Measuring The Nations Happiness

With the ethos of Respecting the Person, whilst Challenging the Idea, we'll be discussing questions, thoughts and opinions that arise for us around the following episode:

Measuring The Nation's Happiness from January 2011

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xhj84

In April 2011 the government started asking people how happy they are in order to measure the nation's wellbeing for the first time.

The Integrated Household Survey (IHS) asked respondents to rank between one and 10 "how satisfied are you with your life nowadays, how happy did you feel yesterday, how anxious did you feel yesterday and to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?"

This episode explores some questions this raises and is chaired by Michael Buerk with Melanie Phillips social commentator on the Daily Mail, Matthew Taylor Chief Executive of the RSA, Claire Fox from the Institute of Ideas, and the Catholic writer Clifford Longley as the panel.

And as the 'witnesses', Professor Richard Layard Director of the Wellbeing School at the London School of Economics, Philip Hodson Fellow of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Antony Seldon co-founder of Action For Happiness and Simon Blackburn Bertrand Russell Professorship of Philosophy at Cambridge University.

All roles were those held by the individuals at the time of broadcast - in 2011.

Our discussions do not need to be limited by or to the points raised within the show, but having listened to the differing opinions shared within the episode beforehand can be helpful to foster a thoughtful discussion.

If people are keen we'll head to the pub after to continue chats.