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Pelican Books #35
Can We Be Happier?: Evidence and Ethics
"In this book 'Can We Be Happier? ' which is part of Richard Layard's excellent, ongoing exploration of what happiness is and how it can be achieved, he provides evidence that if you have peace of mind and are full of joy, your health will be good, your family will be happy and that happiness will affect the atmosphere of the community in which you live." The Dalai Lama
Most people now realize that economic growth, however desirable, will not solve all our problems. Instead, we need a philosophy and a science which encompasses a much fuller range of human need and experience.
This book argues that the goal for a society must be the greatest possible all-round happiness, and shows how each of us can become more effective creators of happiness, both as citizens and in our own organizations.
Written with Richard Layard's characteristic clarity, it provides hard evidence that increasing happiness is the right aim, and that it can be achieved. Its language is simple, its evidence impressive, its effect inspiring.
Most people now realize that economic growth, however desirable, will not solve all our problems. Instead, we need a philosophy and a science which encompasses a much fuller range of human need and experience.
This book argues that the goal for a society must be the greatest possible all-round happiness, and shows how each of us can become more effective creators of happiness, both as citizens and in our own organizations.
Written with Richard Layard's characteristic clarity, it provides hard evidence that increasing happiness is the right aim, and that it can be achieved. Its language is simple, its evidence impressive, its effect inspiring.
416 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2022
28 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Richard Layard
71 books46 followersPeter Richard Grenville Layard, Baron Layard FBA, is a British labour economist, currently working as programme director of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics.
His early career focused on how to reduce unemployment and inequality. He was Senior Research Officer for the famous Robbins Committee on Higher Education. This committee's report led to the massive expansion of UK university education in the 1960s and 1970s.
Following research on happiness begun in the 1970s by economists such as Richard Easterlin at the University of Southern California, he has written about the economics of happiness, with one theme being the importance of non-income variables on aggregate happiness, including mental health.
His main current interest is how better mental health could improve our social and economic life. His work on mental health, including publishing The Depression Report in 2006, led to the establishment of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme in England. He is co-editor of the World Happiness Report, with John F. Helliwell and Jeffrey Sachs.
His early career focused on how to reduce unemployment and inequality. He was Senior Research Officer for the famous Robbins Committee on Higher Education. This committee's report led to the massive expansion of UK university education in the 1960s and 1970s.
Following research on happiness begun in the 1970s by economists such as Richard Easterlin at the University of Southern California, he has written about the economics of happiness, with one theme being the importance of non-income variables on aggregate happiness, including mental health.
His main current interest is how better mental health could improve our social and economic life. His work on mental health, including publishing The Depression Report in 2006, led to the establishment of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme in England. He is co-editor of the World Happiness Report, with John F. Helliwell and Jeffrey Sachs.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 25, 2020
Lessons learnt & Highlights:
Happy the Man, and happy he alone
He who can call today his own:
He, who secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lives today
Don’t just do something, sit there. Learn to be, as well as to do. The present is all we have. Learn to be present in the present moment. Time is not money; time is life.
Two key features to cultivate:
1. Calm: We cultivate the means to calm outwelves and to accept our discontents, appreciate the wonders of life and savour each moment
2. Caring: We deeply desire the happiness of others and aim to promote it (unconditional benevolence). We truly believe that our own feelings are no more important than anyone else’s, and we try to feel what others feel.
Serenity prayer:
Courage to change the bad things we can change,
Serenity to accept the bad things we cannot change,
Wisdom to know the difference.
To do anything worthwhile you have to establish your position, and this requires an element of self-promotion. But what matters it the purpose behind it. If your purpose is to be useful and create happiness, that’s fine. But if it is to come out on top, that’s not good - ruthless competition is one of the most powerful destroyers of happiness.
If you want to feel good, do good.
Ten Keys to Happier Living:
Giving - do things for others
Relating - connect with people
Exercising - Take care of your body
Awareness - Live life mindfully
Trying out - Keep learning new things
Direction - Have goals to look forward to
Resilience - Find ways to bounce back
Emotions - Look for what’s good
Acceptance - Be comfortable with who you are
Meaning - Be part of something bigger
Help that is given for the sake of a good turn in response (reciprocity) is less satisfying than help given out of the goodness of your heart (altruism).
Happiness is the highest form of health.
If you want to be happy for a day, have a drink; if you want to be happy for a year, have a spouse; and if you want to be happy for a lifetime, have a garden.
Helping others is the surest way to avoid self-absorption, but we do also need to care for our own happiness and to develop a technique for being happy whatever happens to us... “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” We owe it to ourselves to manage our emotions and to find things to celebrate day by day.
My personal manifesto to myself (to make the world a better place)
- to be good at my job
- to increase the happiness of those whom i interact with daily
- to think good thoughts, say good words, feel good feelings
- to embody gratitude, acceptance and contentment
Each person is a child of circumstance and we should empathise with everyone.
Happy the Man, and happy he alone
He who can call today his own:
He, who secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lives today
Don’t just do something, sit there. Learn to be, as well as to do. The present is all we have. Learn to be present in the present moment. Time is not money; time is life.
Two key features to cultivate:
1. Calm: We cultivate the means to calm outwelves and to accept our discontents, appreciate the wonders of life and savour each moment
2. Caring: We deeply desire the happiness of others and aim to promote it (unconditional benevolence). We truly believe that our own feelings are no more important than anyone else’s, and we try to feel what others feel.
Serenity prayer:
Courage to change the bad things we can change,
Serenity to accept the bad things we cannot change,
Wisdom to know the difference.
To do anything worthwhile you have to establish your position, and this requires an element of self-promotion. But what matters it the purpose behind it. If your purpose is to be useful and create happiness, that’s fine. But if it is to come out on top, that’s not good - ruthless competition is one of the most powerful destroyers of happiness.
If you want to feel good, do good.
Ten Keys to Happier Living:
Giving - do things for others
Relating - connect with people
Exercising - Take care of your body
Awareness - Live life mindfully
Trying out - Keep learning new things
Direction - Have goals to look forward to
Resilience - Find ways to bounce back
Emotions - Look for what’s good
Acceptance - Be comfortable with who you are
Meaning - Be part of something bigger
Help that is given for the sake of a good turn in response (reciprocity) is less satisfying than help given out of the goodness of your heart (altruism).
Happiness is the highest form of health.
If you want to be happy for a day, have a drink; if you want to be happy for a year, have a spouse; and if you want to be happy for a lifetime, have a garden.
Helping others is the surest way to avoid self-absorption, but we do also need to care for our own happiness and to develop a technique for being happy whatever happens to us... “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” We owe it to ourselves to manage our emotions and to find things to celebrate day by day.
My personal manifesto to myself (to make the world a better place)
- to be good at my job
- to increase the happiness of those whom i interact with daily
- to think good thoughts, say good words, feel good feelings
- to embody gratitude, acceptance and contentment
Each person is a child of circumstance and we should empathise with everyone.
January 26, 2026
A more scientific approach to happiness, exploring the role the economy/governments/society has to play in our overall happiness. While I didn't agree with everything I enjoyed the way Richard examined the concept my many sides. Avoiding the fact I find the word happiness itself rather challenging, it is an interesting read for those looking to improve the lives of those around them.
April 1, 2021
By now I'm probably quite accustomed to Richard Layard take on happiness (which I'd simplify into learn how to accept how much you already got, strive for contentment and you will be just fine). I definitely admire happiness' baron impact on policies in unemployment and inequality space too. I'd say that I might be even a convert and I'm no longer able to critically assess taste of this Kool-Aid. Anyway, very interesting read, I'd take most of the correlation - causation with a bit of scepticism. However, after having a go at letting 'market forces', playing a zero-end games, getting anxious whilst checking your social status etc why not try suggestions proposed in Layard's manifesto? It's only my first read (quite quick) and I'll give it a go in a couple of months once more; if anything I would say it's slowly showing baron's privileged position (or is it just macro thinking?) and (as long as I haven't missed / forgot about it already) doesn't touch much on anthropogenic activates (and these link to happiness). All in all, recommended if you are into achievable utopias ;-)
December 14, 2022
I loved this book. I’ve raved about it to whomever would listen whilst I was reading it. But it loses a star for being just too idealistic. Also, despite being, for the most part, well referenced, Layard littered the book with subjective opinions. These only served to dull the message.
But I’m glad I read it! If you can see past the subjectivity, there are some excellent examples in here of how society could embrace happiness across a wide range of societal establishments.
I remain unconvinced society could - or even should - adopt the Happiness Principle itself (partly because of my own reservations about utilitarianism). But, at a personal level, there is little harm in considering the impact on happiness when decision-making - I’ll be trying this.
But I’m glad I read it! If you can see past the subjectivity, there are some excellent examples in here of how society could embrace happiness across a wide range of societal establishments.
I remain unconvinced society could - or even should - adopt the Happiness Principle itself (partly because of my own reservations about utilitarianism). But, at a personal level, there is little harm in considering the impact on happiness when decision-making - I’ll be trying this.
April 17, 2021
Lord Layard has written a succinct manual for policy makers of how to implement a rebranded and evidence-based utilitarianism. It is full of insights based on facts rather than speculations. The mental health of a society and a culture of mutual respect or lack thereof are main determinants of its wellbeing. Many other areas are also covered. Those who see the pursuit of happiness as a zero-sum game will tragically be stuck in perpetual misery. Layard emphasises that it is proved beyond doubt that altruism is the key to happiness. Not accepting this fact due to false ideology will be futile and detrimental. Applied wisely, economy is not dismal but actually vital in policymaking.
May 27, 2020
Perhaps wasn’t what I was expecting in terms of amount focused on public policy and government. That said, found it interesting in parts and especially when discussing just how underfunded research and support into mental healthcare is in pretty much all countries.
Book is less about how to be happier and more about happiness’ importance to today’s world and author’s clear cheerleading for happiness to be the key metric for decision making both publicly and privately. Felt it could have been 100 pages shorter too...
Book is less about how to be happier and more about happiness’ importance to today’s world and author’s clear cheerleading for happiness to be the key metric for decision making both publicly and privately. Felt it could have been 100 pages shorter too...
February 4, 2022
I recently began Tim Harford's The Data Detective. In it, he makes the case that creating a better world is synonymous with creating a more efficient (free) market. That by thinking as an Economist would is the best approach to better the world.
In Can We Be Happier, Richard Layard proposes a contradictory idea. That Economic growth is not sustainable. And Richard provides evidence why the correct aim is increasing happiness using science. He argues that happiness is the ultimate good and that all other goods are good because of the way they contribute to happiness.
The book has chapters dedicated to explaining various roles in society- teachers, politicians, and us as individuals. I wasn't expecting the focus on public policy. The book is an easy read, has lots of data and anecdotes. In spite of the supporting data, I'm skeptical about the correlation causations. Overall, Can We Be Happier has some good points, is optimistic, and perhaps excessively ambitious.
In Can We Be Happier, Richard Layard proposes a contradictory idea. That Economic growth is not sustainable. And Richard provides evidence why the correct aim is increasing happiness using science. He argues that happiness is the ultimate good and that all other goods are good because of the way they contribute to happiness.
The book has chapters dedicated to explaining various roles in society- teachers, politicians, and us as individuals. I wasn't expecting the focus on public policy. The book is an easy read, has lots of data and anecdotes. In spite of the supporting data, I'm skeptical about the correlation causations. Overall, Can We Be Happier has some good points, is optimistic, and perhaps excessively ambitious.
April 18, 2022
Can We Be Happier was an uplifting book. While I didn't agree with all of the solutions and ideas Layard had, I like the principle on a whole and think it is a positive step in the right direction. I'm also appreciative for his involvement in 'Action for Happiness' as prior to reading this book I'd already benefited from the work they do. I hope our society can become a happier one and one that is less focused on profit and GDP.
August 22, 2024
A well-researched exploration of happiness and public policy. The author offers insightful ideas on how societies can promote well-being. The concepts are pretty compelling, but I reckon they are a bit idealistic and likely to prove difficult to implement in practice. A solid read, sometimes a little repetitive but still deserving a 3.5 out of 5 (rounded down because that's how I'm feeling).
February 6, 2021
"Most people now realize that economic growth, however desirable, will not solve all our problems. Instead we need a philosophy and a science which encompasses a much fuller range of human experience."
August 15, 2022
From GDP to the HALYs
Many personal takeaways (ie that the most important thing in kindergarten/school is children happiness => happy as an adult; etc), but also informative on wider picture - how governments, scientists etc should/are moving towards focusing/measuring/targeting happiness levels.
Many personal takeaways (ie that the most important thing in kindergarten/school is children happiness => happy as an adult; etc), but also informative on wider picture - how governments, scientists etc should/are moving towards focusing/measuring/targeting happiness levels.
November 6, 2022
I was very drawn of the aesthetic of this book however I found the contents very obnoxious and seemed out of touch of reality and the data presented was hard to question given the way it was presented.
April 2, 2020
I found it pretty interesting and I liked the scientific/evidence based approach for the advice... both on personal and societal scale...
July 21, 2022
Very interesting paradigm shift suggestion of how we view a successful society
February 16, 2023
Excellent book which combines a lot of learnings and some great policy lessons. Gives a good overview of what different stakeholders can do.
March 10, 2020
Inspiring, with evidence backed suggestions on how we can be happier as individuals and as a society, and the roles that the state, businesses, academics and civil society can play.
October 1, 2024
Es un recorrido sencillo por distintos aspectos de la vida social que podrían modificarse en pos de adoptar una ética utilitarista a la "Economía de la Felicidad". Da la sensación de pretender ser el libro legado de Richard, uno de los máximos difusores del Enfoque de la Felicidad.
March 24, 2023
This is a remarkable and important work that offers a compelling vision of how we might live in the 21st-century. Nonetheless, I did wonder if it was often too idealistic. Also, there are flaws with the measure of subjective happiness surveys which form the bedrock of Layard's arguments.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews