I love the idea of a meritocracy! It's a glorious myth that makes a wonderful story. But if you look at how resources, wealth, prestige, etc. get distributed, it's very hard to make a case for meritocracy. It's no surprise we believe in meritocracy. We spend our...
happiness
Here are articles on happiness
Be present: Put down your #@*($& phone!
I've noticed that more and more, people walk around with their phones glued to their ear or to their hands. They stand in the middle of hallways with the phone pressed against their ear, as if their life depended on it. They block stairways, staring entranced into...
What Acting Teaches About Building Reputation
My first acting experience has given me a profound appreciation for how we build reputation (or "personal brand," to use the 21st century parlance). I just finished my first weekend as part of the ensemble for Evil Dead: The Musical. I play a dancing tree, a headless...
Can taxes buy happiness?
In yesterday's post Can money buy happiness, people seemed to agree that money doesn't buy happiness directly, but it can buy choices, security, freedom, etc., which can help happiness. This question isn't for the book, but for my own curiosity. I was talking with...
Oh, crap. Maybe money CAN buy happiness.
Well, isn't that just the cat's pajamas. There's a new study out that shows that happiness may be linked to absolute levels of income, after all. Of course, as the article states, it's linked to other things as well, like time spent with friends. This may change part...