I am just getting back from the Gallup Positive Psychology conference where we talk a lot about measuring happiness and well being rather than GDP to inform policy. In case anyone wonders what some of my posts on happiness have to do with public policy, here is a tidbit I recently came across.

The basic idea is that much policy is informed by the idea of maximizing gross national product (GNP).  However, GNP is a crude attempt to measure the greatest good for the greatest number that is obviously flawed.  For example, if I break a window in my neighbors house and he pays someone to fix it, GNP is increased, but nobody is really better off.  A better measure would be Gross National Happiness…Is such a measurement possible?  It’s at least something worth trying.

The Serial Comma » Gross National Happiness

US film maker Karen L. Mintz is in the process of making what looks like a fascinating documentary about the nation of Bhutan: Gross National Happiness, 68 Miles from Thimphu.