Nic Marks: The Happy Planet Index

http://www.ted.com Statistician Nic Marks asks why we measure a nation's success by its productivity -- instead of by the happiness and well-being of its people. He introduces the Happy Planet Index, which tracks national well-being against resource use (because a happy life doesn't have to cost the earth). Which countries rank highest in the HPI? You might be surprised.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

• Category

  Science & Technology

[luisalvarado2077]

thumbs up for costa rica :)

[Георги Михайлов]

The best speech i'v heard in weeks! Great inspiration! :) Good work.

[samala51]

Very interesting

[Daulet Myrzan]

thumbs up if u wanna save the world and make our life happier! :)

[Paul Falconer]

The Industrial Growth Economy is measured by GDP, and it's grinding to a stop... it's met the limits to growth. But human growth and ingenuity is not going to stop growing, so we need a new measure of that growth. Some form of the Happy Planet Index is going to be the measure of the new [sustainable steady-state] Social Economy.

[Laoch111]

+1 Costa Rica!

Kenneth Boulding, President Kennedy’s environmental advisor: "Anyone who believes in indefinite growth in anything physical, on a physically finite planet,’ he said,’ is either mad – or an economist."

[Badass Biker]

I completely support his cause.

All we care about till now is to develop our quality of life and we sucked up lots of natural resources for that.

There has to be a balance in that and hopefully, HPI shows just that. I'm sure Americans won't like though.

[Giovanni Gigliozzi Bianco]

Dear, there is a version with subtitles in spanish. See the site ted.com

Hugs from Brazil

[cancer19850624]

This is just ultra-liberal green propaganda, what did he say? hybrid cars, yeah I know.

[RheaBubbles]

What an inspirational speech. Thank you for that. You made my day !