closely ollowed each

other everywhere in the world throughout human history.

This means we are living in times o absurdity. We are

taking out an ecological debt and destroying uture well-

being without contributing to our present happiness.

Politics is about the collective consequences o our

actions. We must be able to participate in building the

common good in the best possible way and to receive

the best possible support or satisying our needs. Cur-rent politics is more ocused on minimising misery than

increasing happiness. Better politics would guide indi-

viduals towards actions that benet the community as a

whole towards building shared happiness. In the end,

[7] Bacon ym. 2010; Bok 2010;

New Economics Foundation 2009

no individuals well-being is independent o the well-

being o others.

From the perspective o happiness, the our-year time

span o politics is too short. Achieving genuine social

change takes more time. The achievement o signicant

changes such as past eorts in building the welare

state and getting women involved in the employmentsector takes decades o determined collaboration

between politicians and citizens. These days, there are

representatives o taxpayers, consumers, minorities, in-

terest groups, citizens, armers, the labour market and

industrial sectors on every council and committee, but

uture generations and the creation o new jobs have

no representation whatsoever. We have bypassed the is-

sues o the ecological costs o our activities and the need

to give due consideration to uture interests.

The politics o happiness is a new political approach

or those who believe that the political arena must as-sume a new course to build a happier lie. Our current

social model is not able to produce a happy uture or

generations to come.

Politics cannot directly make us happy. Nevertheless,

it can make the pursuit o happiness possible, or even

easy. Society at present is an obstacle course on the way

to happiness, one complicated enough to make even the

most capable seekers o happiness lose their way.

With increased knowledge rom scientic research,

the pursuit o happiness should be easier than beore.

This maniesto describes how a less hectic rhythm, par-ticipation, meaningul shared activity, the creation o

a new culture o well-being and the creation o deeper

human relationships can make the achievement o hap-

piness both possible and air.

Values behind the politicso happiness

1. The politics o happiness is the politicso One Planet. We are using natural re-sources excessively and we know thiscannot continue.

2. The politics o happiness is a cross-generational approach. It diers romcurrent politics where the ocus is onstriving or short-term welare througheconomic growth.

3. Time, communities and meaningul-ness are vital resources. The politicso happiness questions the position oeconomic growth as the ultimate goal oour society.

4. Sustainable happiness is based onshared experiences. Responsibility orsociety is only possible through joint ex-periences. Sharing responsibility is the

objective o politics.

5. The politics o happiness relies on sci-entic data. It can help bridge the gapbetween research results and politics.


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6


The cause o this manic behaviour lies in our social na-

ture. We respect high status, admire successul people

and create our sel-image through comparisons with

others. While we may not be able to stop comparing

ourselves to others, we can at least strive to reassess the

way we evaluate status and success.

Becoming less busy paysdividends to the environment

The thought oa slower and more relaxed rhythm o

lie attracts an increasing number o people. Part-time

pension arrangements, job-alternation leave, career

changes, the International Slow Movement, increased

birth rates in countries with the highest quality o lie,

such as Finland and Sweden, the increased signicance

o ree time and reduced perceived meaningulness o

work are part o this cultural megatrend. They speak

o our desire to seek happiness through an alternative

rhythm o lie. The promise o lie lived on the terms o

something other than work is seen as attractive.The politics o happiness challenges our concep-

tualisation o time. There is a shit rom valuing work

and supporting working towards valuing public activity.

The right and obligation to act on the world outside the

Better ree time!

Someone has made the choice or us. Signicant

growth in productivity has resulted in higher wages

rather than shorter working hours8. This is based on

the well-intentioned idea that wealth makes us happy.

This assumption is only partly true. Cross-sectional

studies indicate that the link between increasing wealth

and happiness in Western countries diminishes in im-

portance at an income level that is considerably below

the average income9. Lack o time is considered a greater

burden than lack o money: higher incomes and longer

working hours increase work-related stress, the sense onot having enough time and perceived class dierences10.

Politics that aims to increase income is not only a actor

restricting happiness, but also unsustainable rom the

perspective o natural resources.

In a world that revolves around work and income, the

consumption race has no nish line. Striving or happi-

ness through increased capacity to consume is like wetting

onesel on a cold winters day: it only provides a feeting

moment o warmth. The pressure to increase our capac-

ity to consume even dominates our ree time, which is

spent buying things. Productivity increases and we llour homes with purchases that provide only momentary

joy. Our lives are divided between work and leisure time,

or making money and then spending the money we have

made. There is no room or genuine ree time.

[8] Soininvaara 2007


[10] Schirin & Nelson 2008

1.


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1.Betterfreetime!

Work and ree time caneasily become limitedto making money and

spending money.home become as important as the traditional right andobligation to work.

The change begins rom a new approach to time.

When pressed or time, we oten make poor decisions

regarding ood, clothing and housing, as well as happi-

ness11. Global natural resources are becoming scarce, and

we can no longer aord bad decisions with ar-reaching

consequences. Reducing time pressure is good or both

our planet and or us. We must encourage each other to

engage in meaningul activity instead o ocusing solely

on working as hard as possible.The politics o happiness is not only a matter o bal-

ancing work and ree time, and initiatives such as the

our-day working week or civic salary do not automati-

cally resolve the problems we have regarding our use o

time. People are oten perormance-oriented even in

their ree time12. Our ree time is also diminished by

growing distances between home, the workplace and

services, not to mention the ecological eects o increas-

ing distances. Free time easily becomes subordinated to

work and is spent recharging ones batteries. Separating

work and leisure time is dicult: work ollows us home,while at work we use social media to stay in touch with

riends outside work. We work during our ree time and

engage in leisure activities at work.

Current politics is ocused on working hours and ex-

[11] Halpern 2010

[12] Vehmas 2010

tending working lie, despite the act that retirement at a

later age does not create new jobs or solve the problem o

structural change in the employment sector. The length

o working lie is not extended i people become atigued

at work. It is more important to ocus on how retirees

can spend their ree time in a meaningul way and how

production can be organised when work is not perceived

as meaningul. In addition to youth unemployment, we

should be discussing how adults cope with work and the

problem o inactivity among retirees, which is the real

pensions crisis.

The right amount o time

Time is a unique resource: it cannot be stored. We all

have it, but most o us have too little o it. We say that it is

important to be able to make our own decisions on how to

use our ree time. The signicance o ree time has grown

in the past two decades13. At the same time, the issue o

leisure time is paradoxical. For a busy person, ree time

may be the key to happiness, but happiness can equallyeasily be lost in not having anything to do. For a person

who is lonely, time can become a problem. The negative

eect o unemployment on happiness has more to do with

the lack o work than the reduction in income14.

[13] Liikkanen et al. 2005

[14] Clark et al. 2001

Productivity in developed industrial countries has ex-

ceeded our ability to consume. This has us stuck on a

revolving wheel o consumption and work. As ar back

as in the 1920s, production equipment and corporations

reached a point o eciency where not everything that

was produced could be sold, and money was let lying

in peoples accounts. We now consume to ensure that

there is more work or us to do, thereby wasting notonly natural resources but also an inordinate amount

o time and eort.

Social dialogue easily pigeonholes people into those

who are successul and those who live o others, when in

act there are many more options. An increasing number

o people are realising that it is possible to lead a rich

lie without the assumption o continuously increasing

consumption capacity. The mantra o no alternatives is

crumbling away.

Changes in the denition o success according to cul-

tural and historical actors are nothing new. The mod-ern-day successul person now has an obligation to show

how happiness can be achieved in ways other than simply

working and consuming. This can help make sustainable

happiness an admirable status and an exemplary liestyle.


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ThePoliti

csofHappinessAManifesto


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1.Betterfreetime!

Ater a certain point is reached, income levels have

little impact on happiness. In Finland this point was

reached in the 1980s, whereater our happiness has not

increased15. At the same time, the national economy and

individual incomes have grown at a tremendous rate16

.What has increased with growing incomes, however, is

the level o greenhouse gas emissions. In countries where

this has not happened, the explanation is simply that the

emissions have been exported, i.e. production has been

shited to other countries17.

There are two primary reasons or the decoupling o

happiness and income levels. The rst is social compari-

sons: your neighbour becoming wealthier is experienced

as yoursel becoming less afuent. Secondly, we adapt

aster and better despite our presumptions to both

positive and negative changes.18

This explains why even

[15] World Database o Happiness

[16] Statistics Finland

[17] Watt 2008


unemployment does not always result in unhappiness.

The recession in Finland in the 1990s did not have an im-

pact on happiness despite unemployment gures rising

rom 3% to 17% in a very short time.19 I we seek success

and happiness through wealth, we will never reach ourgoal. We will simply be running aster and aster while

the treadmill o happiness gathers speed.

Sweating on this proverbial treadmill is harmul to

us in many ways. The exhausting pursuit o personal

wealth uses up natural resources, increases stress and

occupies time that could otherwise be spent on more

activities that provide longer-lasting pleasure20. We must

nd a way to slow down the treadmill by shiting our

ocus rom work to active ree time. Active leisure time

explains why young people and the aged are happier

than average21

.

[19] Bckerman & Ilmakunnas 2006

[20] Kahneman ym. 2006

[21] Blanchfower & Oswald 2008

Despite increasing wealth,happiness among Finns has

not increased since the 1980s.

Policy recommendations:

1. Income taxation should be reormedto avour longer holidays instead oadditional income.

2. The Government should establish anational time und to develop a cul-ture o volunteerism along with vari-ous incentives or civic activity. Thetime und would reward those citizenswho participate in civic activities ex-tensively with additional holidays.

3. Consumer goods should be labelled toindicate their expected lie cycle. TheConsumer Protection Act must guar-

antee that the actual useul lie o con-sumer goods is known.

Slow down the treadmill o happiness


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From spaces tomeaningul places

eeling the exhilarating sense o speed). These types o

experience bring people together and turn spaces into

meaningul places.

Happy places

We are used to being able to modiy the places that areimportant to us without having to ask or other peoples

opinions or permission. When we give up that which is

shared, the need or sel-expression drives us towards

a lonely and isolated lie. A visit to an average school,

health centre or bus station reveals that we are largely

unable to create shared spaces that would be perceived

by people as their own. Architecture, spatial planning

and city planning ail to consider the notion o shared

experiences as a precondition or happiness, and drab

public and shared spaces ail to support the well-being

and satisaction o 21st century man.People want to live according to their dreams. Soci-

etal structure is spread out as cities and other spaces o

shared lie ail to oer the opportunities needed or this.

The lack o quality public spaces also results in ewer

quality encounters between people. At present, the pub-

lic space puts us on a collision course with people with

2.

Lasting happiness is created through deep experiences

and activities. They always take place in a certain space,

according to the activity. The shopping centre, park and

home all encourage very dierent activities. In the pre-

sent time, spaces are characterised by an exact purpose

and privacy. A private sauna, a home theatre and a spa

bathroom tend to keep people apart instead o bringing

them together. The politics o happiness is more ocused

on unique experiences, pleasant spaces, beautiul livingenvironments, public acilities that invite people to act

together, a sense o calm and places that eel like ones

own. Access to and equal availability o such acilities

are a precondition or a happy society.

The use o space is a highly political issue. It either

acilitates or prevents our activities, well-being and hap-

piness. Unique experiences contribute to happiness by

providing people with experiences o something greater

than themselves. People who identiy objectives beyond

their personal interest are happier than others22. Upli-

ting and grand experiences can even bring about perma-nent change in people. Such grand experiences may be

spectacles (the Olympics, parliamentary elections, or the

Eurovision Song Contest), aesthetic by nature (the sound

o thunder, an engrossing lm, nature, or a sports car)

or liberating (the end o an unsatisactory relationship,

the ability to make choices against ones own interest, or

[22] French & Joseph 1999


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2.From

spacestomeaningfulplaces

whom we have little in common, and residential areas

are not planned with well-being and happiness in mind.

The need or expressing onesel and enjoying ones

environment calls the ability o proessionals responsible

or planning, constructing and maintaining our cities

into question. Spatial planning that supports happiness

must start with a ocus on people, experiences and in-

tended use not on mass, a building or a structure. This

new attitude calls or collaboration methods, technologyand applications that acilitate agreement on the use o

shared space. Dense urban structures provide a ounda-

tion or rich services and a vibrant environment. The key

challenge is to make living in densely populated areas

a positive thing. This requires adaptable yards, housing

that supports privacy, rail trac, peaceul public spaces

and child-riendly cities.

In the politics o happiness, public space acilitates

the ormation o peer groups. The signicance o peer

groups increases as ewer people have access to posi-

tive communities o amilies, colleagues or riends. Inaddition to recreational activities and shared interests,

peer groups provide a oundation or developing human

relationships and a prerequisite or shared activities in

an open setting. Without shared activities there is no

happiness. Experiential places provide the best possible

preconditions or shared activities. This reers to places

that dier considerably rom the public spaces we have

at present. We need a renaissance o public spaces. One

must ask questions regarding where people eel content

and happy and in what kinds o settings meaningul

encounters can happen.

From private to public

Space that is experienced as ones own is private and

adaptable. Privacy can be seen as a controlled closing

and opening o onesel to interaction with others. Lack

o privacy results in a sense o connement, while too

much privacy tends to isolate. The ways o seeking ones

own space range rom a walk in nature to driving in a

private car. Privacy is also needed in the construction o

ones own identity. Striving to create ones own space has

led to increased use o energy or transport and heating,

resulting in a tremendous increase in the consumption

o natural resources. People end up wanting and usingtwice the amount o space they actually need. As cities

ail to oer the eeling o having ones own space and

an enjoyable environment, we have seen an escape to

suburban residential areas and communities o holiday

homes. It is obvious that some ways o seeking privacy

are ecologically more sustainable than others.

The objectives o ecology and happiness are somewhat

linked in this aspect as well. Studies indicate that in order

to reach an equal level o happiness, those who spend ap-

proximately one hour commuting in their own car must

earn almost twice as much as those who walk to work23.

Living close to work reduces the ecological ootprint and

increases perceived happiness.

Finns have a reputation o being a people that values

sel-suciency. Quiet and shy individuals are considered

virtuous in Finland. In the heady years o the past dec-

ade, there has been a signicant increase in the time andmoney invested in the home, decorating it and pottering

around the home. The desire to build or extend ones

home has oten exceeded peoples capabilities. We can

change the atmosphere in the home through individual

items and suraces, but designing a good space is less well

understood. The more time we spend at home, the more

[23] Stutzer & Frey 2008

Lack o qualityshared spaces

leads to a virtualarms race between

individual homes.


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2.From

spacestomeaningfulplaces

belongings we tend to accumulate in it. We need space,

our own yard and our own peaceul surroundings, due

to the act that public spaces ail to provide a sense o

privacy and ownership.

The general perception o a need or space is directly

linked to shared spaces being seen as not suciently

pleasant, incapable o inviting citizens into meaninguljoint activities or the ormation o a community. The

yards o housing companies have become parking lots

and shopping centres take up a tremendous share o

public space. Traditional neighbourhood stores were sig-

nicantly better able to unction as a scene or meaning-

ul encounters. Good shared spaces and services give us

personal living space in the same way as square metres o

space in our homes do, but they do it more eciently in

terms o the use o natural resources and the contribu-

tion they make to happiness.

Participation and happiness are inexorably linked.Democracies are happy countries. The modern man

requires a deeper level o participation, beyond simply

We have the right to adaptour living environment.

It makes us happy. Policy recommendations:

1. Urban planning must be user-ocused.The initiative in developing the urbanenvironment must be shited to theusers, i.e. the residents. The residentsinvolvement must be a part o the plan-ning and implementation o both exist-ing and new spaces rom the very earlystages.

2. The degree o use o schools, public o-

ces and libraries must be increasedby opening them up or broader use.These spaces, which are produced bypublic unding, must be made intoshared spaces or the community byexpanding on their user base and thetimes during which the acilities can bebooked, rented and borrowed.

3. Designers to the ore! The name o thedesigner o each building, both public

and private, should be prominentlydisplayed on site. Furthermore, neigh-bourhood resident panels need to beestablished in order to recognise andreward urban planners or creatingpositive spaces.

voting in elections, in adapting the spaces he uses and

the practices prevalent in society in order to attain hap-

piness24. In addition to encouraging participation, ur-

ban nature directly contributes to well-being and even

health25.

The quality o public spaces currently available is per-

ceived as poor, and people do not eel the spaces are theirown26. As shared spaces cannot be adapted, we naturally

ocus on our private space. This is a radical change: the

average size o homes has grown since the 1970s, yet the

average number o people per household has dropped by

a third27. Trac noise also tends to have a negative eect

on the quality o spaces and the eeling o privacy. When

urban structure is condensed, trac noise is reduced.

Low population density contributes to unhappiness.

The amount o time spent commuting and waiting by

people living ar rom workplaces and services results

in a signicant reduction in perceived happiness on adaily basis.28

[24] Skidmore & Bound 2008

[25] Kytt et al. 2009; Lappi 2007

[26] Karisto 2004

[27] Statistics Finland 2008

[28] Halpern 2010; Stutzer & Frey 2008


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14

Doing meaningul thingstogether

The happiest moments in lie are oten related to

doing meaningul things together. Working towards a

shared goal with others is a source o healthy condence

and belie in ones own ability to infuence things. We

have a need or sel-actualisation as part o a meaningul

and greater whole. We are happy when we get to par-

ticipate in building our own as well as shared well-

being29. According to studies, the presence o opportu-

nities or democratic participation regardless o theextent to which they are actually pursued increases our

level o happiness30. We also know that loneliness and a

sense o isolation radically diminish the preconditions

or our happiness31.

In the politics o happiness, the experiences o doing

meaningul things together are created on a broad basis

in various aspects o lie. Traditionally, the sense o be-

ing a useul and productive person has stemmed rom

employment and work around the home. In addition to

this, there is a strong tradition o voluntary community

work and organisational activities. We want to eel useuland signicant to the communities and organisations

we perceive as important, regardless o whether or not

we get paid. Until now, doing things together has in-

cluded paid employment, recreational pleasures or civic


[30] Frey & Stutzer 2000


activities in support o things perceived as important.

In the politics o happiness, these are seen as essential

psychological phenomena that contribute to increased

happiness.

The beat to which recreationalFinland moves

While citizens have aith in democracy as the best pos-

sible system or society, condence in politics and ones

own ability to infuence matters is diminishing 32. This

also has a negative impact on happiness33. At the same

time, interest in voting and condence in the expertise

o ocials are becoming weaker. One reason or this

crisis is the trend o proessionalisation o politics and

institutions and a sense o growing distance between

them and civic activity. Restoring condence in poli-

tics requires that politics once again begins rom people

doing things together.Society has traditionally supported doing things to-

gether by supporting employment among citizens. The

ocus has been on ensuring that people are given the

ability to work and stay at work. In the uture this will

[32] Kuusela & Rnkk 2008

[33] New Economics Foundation 2009; Bok 2010

3.


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15

3.Doin

gmeaningfulthingstogether

no longer be sucient, as ewer people will participate

in paid work. In terms o the traditional classication

o how people spend their time, we are already seeing a

shit towards a Finland where ree time is more signi-

cant than ever. The growing number o retirees in itsel

challenges us to nd ways to support civic activity and

other orms o people doing things together.

O the people who are o working age and have the

ability to work, not all nd sucient experiences osuccess in their jobs. As such, it is important to oer a

diverse range o activities that people can do together.

In todays world, the unortunate ones are no longer

necessarily the people who are struggling nancially, but

rather the people who have ew opportunities and skills

or doing things together with others. Education should

ocus on developing these skills as well as building last-

ing happiness.

In a good society, both schools and workplaces en-

courage people to engage in civic activities, helping

around their neighbourhoods, community care pro-grammes and other activities with their peers. A great

deal o valuable work would not be done i it were not

or people doing things together voluntarily. This is the

engine that keeps things like childrens sporting activi-

ties, Wikipedia and peer support services or the chroni-

cally ill running.

The signicance o activities with peers will grow in

terms o both the individual and society. There are more

and more things that cannot be produced through pub-

licly unded service provision they are either too ex-

pensive or inecient to produce proessionally and oten

ail to accomplish the desired individual result. Instead,

public institutions could support citizens participation

in activities with their peers. Finding ways to provide

this support is one o the major challenges acing thepolitics o happiness.

Everyone is able to help others

We have been under the impression that social devel-

opment reers to everything becoming proessionalised

and people doing things together becoming replaced by

paid services. At the same time, we are concerned about

the weakening trust between citizens. To many people,

lie eels like a completely meaningless and lonely race.Remedying the situation requires that we value doing

things together through actions: participating in volun-

tary work with neighbours to clean up common areas,

coaching childrens sports or helping with the catering

or a party. The best way to begin this type o partici-

pation is identiying ones own skills and abilities and

Society must supportall ways o working andacting together, not only

paid employment.

nding a way to put them to use in doing things together

and or the common good. Everyone has the ability to do

something that helps others. By putting our skills to use

and teaching them to others we can make ourselves eel

needed. Research shows that this increases happiness.34

Participating in common activities, such as maintain-

ing or improving the living environment, one can make

the environment eel more like ones own. By making a

personal contribution to improving the environment,people get the opportunity to share their experiences

and connect the shared space with personal meanings.

This also serves to make people eel more responsible

or their living environment.

We all have an obligation to participate in creating

new ways o doing things. I traditional ways are not

suciently attractive, new ways must be developed. The

opportunities or action can change when we spend

more time on things that make us eel useul and happy.

Change begins rom an understanding that doing things

together is an essential building block or sustainablehappiness. This can help us learn the skill o spending

ree time together.

[34] Post 2005


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Towardsservices!

0

1

2

3

4

018,336,75573,391,7110 mrd

kg CO2

eq

Educa

tion

Housin

g:

(mainten

ance

charges)

Amea

tdishDr

ivin

gacar

Electricit

y

(rents)

Culture

Hospital

service

s

16

The carbon ootprint o one euro [Carbon intensity: kg CO2

eq /$]

Source: The Envimat and euros carbon ootprint projects; www.ymparisto./syke/envimat; Suomen ymprist 20/2009.


17/28

17

3.Doin

gmeaningfulthingstogether

How we spend our money and time has drastic eects

on happiness and the environment. As a rule, money

spent on health, sports, learning, culture and human-

centred services related to doing things together pollutes

the least and consumes the least energy35. Doing and

experiencing things together increase the level o enjoy-

ment derived rom the activities. People engaged in team

sports have a signicantly higher level o endorphins

than those doing solo sports 36.

Working is not a guaranteed route to happiness. For

one thing, people in ull-time paid employment are al-ready a minority in the Finnish population, as will soon

be the case in most o the world. In addition, ever since

the early 1990s, Finns have perceived work as less and less

[35] Seppl et al. 2009

[36] Cohen et al. 2010


1. Education should involve more practicesthat support doing things together. Civicactivity and other orms o doing thingstogether must be included in all existingcurricula. At present, the school systembarely teaches these skills at all. In addi-tion to behaving properly and being quiet,students must be taught the skill o givingand receiving eedback.

2. Introduce municipal academies or o-cials and operate them in conjunctionwith universities. In the uture, publicsector proessions should not be catego-rised into proession-specifc unctions

such as teachers, nurses and police ofc-ers. The municipal ofcial is, above all, aperson who acilitates the resolution odifcult and systemic problems. The keyobjective o a municipal academy is tohave ofcials adopt this broader view otheir role.

3. The national deence orces should grad-ually be transormed into a civic campor everyone. Civic service would be short

in duration but recurring. It would inormcitizens on which civic needs are the mosturgent at any given time and what ormso civic activity exist or resolving theidentifed needs. The purpose o the civiccamp is to improve skills, produce newunctional groups and bring people o di-erent demographic groups together.

Work is perceived as lessmeaningul and rewardingdespite the quality o workimproving.

meaningul and rewarding, despite the act that op-

portunities to infuence matters and improvements

in equality have resulted in the quality o work im-

proving37. Even now, the daily activities we nd pleas-

urable take place outside work or many o us38. As

such, it is no wonder that participating in voluntary

organisations is a greater contributor to happiness

than wealth39.

[37] Ministry o Employment and the Economy 2008

[38] Kahneman et al. 2004

[39] Helliwell & Putnam 2005


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18

4. The culture o well-being

Good health gives a person the opportunity or a long

and enjoyable lie. Being ree o human suering caused

by pain, distress and ear creates a oundation or hap-

piness. We adapt quickly to many types o changes in

health, even signicant ones, but the negative eect o

problems such as chronic pain, sleep disorders and men-

tal health issues on happiness is undisputed40. A restless

night has a signicantly greater impact on our happiness

the ollowing day than the amount o money in ones

pocket41. What is interesting is that the same things cont-

ribute to both health and happiness. A persons ability

to be the master o his own lie and actively guide andadapt it lies in the core o both. Good health has also an

extended eect, due to the act that a healthy person is

able to assess the impacts o his actions beyond his own

immediate sphere o infuence.

Healthcare constitutes a major item o national ex-

penditure in the Finnish economy, using up a signi-

cant proportion o the societys resources. Paying or

healthcare maintains the present culture o work and

consumption that is based on consuming natural re-

sources. The money we spend on healthcare does not,

however, bring a direct return to taxpayers in the orm olonger lives, healthy years o lie or happiness. Investing

in personal counselling and the prevention o illness, on

the other hand, produces both well-being benets and

economic savings, according to research42. We also know

[40] Bok 2010

[41] Kahneman & Riis 2005

[42] Martuzzi & Tickner 2005

that a pleasant, healthy and thriving environment con-

tributes to the prevention o illness. A clean environment

and experiences o nature have been shown to promote

overall health and happiness43.

Preventive communities

In Finland, a great deal o money is spent on healthcare.

Despite this, the health impacts o other political deci-

sions are barely assessed. A more comprehensive and

systematic approach to understanding the mechanismsbehind health and illness would most likely reduce the

amount o resources spent on healthcare, as well as the

problem o diminished happiness due to illness.

In a society built around the politics o happiness,

the objective is to create a new culture o well-being.

This means supporting and guiding people, both men-

tally and physically, to adopt healthy liestyles. The new

culture o well-being is built through strengthening the

communities and organisations that seem to have a key

role in preventing and treating illness. Thereore, we

need a new division o responsibilities between proes-sionals and laymen.

We need to ask: What is the patients own contribu-

tion to getting better, and what can the proessionals

do? How can the signicance o the patients immedi-

[43] New Economics Foundation 2005


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19

4.Thecultureofwell-being

ate circle o people in promoting health be emphasised

more? In addition to giving a prescription to engage

in physical exercise, a preventative doctor should give

a prescription to strengthen existing communities or

to nd new communities that have an essential role in

treating the patients medical condition.

Medical science is largely specialised, so its some-

times dicult people are not yet seen as psychophysical

entities. According to research, we are able to dene the

relationship between our health and our happiness to

a greater extent than our doctors44. This indicates that

health like happiness cannot be dened by an exter-nal evaluation. Medicine must pursue the ormation o a

more holistic concept o the human being. The mind and

body are not separate entities, but orm a single whole.

Furthermore, our mental and physical health should

not be discussed in isolation rom society and politics. The

prevalence o mental health disorders is a clear example o

the misery that modern society can produce. Mental health

problems, such as stress and depression, can incapacitate a

person and the eect elt through human relationships in

society at large. Overcoming mental health disorders is o-

ten beyond an individuals personal capabilities. Thereore,their treatment and prevention is dependent on relevant

change in both society and politics. Politics based on hap-

piness research is one solution to creating a society that

better promotes mental and physical well-being.

[44] Okun & George 1984

Health rom talk to culture

Health is a social issue that unies people. Like the

weather, it is one o the most common topics o discus-

sion when Finns meet each other. Communities dene

what kind o lie is perceived as normal and routine.

One cannot simply give health to another, nor can one

ully build ones own health. As such, health should not

be seen as a matter that is centred on the individual.

The individual can, however, contribute to the creation

o a culture o health and well-being and support oth-

ers in making better choices in terms o their eects on

happiness.

Focusing on routines is o primary importance.Changing routines and habits is an essential phase in

improving happiness45. This can only be accomplished i

our habits become visible rom the perspective o health.

The individual always needs to be inormed and willing

to take action, as there is no universal solution to health.

Even when a treatment plan devised by a proessional

exists, the individual must always assume an active role

in order to bring about an improvement in health. This

might be, or example, commuting to work as an op-

portunity or physical exercise, or being conscious o a

healthier diet when grocery shopping. Spurring oneselto action may require purchasing equipment to boost

motivation or getting a personal treatment plan some-

thing to make the learning o new habits and routines

possible.


A restless nighthas a signifcantlygreater impact on

our happiness theollowing day than

how much money wehave in our pocket in

the morning.


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20


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21

4.Thecultureofwell-being

The money spent on healthcare does not correlate

with health and well-being46.Additional investments in

healthcare no longer increase lie expectancy47. A simi-

lar lack o a causal relationship can be seen between

investments in healthcare and happiness48. Despite all

this, healthcare costs continue to rise49. Studies indicate

that perceived health correlates with social equality and

condence50.For instance, there is a correlation between

an irregular income level and the prevalence o various

psychological disorders51.

The majority o resources invested in healthcare are

directed at treating illnesses rather than preventing them.

[46] Bok 2010

[47] OECD 2009

[48] Veenhoven 2000

[49] National Institute or Health and Welare

[50] Wilkinson & Pickett 2010

[51] Pickett et al. 2006


1. Choice architecture should be inclu-ded as a tool in politics. The traditionalnotion o public enlightenment shouldbe replaced by acilitating the makingo sensible choices and oering themto people. The public sector should re-cognise that in addition to controllingprices, societal norms and inormati-on, there are numerous other meanso control and guidance available. Forinstance, sustainable and healthy nut-ritional choices can be acilitated byplacing meat pastries at the ar endand better choices right at the ront othe caeteria lunch counter.

2. Company bicycle benets with zerotaxable value or all public sector emp-loyees. Policies related to company carbenefts should be tightened, acceptingonly work-related travel.

3. Healthcare policy should span die-rent sectors o politics and emphasisequality o lie. The amount o medical

treatment given strictly to extend lieshould be questioned. Every adult ci-tizen should be encouraged to make aliving will.

This is despite the act that prevention is the most cost-

eective method o improving our health52 and an e-

ective way to boost happiness53. According to estimates

by the World Health Organisation, in 2020 depression

will be the second most signicant illness globally in

terms o reducing the number o healthy years o lie54.

In Finland, special attention must be paid not only to

mental health disorders, but also to liestyle illnesses such

as cardiovascular disease, alcoholism and diabetes. The

measures that help in their prevention such as taking

physical exercise and eating a diet rich in vegetables are

oten also choices that are good or the environment.

[52] Puska

[53] Halpern 2010; Bacon 2010

[54] WHO

Healthcare costs are increasingwhile well-being is not.


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One o the most radical changes in the 20th century

was the liberation o people rom mandatory institu-

tions and the shit towards human relationships based

on choice: rom the traditional concept o kinship amily

to the serial amily and being single, and rom the im-

mediate community in ones physical vicinity to commu-

nities ormed around recreational activities and work.

The signicance o the amily as a dening orce in the

individuals lie has weakened in the past decades, but

close human relationships are increasingly valued and

appreciated. There is even talk o neoamilism. Close

human relationships and the ormation o communi-

ties help raise peoples sense o security and boost social

capital, which is the most enduring and resilient o all

orms o capital and has a greater impact on happiness

than economic capital55.

Recent studies indicate that social exclusion or mar-

ginalisation is closely linked to loneliness: lonely indi-

viduals tend to be more prone to developing mental

health disorders, exposure to health risks and nancial

diculties. Loneliness is the lack o opportunities to do

things with others. The actors contributing to lonelinessinclude the increased number o people living on their

own, the world o work becoming harsher, marriages

becoming shorter and the amily model being largely

restricted to the nuclear amily. Loneliness tends to be

a particular burden on the unemployed and the aged56.

[55] Bok 2010

[56] Moisio & Rm 2007

Every human culture believes that children bring hap-

piness. However, measuring the eect children have on

happiness suggests a dierent story. Couples are at their

happiest beore they have their rst child57 and again

when the last o their children moves out rom the am-

ily home58. This applies especially to women59. Studies

indicate that women eel happier when eating, exercising,

shopping, taking a nap or watching television than when

caring or their children60.

The question is not about children, but rather the

nuclear amily model. In modern society, children do

not add to meaningul human relationships, but instead

can isolate the amily rom the rest o society, conning

it to the workplace and home. Nevertheless, providing

support or meaningul, quality human relationships

such as the amily and close riends is largely justied

by research on happiness61. A broken amily background

is oten transerred rom one generation to the next,

makes access to other communities more dicult and

erodes trust in the durability o human relationships.

Thereore, it is common or the less ortunate to drit

out o the reach o meaningul human relationships.

[57] Walker 1977

[58] Myers 1992

[59] Feeney 1994

[60] Kahneman et al. 2004


Friends, neighbours and amily5.


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23

5.Friends,neighboursandfamily

Down with loneliness!

Removing the structures o loneliness is a key chal-

lenge or the politics o happiness, much in the same

way as removing the class structures was in the 20th

century. With increasing wealth, population density

in urban settings has decreased and services are now a

greater distance rom the home than beore.

The signicance o neighbours has been virtually lost

in many cases.

Finnish housing policy has ocused on supporting

the lie o the nuclear amily. Restrictions on energy and

natural resources challenge the idea that a single-amily

house such as those built in the early 2000s, located ar

rom services, jobs and neighbours, could be sustain-

able. The impact on well-being must be examined rom

a broader perspective than just ocusing on the nuclear

amilys need or space or the sake o both happiness

and the consumption o natural resources. The risk o

social exclusion related to loneliness cannot be reduced

simply through amily policy, although more broad-

based provision o marriage counselling and couples

therapy could improve the happiness o many people.

The Finland o the uture must increasingly ocus onhow nearby communities, circles o r iends and various

peer communities can be used to strengthen the saety

net perceived by individuals and amilies. An important

element in this is the planning o city districts, villages,

city blocks and housing concepts. They can be used to

encourage people to interact with others more exten-

sively. Complementing existing residential areas by add-

ing services that are close to their users can optimally

create a kind o a heart or the community, a place or

encounters between people residing in the same area.

The objective is not simply to bring together dierent

social classes and increase mobility between them, but

also the concrete goal o preventing exclusion among

individuals.

Living arrangements or older people is another

important issue. Older people are the most prone to

isolation. Residential communities and various orms o

intergenerational living can help to prevent people rom

being let alone. Solutions can be developed by allocating

support and subsidies to experimental housing arrange-

ments, by oering planning and counselling assistance

as part o public services and by making complementary

construction in existing residential areas easier. Public

services and other institutional structures are rarely de-

veloped with a view to bringing people together. Could

the school building house municipal oces, should

the national deence orces be replaced by civic service,

or should the retirement home be located in the same

building as the nursery school?

Expanding the sphere osharing

People are not very good at applying statistical prob-

abilities to their own lives. They believe that their rela-

tionship with their signicant other lasts orever, while

knowing that the average duration o relationships has

decreased signicantly and most break up in the end62.

Other human relationships and happiness can suer i

happiness is only sought through marriage and children.

While they may initially boost happiness, this levels o in

a matter o years and happiness alls back to the persons

previous level63. Relationships and the amily cannot be

the only orm o intimate human relationship. Without

other human relationships, the individuals saety net

is weak. Building and maintaining riendships is vital.

Peoples own choices about how they spend time ulti-

mately determine how riendships are maintained and

developed.

The ability to trust others is largely developed in early

childhood, when it is important to expose the child to

diverse adult contacts. The key is to learn to do things

together with others. The child grows to participate in

communities when he is involved in hobbies, volunteer

work and recreational activities. Supporting practices

that contribute to the ability to work with others as well

as the development o sel-esteem is good policy romthe viewpoint o happiness. Individuals with a healthy

level o sel-esteem and condence are less likely to be

drawn to the rat race that runs on natural resources.

[62] Kontula 2009

[63] Gilbert 2006

Loneliness is the lacko opportunities to do

things with others.


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5.Friends,neighboursandfamily

I everyone on this planet consumed as much as we

Finns, we would need 2.5 Planets just to maintain our

liestyle64. Sharing is not only sensible rom the perspec-

tive o using natural resources, but also because helping

others and sharing creates pleasure not unlike that de-

rived rom sex, and contributes to our happiness65.In all

cultures, sharing is the method o interaction avoured

by ree individuals as opposed to e.g. payment, hier-

archy or reciprocity66. The politics o happiness must

create an atmosphere o tolerance that osters sharing.

Many studies point to a correlation between tolerance

or various minority groups and the happiness o the

population as a whole67.

There is an acute need or sharing. For instance,

[64] WWF 2008

[65] Post 2005[66] Fiske 2006

[67] Bok 2010

There is an acute needor a new kind o sharingand tolerance.


1. Increase taxes on unused space. Spaceshould be taxed according to its de-gree o use. By sharing space, its usebecomes cheaper or both individualsand corporations. Research and devel-opment investment should ocus onthe development o technologies andservices or sharing.

2. Cars should not be permitted wherethere are children. Cities should be de-veloped to become more child-riendlyto allow amilies to eel sae and secureliving in the urban environment. Thishelps prevent the dispersion o societalstructure and the degeneration o near-by communities.

3. Create a new godparent system thatwould allow people to take time owork to care or not only their ownbiological children or parents, but oth-ers as well. Society should employ taxincentives and other methods to en-courage the expansion o the concepto amily beyond that o the nuclearamily.

equipping holiday homes with modern amenities and

the increase in the number o second homes pose a

signicant challenge in terms o the consumption o

natural resources. The average size o holiday homes has

grown, and today nearly hal o them meet the criteria

o a second home with electric heating and water clos-

ets68. It seems impossible that asceticism alone would

solve this problem. Happiness and quality o lie must

be sought through new ways and places o sharing that

consume ewer natural resources. The sharing o re-

sources no longer happens naturally through traditional

avenues. The act that nearly hal o Finns live alone is

an unortunate indicator o this69.

[68] Berghll et al. 2008; Rytknen & Kirkkari 2010

[69] Statistics Finland 2008


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Blanchfower, David & Oswald, Andrew (2008). Is Well-Being U-shaped over the lie cycle?Social Science & Medicine 66:6, 17331749. .

Bok, Derek (2010). The Politics o Happiness. What Governments can learn rom the new reseach onwell-being. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Bckerman, Petri & Ilmakunnas, Pekka (2006). Elusive Eects o Unemployment on Happiness.Social Indicators Research 79:1, s. 159169.

Clark, Andrew; Georgellis, Yannis & Saney, Peter (2001). Scarring: The Psychological Impact oPast Unemployment. Economica 68:270, London School o Economics and Political Science,s. 221241.

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Feeney, Judith (1994). Attachment style, communication patterns and satisaction across the liecycle o marriage. Personal Relationships 1:4, s. 333348.

Fiske, Alan (2006).The Inherent Sociability o Homo sapiens. Focusing Illusion Science 312:5782,s. 19081910.

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Kytt, Marketta; Kahila, Maarit; Broberg Anna & Tynnil Jaana (2009). Laatu kokemuksina.Teoksessa Staans, Aija & Vyrynen, Eija (toim.) Oppiva kaupunkisuunnittelu. Espoo : Teknillinenkorkeakoulu.

Lappi, Tiina-Riitta (2007). Neuvottelu tilan tulkinnoista: etnologinen tutkimus sosiaalisen jamateriaalisen ympristn vuorovaikutuksesta jyvskyllisiss kaupunkipuhunnoissa. Vits-kirja. Jyvskyl studies in humanities 80. Jyvskyl: Jyvskyln yliopisto.

Liikkanen, Mirja & Hani, Riitta & Hannula, Ulla (toim.) (2005). Yksilllisi valintoja, kulttuurienpysyvyytt. Vapaa-ajan muutokset 1981-2002. Helsinki: Tilastokeskus. Tiivistelm.

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Myers, David (1992). The Pursuit o Happiness: Discovering the Pathway to Fulfllment, Well-Being, andEnduring Personal Joy. New York: Avon Books.

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