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

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• Nic
• Marks
• TEDTalks
• TED
• talks
• happy
• planet
• index
• happiness
• success
• productivity
• GDP
• GNP
• HPI
• well-being

[extendetBG]

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

[luisalvarado2077]

thumbs up for costa rica :)

[Greedyspectator]

The name 'Happy Planet Index' is misleading. HPI measures not happiness, but ecological efficiency in supporting well being. Also the 'Earth is a scarce resource' argument is bunk, as it doesn't take into account the price mechanism (things get more expensive when they are rarer, thus pushing people onto alternatives) and is Malthusian at best. Otherwise, the main point that growth does not equal to happiness is great! Indeed, growth and happiness has zero correlation.

[juliacotic]

Thanks for the great videos & channel

[Pwnstar57]

i think were on the right track with this index but i dont see how countries like mexico who are in drug wars and poverty ridden can have a higher rating than a country like sweden with so many social welfare programs and how their culture is much more communally driven

[redcayenne0118]

I don't know about this... I live in the USA and Panama, and I wouldn't say that people are happier in Panama. Certainly, they use fewer resources to live, but by and large I don't see them as happier. Maybe the men are because they are on top of the food chain, but I'd say women there are much more labored, uneducated, burdened by too many children, poorly nourished, and just not that happy. Perhaps it's that their labor is most influenced by not using resources? This doesn't add up to me.

[onesy1]

I would have been on my feet for the applause at the end, wow. These are the values that underpin all of humanity, we all need to carry them with us every day of our lives and encourage them in everyone that we meet through what we do and say. Thanks for this great talk, it couldn't have been put better

[stijnisgoed]

he sounds like Ricky Gervais

[aajhetechocomel]

LOOOL I watched this while listening to This Land from Lion King (by Hans Zimmer) and it made this vid epic lol I'm moving to Costa Rica!