Should government care mostly about economic productivity or the general well being of its citizens? If you find yourself asking this very question, then you are not alone. The U.S. government has very sophisticated measurements and processes to monitor economic activity such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, when it comes to measuring the general well-being of Americans, the U.S. government does not have one single measure to determine if its citizens are doing well. A quote from the Geography of Bliss summarizes this well.

GDP doesn’t register, as Robert Kennedy put it, “the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, or the intelligence of our public debate.” GDP measures everything, Kennedy concluded, “except that which makes life worthwhile.”

The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner explores this topic and others related to what makes people happy. Eric is a foreign correspondent for National Public Radio and he traveled around the world to study what makes people happy. In this book, Eric details his journey, entertains the reader with his witty remarks, and he shares what he learned about what makes people happy. A few profound things that he learned are listed after the jump. BE WARNED, these are spoilers to the book. So, if you don’t want the book to be spoiled, do not click more.

1) Studies show that people’s level of happiness only increases with wealth up to a certain point and then it diminishes after that point. The amount of money is roughly $15,000 USD/year.

2) Envy is one of the biggest barriers to one’s personal happiness.

3) Good government, meaningful work, and strong family relationships are strong contributors to happiness.

4) The ability to trust your neighbors, government, and institutions contributes a lot to one’s level of happiness.

5) There are many paths to happiness and happiness would not exist without its opposite.

6) The American notion of paradise, tropical places like Hawaii or Florida, doesn’t mean that people are happy there. In fact, people are very happy in Iceland, a country that is cold and has months of no sunlight.

It is also interesting to point out that high suicide rates in a country doesn’t mean that it is an unhappy place. This is because the things that prevent us from killing ourselves are different than the things that make us happy.

In summary, this book is entertaining and insightful. I highly recommend you borrow it from your local library or purchase your own copy of it. And remember, the pursuit of happiness is all we can ever expect to achieve.

You can also find out more about Eric Weiner on his web site.