Saturday, September 13, 2014

The Happiness Machine

Hans Rosling is a magical presenter and master of putting powerful data into stories. This particular presentation is less than 10 minutes and is a real eye opener. As we get wealthier and start worrying about the finer things in life, it is very easy to lose track of the real big wins in terms of happiness we have made. It is also very easy to overlook the work that needs doing and start prioritising the wrong things. I know this is controversial, but I have to put it out there that it is hard to feel that sorry for 'the 99%' in America and the anger over income distribution when the fact remains that they are American. I don't dispute that distribution is an issue that needs resolving. But in our 'laundry list' of concerns - washing machines place higher. Lifting masses of the developing world out of poverty over the last few decades with the shift of manufacturing jobs towards lower wage countries has been a huge win.

The clip is also a reminder of how the last century has freed up time. Time to read. Time for mothers to spend with their children. Slowly we are being emancipated from being machines ourselves.

Exciting times.

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