“Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want.”
Category: happiness
Norway tops the Social Progress Index
Gross Domestic Product has become the yardstick by which we measure a country’s success. But, says Michael Green, GDP isn’t the best way to measure a good society.
His alternative? The Social Progress Index, which measures things like basic human needs and opportunity. …
The Social Progress Index determines what it means to be a good society according to three dimensions: Basic Human Needs (food, water, shelter, safety); Foundations of Wellbeing (basic education, information, health and a sustainable environment); and Opportunity (do people have rights, freedom of choice, freedom from discrimination, and access to higher education?) …
Some countries over-perform on social progress relative to their GDP per capita. Costa Rica is the biggest aggregate over-performer, showing strength across all the dimensions. The key lesson here is that building social progress takes persistence. Costa Rica has had strong education, health and welfare systems for a long time, as well as a long democratic tradition. SPI measures outcomes — life expectancy, literacy rate — not inputs, like laws passed or money spent. There are no cheats or quick fixes
Saudi Arabia is the biggest underachiever. I’ve just arrived … Actually I’m scheduled to get to San Jose, Costa Rica May 1st, my first visit.
every day should be ‘Buy Nothing’ day
🙂
‘Live Rich’ – A spoken word film about the true meaning of wealth.
‘Live Rich’ is a film about our relationship with money in a world where we are always being sold to, and how the most important things in life can’t be bought.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Written, Performed & Directed by Gary Turk
Original Score by New Desert Blues
Featuring Megan Turk & Jonathan Royston-Claire
Spend less. Live more.
Buy more experiences, fewer things.
(via Films for Action)
Wisdom – Dodge Superbowl ad
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
the world IS getting better
More people are going to school for longer
Access to the internet is increasing
Solar power is getting cheaper
Beer consumption going up ??? 🙂
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
details on vox
(via Bill Gates)
Merry Christmas Pope Francis
Finally. A reform Pope.
I just love what he’s been doing. 🙂
David Willey – BBC Vatican correspondent:
In the course of 2014 Pope Francis consolidated his position as one of the most popular pontiffs of modern times, more popular even than the recently-sainted Pope John Paul II.
He invented a new easy style of communication at the Vatican, brought in fresh blood, and publicly lambasted power-hungry princes of the church – the cardinals and bishops who run the Catholic Church’s Rome headquarters; he also found time to play an active diplomatic role in helping the US and Cuba bring to an end 50 years of public enmity. …
on mobile devices …
I love the internet.
I love social networks.
I don’t love addicts using their mobile devices too much in public.
National Geographic’s 2014 Photo of the Year
Perhaps I’ll stay mobile phoneless. I don’t want this addiction.
on traveling solo
Kristin Addis:
If you had asked me five years ago if I would ever travel alone, I would have immediately said, “No way. That can’t be safe, it must be lonely, and I’d get so bored.” Before I started traveling, I was scared of even the idea of eating dinner alone!
Then I started to realize solo travel is not something people do just because they can’t find a friend to go with — it’s because they got tired of waiting for the perfect companion and just go. Then, as they find out there are many personal benefits to it, it typically becomes the preferred mode of travel. …
Kristin Addis is a former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and bid California goodbye in favor of traveling solo through Asia while searching for off-the-beaten path adventures. … You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse.
Rick McCharles 