This document discusses the relationship between economic growth, happiness, and technology. It notes that while income and happiness are often correlated, some research suggests that as societies grow richer, happiness has not increased proportionally. Additionally, philosopher Ernst Bloch argued that technology could excessively distort means of achieving happiness and deskill/alienate people. The document advocates considering happiness and well-being alongside human values like hope, creativity, and inspiration. It promotes a new educational approach focused on community challenges and creative possibilities.
2. Well Being & Economic Growth
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• “a person with a higher income is more likely
to report a higher level of happiness or other
measure of life satisfaction” (Hammond, P. J; Liberini, F;
Proto, E., 2011)
3. Well Being & Economic Growth
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• However - Richard Layard claims that, as economies
and societies become richer, they don’t seem to
become happier. He suggests that, on average, people
have grown no happier in the last fifty years, even
though average incomes have more than doubled.
(Exploring Social Lives, Chapter 1, pp. 45-46)
4. • Ernst Bloch: happiness & ‘technology’ -
incompatible?
• Technology for Bloch is something used to deskill
and alienate people …
• “technology excessively distorts the means of
making people happy” (Principle of Hope, Vol. 1, p, 434)
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7. Hope – creativity – autonomy –
influence – participation -democracy?
• The notion of happiness
(well-being) – must be
considered alongside the
Human spirit: Hope …
• Creativity; and
• Inspiration
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