AFTERNOON. IT'S GOOD TO SEE
EVERYONE. UH, WELCOME TO THE
FIRST COMMITTEE HEARING ON THE
NEWLY FORMED SELECT COMMITTEE ON
HAPPINESS AND PUBLIC POLICY
OUTCOMES. I WANNA THANK
EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY,
ESPECIALLY TO OUR PANELISTS, UH,
MANY OF WHOM I KNOW, FLEW HOURS
AND HOURS, UH, TO GET HERE, UH
OTHERS ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY
FROM THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY.
UH, THE FIRST GOAL, UH, FOR THIS
COMMITTEE HEARING IS TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT HAPPINESS AND
CONSIDER POSSIBLE AREAS WHERE
HAPPINESS AND PUBLIC POLICY
INTERSECT. UH, MY PERSONAL
INTEREST IN THIS, UH IT'S GREAT
THAT WE HAVE, UH, ROCCO BELICH
HERE TODAY. INTEREST IN THIS
FIRST STARTED AROUND 2010 2011.
WHEN I SAW UH, THE FILM HAPPY?
UH, I REMEMBER. I WAS, UH DATING
. UH SHE'S NOW MY WIFE. UH AND
SHE, UM, DIDN'T UNDERSTAND MY
OBSESSIVE PERSONALITY AT THAT
TIME. UM I WATCHED THAT FILM
PROBABLY 14 TIMES, UH, WITHIN
TWO OR THREE DAY PERIOD. UM AND
SHE THOUGHT I WAS REALLY WEIRD.
NOW SHE JUST ACCEPTS IT AS PART
OF WHO I AM. UM BUT, UH, THAT
FILM SORT OF SET ME OFF ON THIS,
UM UM, SORT OF PARALLEL ROAD TO.
I'VE ALWAYS STUDIED PHILOSOPHY
AND, UH, THE PURSUIT OF VERY
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS. UH, THE
PURSUIT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
JUSTICE AND BEAUTY AND TRUTH AND
KNOWLEDGE, UM, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. AND I
THINK, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE
CONTEXT OF THIS BUILDING. WE UH,
SORT OF BEGAN THE PROCESS IN A
VERY BACKWARDS WAY. UM RATHER
THAN THINKING ABOUT THE
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS AND WHAT
WE OUGHT TO BE FOCUSING ON IN A
LARGER ASPECT WE SORT OF FU
FUNCTION ALONG STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURES AND A SENSE
AND ACKNOWLEDGED, UM, ASSUMPTION
ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT AND ABOUT
WHAT PEOPLE NEED. AND I THINK
THAT'S REALLY THE WRONG WAY OF
GOING. UH, UH, ABOUT PUBLIC
POLICY. UH, SO THIS IS A THIS IS
12 YEARS, 1112 YEARS IN THE
MAKING, UH, THAT I'VE WANTED TO
HAVE THIS, UH, THAT I WANTED TO
HAVE THIS COMMITTEE AND THAT I
WANTED TO HAVE THIS, UH,
DISCUSSION. UH, WE AS A STATE
PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING AHEAD
OF THE CURVE ON A LOT OF ISSUES,
WHETHER IT'S CLIMATE OR ARE, UM,
CIVIL RIGHTS AND THOSE TYPES OF
ISSUES. UM THIS IS AN ISSUE
WHERE THIS MAY, IN FACT, BE THE
FIRST, UH, HEARING OF ANY STATE
GOVERNMENT ON THIS TOPIC. THIS
IS A TOPIC WHERE WE ARE VERY FAR
BEHIND THE REST OF THE WORLD ON
THIS. WE KNOW UH, THAT, UH MANY
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, MANY ASIAN
COUNTRIES HAVE LOOKED AT THIS.
MANY SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES
HAVE LOOKED AT THE ISSUE OF
HAPPINESS, OBVIOUSLY, FOR 11
YEARS, UH, THIS THE UNITED
NATIONS HAS RUN. UH UH, THE, UH,
THE HAPPINESS INDEX, WHICH IS
THE ALWAYS MY. IT'S LIKE NEW
YEAR'S EVE. FOR ME. IT'S LIKE
THE THING I LOOK FORWARD TO
EVERY YEAR. UM UH, OXFORD
UNIVERSITY HAS DONE INCREDIBLE
STUDIES, UH, ON ON THIS AS WELL.
SO THIS IS AN AREA WHERE
CALIFORNIA. UH AND THE UNITED
STATES IS VERY, VERY FAR BEHIND
THE REST OF THE WORLD IN TERMS
OF LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE, UM AND
I THINK AND I THINK THAT'S UH
THAT'S A SHAME. BUT FROM A
CALIFORNIA PERSPECTIVE, I THINK
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT US, UH, THAT
WE'RE AT LEAST STARTING THIS
DISCUSSION. UH, HERE, UH, HERE
IN CALIFORNIA. UM, I WAS ASKED
YESTERDAY A VERY GOOD QUESTION
BY A REPORTER ABOUT WHAT WOULD
BE AH, THE SUCCESSES AND WHAT
WOULD BE THE FAILURES? UH OF
THESE HEARINGS. I THINK SUCCESS
UH, WOULD WE? WE'VE UH, WE'RE
ALREADY THERE TO AN EXTENT. UH,
I THINK JUST HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND TO START
ADDRESSING THESE CONVERSATIONS
IN A REAL WAY IS A IS A GOOD
START. I THINK THAT'S A VERY
GOOD START. SO I'M GLAD THAT
WE'RE DOING THAT. AND I WANNA
THANK UH KATIE TALBOT. MY STAFF
CARRIE CORNWELL, MY CHIEF WHO
WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE SURE
WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT AND
TO MY COLLEAGUES WILL BE HERE AS
WELL, UH, FOR THEIR INCLUDING
LISA CALDERON, UH, FOR THEIR,
UH, INTEREST IN THIS AS WELL,
UH, THAT I CONSIDER TO BE A
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. AND IT'S THE
START OF A GREAT CONVERSATION.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
DATA FROM THE U N FROM OXFORD
ON HAPPINESS AND HAPPINESS
OUTCOMES AND WHAT MAKES PEOPLE
HAPPY? AND WHAT DOESN'T MAKE
PEOPLE HAPPY? I THINK UTILIZING
THAT QUANTITATIVE AND
QUALITATIVE DATA IS AND HEARING
FROM PEOPLE, UH, IS THE GREATEST
, UH IS THE GREATEST SUCCESS WE
CAN HAVE AND THEN SORT OF
REFLECTING ON IT AND PRODUCING
PUBLIC POLICY OUTCOMES FROM THAT
PERSPECTIVE BACKWARDS, UH RATHER
THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND, WHICH
IS THE WAY UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING
THINGS I THINK THAT WOULD BE A
TREM. THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. UH, FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, WE HAD SOMETHING
LIKE 5000 BILLS LAST YEAR, ONLY
SEVEN OF THEM UTILIZE THE WORD
HAPPINESS IN THEM. IS THAT
CORRECT? I MAKE UP STATS
SOMETIMES. IS THAT ACCURATE? UM
SO, YEAH, WE HAD 50,000 BILLS
LAST YEAR, AND ONLY ONE OF THEM
USED THE WORD HAPPINESS. IT'S A
TRUE STAT. YOU CAN FOOTNOTE ME
ON THAT, UM BUT YOU KNOW THE
FACT THAT WE'RE NOT FOCUSED ON
THAT, UH, ON THAT VERY
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION IS
SOMETHING THAT I THINK OUGHT TO
BE VERY DISCONCERTING TO A LOT
OF US AND I. I TOLD THE STORY.
UH RECENTLY ABOUT TEACHING. UH,
WHEN YOU TEACH YOU OFTEN ASK
STUDENTS WHY WHY ARE YOU DOING
WHAT YOU'RE DOING? WHY ARE YOU
STUDYING THIS TOPIC? WHY DO YOU
YOU KNOW WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED
IN THIS? AND I THINK,
PARTICULARLY IN THIS COUNTRY.
THERE'S SORT OF AN EMBARRASSMENT
ABOUT VULNERABILITY AND HONESTY
AND EVEN ABOUT SORT OF DOING THE
RIGHT THING. SOMETIMES YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE WILL SAY, OH, I CHOSE
THIS MAJOR CAUSE IT'S EASY CAUSE
YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER STUDIED IT.
MY SISTER STUDIED IT. IT'S VERY
RARE. WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS I WANT
TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER
PLACE. UM I CHOSE THIS MAJOR. I
CHOSE THIS PROFESSION BECAUSE I
WANT TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER
PLACE. AND I THINK I HAVE ALWAYS
FOUND THAT PROBLEMATIC I. I
THINK PEOPLE FEEL AS THOUGH
THAT'S A SILLY THING TO SAY, UH,
I WOULD TURN THAT AROUND. I
THINK IT'S SILLY TO BE CONCERNED
ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAKING
, UH, THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE,
AND I THINK STUDYING HAPPINESS.
UH UH, NOT STUDYING. HAPPINESS
IS SILLY. I THINK NOT STUDYING
HAPPINESS, NOT FOCUSING ON WHAT
THE PURPOSE ULTIMATELY OUR
PURPOSE AS A SPECIES, OUR
PURPOSE AS INDIVIDUALS AND
CERTAINLY OUR PURPOSE IN THIS
BUILDING. THAT'S ALL WE OUGHT TO
BE CONCERNED ABOUT, BECAUSE IF
WE HAVE EVERYBODY CLOTHED
EVERYBODY HOUSED. EVERYBODY HAS
A JOB AND THEY'RE MISERABLE.
THEN WE'VE FAILED AT WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DO. SO IF WE DON'T
REVERSE THAT, AND THINK ABOUT
THE HAPPINESS AS A FIRST
PRINCIPLE RATHER THAN HAPPINESS
AS A LAST PRINCIPLE THAN WE ARE
FAILING AT THE JOBS THAT WE DO
HERE, UH, IN THIS BUILDING, SO
THAT IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A
SUCCESS. A SUCCESS IS TO HAVE
THAT CONVERSATION AND TO THINK
ABOUT THIS, PARTICULARLY FROM
THE STANDPOINT AGAIN OF
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE, UH
, DATA THAT WE HAVE, AND THERE'S
A LOT OUT THERE. I THINK WHAT
WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SUCCESS
HONESTLY, AND I'LL BE VERY
HONEST ABOUT THIS WOULD BE FOR
THIS TO SORT OF DEVOLVE INTO
SORT OF LIKE NEW AGE SLOPPINESS.
UM THERE IS A LOT OF DATA OUT
THERE A LOT OF HARD DATA AGAIN
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
DATA, AND WE NEED TO RELY ON
THAT DATA. WE NEED TO RELY ON
THOSE STATISTICS. WE NEED TO
RELY ON WHAT WE KNOW FROM
PSYCHOLOGY FROM THE SOCIAL
SCIENCES. AND ALL OF THAT, AND I
THINK TO, UM YOU KNOW, SORT OF
AGAIN TO DEVOLVE INTO SORT OF A,
YOU KNOW, AAA SECRET LANGUAGE OF
THE KNOWING, UM, IS SOMETHING
THAT WE CAN'T DO, AND WE SO
OFTEN, UH FAIL, PARTICULARLY IN
IN IN THE PAST. I'VE SEEN THAT
IN MY TIME IN ACADEMIA, FOR
EXAMPLE, UM, WE NEED TO NOT DO
THAT HERE AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DO THAT AGAIN. I
WANT TO BE DATA FOCUSED. I WANT
TO BE DATA DRIVEN, QUALITATIVE
AND QUANTITATIVE DATA FOCUS ON
THAT DATA AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE, UH THAT WE'RE APPROACHING
IT FROM A VERY SYSTEMATIC
STANDPOINT, UM SO THAT'S MY
THAT'S MY SPIEL. AND NOW I'M
GOING TO I'M GONNA ASK MY
MEMBERS IF THEY WANNA SAY
ANYTHING. MY UH UH LISA CALDERON
AND, UH, PILLAR CHAVA WERE HERE.
SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM
REALLY PLEASED TO BE HERE AND I
WAS. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OK,
ALL RIGHT. SO I'M REALLY PLEASED
TO BE HERE AND, UM, LIKE I WAS
SAYING, I WAS JUST FASCINATED AT
THE WHOLE, UH, SUBJECT MATTER
THE TOPIC OF THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THIS
IS A VERY BASIC QUESTION, RIGHT?
I MEAN, WE ALL STRIVE TO BE
HAPPY IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES. BUT
UM, I THINK THE WORK THAT WE DO
HERE HERE IN THIS BUILDING ALSO
WARRANTS. UM MAYBE THERE SHOULD
BE A HAPPINESS COMPONENT OF THAT
WE KEEP IN OUR OUR LENS FOR ALL
CALIFORNIANS, AND CERTAINLY IN
THE POLICY WORK. WE DO SO I'M
REALLY THRILL. TO BE HERE. I'M
TRYING NOT TO SAY I'M HAPPY TO
BE HERE. BUT I AM UM, THANK YOU
SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
CHAIRS. UH, LEADERSHIP AND
VISION TO BRING THIS COMMITTEE
TOGETHER. I WAS JUST TALKING TO
SOMEONE ON THE PHONE. UM THAT I
HAVE TO GO. SIT SIT ON THE
HAPPINESS COMMITTEE. AND THEY
SAID, OH, THAT'S A PERFECT
COMMITTEE FOR YOU. A TEND TO BE
A PRETTY HAPPY PERSON. BUT UM,
BUT I KNOW THAT IT REALLY DOES
EVADE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE
HAVE A CRISIS, ESPECIALLY
AMONGST OUR YOUTH. WHEN IT COMES
TO MENTAL HEALTH. UM AND IT'S
HEARTBREAKING. IT'S
HEARTBREAKING TO SEE UM I YOU
KNOW, I WAS JUST TALKING TO MY
DAUGHTER YESTERDAY AND SHE WAS
NAMING OFF OF THE ALL OF THE
CHILDREN IN HER CLASS WHO ARE
SUICIDAL OR DEPRESSED, AND I
COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. UM, SO
THIS IS A IT'S A TRUE CRISIS
THAT WE HAVE ON OUR HANDS RIGHT
NOW, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS
REALLY GETTING TO THE HEART OF
WHAT THAT CRISIS IS ABOUT. UM SO
YOU KNOW, I AM HAPPY TO BE A
PART OF THIS COMMITTEE I. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE FOCUS. UM
ON THIS, AND I THINK THAT
ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WE NEED TO BE MAKING
PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER. UM THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. AND UH AND
I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON YOU
KNOW, WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT
BETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU.
WE'LL HAVE OTHER COLLEAGUES, UH,
COMING IN, UH, THROUGHOUT THE
DAY, AND WE'LL GIVE THEM AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING AS
WELL. SO LET'S GET STARTED WITH
OUR FIRST PANEL. WHICH WILL
PROVIDE US AN INTRODUCTION TO
HAPPINESS. UH, AS A SUBJECT. OUR
FIRST PANELIST IS THE PREVIOUSLY
MENTIONED, UH ROCCO BALICH, WHO
STARTED THIS WHOLE THING FOR ME.
UM HE'S AN ACADEMY AWARD, UH,
NOMINATED FILMMAKER IN 2011. HE
CORO CORO AND DIRECTED THE AWARD
WINNING FILM HAPPINESS HAPPY
FOCUSING ON HAPPINESS AROUND THE
GLOBE. UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME. YEAH. SO, UH, I'M A
FILMMAKER. I FOR ABOUT I MADE
MOVIES. ABOUT, UH, MUSICIAN. I
MADE MOVIES ABOUT DREAMS. UM I
MADE A MOVIE ABOUT THE BATMOBILE
. BUT THE MOVIE THAT CHANGED MY
LIFE, UH, IS A MOVIE I MADE
CALLED HAPPY. UM IT WAS, UH, A
STUDY INTO THE SCIENCE OF
HAPPINESS. UH I DIDN'T KNOW
THERE WAS A SCIENCE OF
HAPPINESS. IT JUST SO HAPPENED
THAT MY FRIEND ASKED THE
QUESTION. YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY
MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY AT THE TIME
WHEN THIS WHEN POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY WAS BEGINNING WE WENT
TO 14 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD
TO DISCOVER WHAT ARE THE TRUE
CAUSES OF HUMAN HAPPINESS. UM
LIKE MISS SHAVE? I WAS BORN
PRETTY HAPPY. I FIGURED YOU'RE
EITHER BORN LOOKING ON THE
BRIGHT SIDE OR NOT. I'VE KNOWN
GRUMPY PEOPLE MY WHOLE LIFE AND
I FIGURE THIS IS KIND OF THE LOT
YOU HAVE. I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL
I STARTED MAKING THIS FILM HOW
MUCH OF HAPPINESS IS ACTUALLY
WITHIN OUR CONTROL? WHEN I
STARTED MAKING THE FILM A FRIEND
OF MINE ASKED ME, SHE SAID, YOU
KNOW, ARE YOU SURE YOU SHOULD BE
MAKING A MOVIE ABOUT HAPPINESS?
BECAUSE THE WORLD IS SUFFERING?
THERE ARE KIDS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES WHO ARE GOING TO BED
HUNGRY. THERE'S CRIME IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE'S WAR.
SHOULD YOU REALLY BE FOCUSING ON
HAPPINESS? NOW? ISN'T THAT A BIT
SELFISH AND IT STOPPED ME IN MY
TRACKS. AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS
MAKING A VERY, VERY POWERFUL
POINT. BECAUSE, LIKE MISTER
RENDON, I ALSO WANNA MAKE THE
WORLD A BETTER PLACE. AND THEN I
CAME ACROSS SOME RESEARCH THAT
CHANGED THE WAY THAT I THINK
ABOUT HAPPINESS. THE RESEARCH
ESSENTIALLY SAYS THAT HAPPY
PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO HELP A
STRANGER IN NEED. THEY'RE MORE
LIKELY TO COME UP WITH A
CREATIVE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM.
IF THERE ARE A STUDENT, THEY'RE
A BETTER STUDENT. IF THEY'RE A
TEACHER, THEY'RE A BETTER
TEACHER. IF THEY'RE AN EMPLOYEE
OR AN EMPLOYER, THEY DO A BETTER
JOB IF THEY'RE HAPPY. HAPPY
PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER, MORE
RESILIENT AND LONGER LIVES. AND
THEY'RE LESS LIKELY. TO POLLUTE.
OR HURT MY CHILDREN. OR COMMIT A
CRIME. AND I REALIZED THAT
EVERYTHING THAT I CARE ABOUT
INJUSTICE, FAMINE WAR ALL THESE
THINGS THAT I WANT TO FIX THAT I
WANT TO HELP MAKE BETTER OR
IMPROVED WITH INCREASED
HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD. I ASKED
ED DIENER, ONE OF THE LEADING
RESEARCHERS IN POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY LATE AT DINNER. I
SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT'S THE KEY?
THERE MUST BE SOME SORT OF KEY.
AND HE SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW,
HAPPINESS CAN EXIST ACROSS ALL
DEMOGRAPHICS RICH AND POOR, OLD
AND YOUNG, EVEN HEALTHY AND
SICK. YOU CAN FIND HAPPY PEOPLE
EVERYWHERE. HE SAID. THE ONE
COMMON THREAD AMONGST ALL HAPPY
PEOPLE IS THAT THEY HAVE STRONG
RELATIONSHIPS. HE SAID. YOU
DON'T HAVE TO BE THE CLASS CLOWN
OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A
MILLION FRIENDS. YOU BASICALLY
HAVE TO LOVE SOMEONE AND BE
LOVED BY SOMEONE. HAPPY PEOPLE
HAVE MORE MEANING IN THEIR LIFE.
THEY TEND TO EXPERIENCE A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PLAY OR
NOVELTY, DIFFERENT RATIOS FOR
DIFFERENT PEOPLE. BUT THESE ARE
SOME TENDENCIES. THEY TEND TO BE
GRATEFUL FOR WHAT THEY HAVE. AND
I STARTED THINKING WELL, THESE
ARE ALL INTUITIVE. THIS IS KIND
OF WHAT MY GRANDMA TAUGHT ME.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME I HAD
STOPPED PLAYING. FOR 12 YEARS AS
AN ASPIRING FILMMAKER. I HADN'T
SURFED A SINGLE DAY IN THAT 12
YEARS. I STOPPED HANGING OUT
WITH MY FRIENDS BECAUSE AS A
WORKER IN AMERICAN WORKPLACE,
YOU DON'T PRIORITIZE HANGING OUT
WITH FRIENDS. THAT'S NOT A
RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO YOU
PRIORITIZE WORK. AND IT WAS ONLY
AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF THESE THINGS THAT
I STARTED TO RECALIBRATE MY OWN
LIFE. NOW I HAVE CHILDREN. THE
EXPERIENCE WAS SO IMPACTFUL TO
ME, WE MADE A CURRICULUM THAT
GOES ALONG WITH A HAPPY FILM
THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO SCHOOLS
AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND
THE WORLD. BECAUSE I WANT MY
KIDS TO GROW UP BUILDING THESE
HèA HABITS FOR HEALTHY AND HAPPY
LIVES, AND I WANT THEIR THEIR
PEERS TO, TOO, BECAUSE THEY'RE
THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO
CREATE THE WORLD OF THE FUTURE.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD TO
MAKE. THE FILM IS WHERE WHERE
HAVE PEOPLE GOTTEN IT RIGHT.
WHERE IS THEIR SYSTEMIC
HAPPINESS? AND A PLACE LIKE
OKINAWA POPPED UP. UH, HAPPY.
PEOPLE TEND TO BE HEALTHIER AND
LIVE LONGER AS I MENTIONED AND
THERE ARE A LOT OF OLD PEOPLE IN
OKINAWA, THERE'S ACTUALLY A
VILLAGE THERE CALLED THE
LONGEVITY VILLAGE. PEOPLE THERE
KNOW HOW TO BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY
AND LIVE LONG AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I SAW IS THE WAY
THAT THEY DE, THEY SUPPORT
RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY BETWEEN GENERATIONS.
THEY HAVE THESE TRADITIONS THAT
BRING TODDLERS AND GREAT GREAT
GRANDPARENTS, EVEN FROM
UNRELATED FAMILIES TOGETHER ON A
REGULAR BASIS. THERE'S A
MARCHING BAND FULL OF TEENAGERS
AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO PLAYS
REGULARLY. AND INVITES OLDER
PEOPLE AND YOUNGER PEOPLE TO
COME DANCE WITH THEM EVERY
FRIDAY NIGHT. THERE'S THESE SORT
OF SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS TO
DISCONNECTION
DISENFRANCHISEMENT. THEY'RE
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN WAYS
THAT WERE VERY INSPIRING TO ME.
BUT ACTUALLY THE PLACE THAT I
THINK HOLDS THE SORT OF, UH,
GEMS FOR US TO CONSIDER. HERE IS
A PLACE CALLED CURITIBA IN
BRAZIL. NOW CURITIBA IS A
LANDLOCKED. INDUSTRIAL POLLUTED
CITY THAT HAD BASICALLY NOTHING
GOING FOR IT. THERE'S NÓ
TROPICAL BEACHES. THERE'S NÓ
BEAUTIFUL RAIN FOREST. IT WAS AN
ARMPIT OF BRAZIL, IT WAS
POLLUTED. UH, AND A YOUNG MAYOR
NAMED JAIME LERNER INHERITED THE
POSITION. HE WAS APPOINTED AND
WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS
THE FISHERMEN CAME TO HIM AND
THEY SAID, JAMIE, WE CAN'T WE
CANNOT FEED OUR FAMILIES.
BECAUSE THE BAY IS SO POLLUTED.
WE'RE CATCHING MORE GARBAGE IN
OUR FISHING NETS AND FISH. SO MR
LERNER LOOKED INTO IT, AND HE
DISCOVERED THAT FOR A FEW TENS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THEY CAN
IMPORT SOME BOATS FROM
SCANDINAVIA, AND THEY COULD
CLEAN UP THE BAY, AND IT MIGHT
TAKE A HALF A DECADE. THIS IS A
BROKE THIRD WORLD CITY. THEY HAD
NÓ MONEY AND THEY COULDN'T
AFFORD THE TIME THAT IT WOULD
TAKE TO DO THAT. AND SHAY GOT AN
IDEA, HE SAID. WHY DON'T YOU
FISHERMEN KEEP FISHING? CATCH AS
MUCH GARBAGE AS YOU CAN, AND
WE'LL PAY YOU POUND FOR POUND
WHERE YOU WOULD BE PAID IF YOU
HAD BEEN CATCHING FISH. WITHIN A
YEAR. THEY CLEANED UP THE BAY.
THE FISH STARTED COMING BACK.
AND THE EXPERIENCE BROUGHT THE
COMMUNITY TOGETHER, NOT JUST THE
FISHERMEN. BUT THE PEOPLE OF KA
AND THE LEADERSHIP BECAUSE THEY
REALIZED THEY COULD WORK HAND IN
HAND, FIND A CREATIVE SOLUTION
TO PROBLEM THAT ESSENTIALLY COST
ALMOST NOTHING. I WAS A WIN WIN
ON ALL SIDES. KIP IS ALSO ON A
FLOOD PLAIN LIKE WE ARE HERE IN
SACRAMENTO. BUT UNLIKE
SACRAMENTO, THEY COULD NOT
AFFORD A SYSTEM OF COMPLEX AND
EXPENSIVE LEVIES. SO ONCE AGAIN,
MR LERNER AND HIS TEAM LOOKED
AROUND, THEY SAID, WHAT'S
ANOTHER SOLUTION? AND THEY
REALIZED THAT IF THEY CONVERT
THIS FLOODPLAIN INTO PARKS IF
THEY PLANT ENOUGH TREES, THERE
WOULD BE A NATURAL ABSORBING
SYSTEM FOR FLOODS. THAT WOULD
ALSO INCREASE PUBLIC SPACE THAT
WOULD NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEY
HAD A GOAL TO PLANT A MILLION
TREES. BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE
LABOR FORCE, SO HE EMPOWERED THE
COMMUNITY. SO LET'S COME OUT ON
THE WEEKENDS. WE'LL BUY DONUTS
AND COFFEE. LET'S GET TOGETHER
AND DO THIS, AND IT WORKED AND
THE COMMUNITY RALLIED TOGETHER.
IT UH, CURITIBA'S A PLACE WITH
MORE PUBLIC OPEN SPACE THAN
ALMOST ANY OTHER CITY IN THE
WORLD. THE REASON I WENT TO CURA
IS NOT BECAUSE IT'S AN IMP, UH,
INDUSTRIAL POLLUTED ARMPIT OF
BRAZIL. I WENT THERE BECAUSE IT
WAS LISTED AS ONE OF THE
HAPPIEST CITIES IN THE WORLD
BECAUSE OF THE WORK THEY DID.
THESE EXPERIENCES BROUGHT THEIR
COMMUNITY TOGETHER. GAVE THEM A
PLACE TO PLAY AND MEET AND
NURTURE. THE RELATIONSHIPS GAVE
US SOME NOVELTY AND A SENSE OF
EMPOWERMENT AND MEANING. TO
WHERE PEOPLE BELIEVED IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SHAME. LERNER SAYS THAT CITIES
ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY'RE THE
SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS
BECAUSE THROUGH CITIES AND
COOPERATIONS, WE CAN DO AMAZING
THINGS. TO NURTURE HEALTHY,
HAPPY, RESILIENT PEOPLE AND
SOCIETY. HAPPINESS ITSELF
DOESN'T COST MONEY. BUT IT IS UP
TO US TO CHOOSE TO PURSUE IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, I'LL
ASK THE QUESTIONS. WELL. YEAH.
GOOD. GOOD. YEAH. UH, NOT SURE
IF YOU HAVE IT, BUT HOW'S THIS?
AH! I'M NOT SURE IF MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
BUT I'LL I'LL KICK IT OFF. UH,
YOU MENTIONED POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY, WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT I'VE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH,
THROUGH, UH, STARTING WITH YOU,
UH, AND YOUR WORK, BUT CAN YOU
GO AND EXPLAIN TO OTHER FOLKS
WITH POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY?
THERE'S UH PEOPLE HAD STUDIED
PATHOLOGY, DEPRESSION AND
PROBLEMS. PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS
. THEY THOUGHT THAT STUDYING
HAPPINESS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. AND IT
WASN'T UNTIL A FEW DETERMINED
PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO SAID NÓ NÓ,
THERE MUST BE A WAY TO STUDY THE
OTHER HALF OF THE SPECTRUM
STARTED DOING IT. UM ROUGHLY 35
YEARS AGO, ED DEER WAS, UH, IS
SORT OF KNOWN BY OR ACKNOWLEDGED
BY MANY PEOPLE TO BE THE SORT OF
GODFATHER OF THIS, UH, THIS
FIELD. UM PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THE
VALUE OF IT IMMEDIATELY, AND
THERE'S WHEN I STARTED MAKING
THE FILM IN 2005. THERE WAS A
THREE BOOKS THAT WERE WRITTEN
ABOUT HAPPINESS. WITHIN A YEAR
OR TWO. THERE WERE DOZENS, UM, I
IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW FIELD. BUT
AS YOU MENTIONED, MISTER R THE
DATA, YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT I WAS
INTERESTED IN. EVERYBODY'S HAD
AN OPINION ON HAPPINESS FOR
100,000 YEARS, BUT NOW WE
FINALLY HAVE DATA THAT'S
POINTING THE WAY TO WAYS THAT
ARE SUPPORTING THE INTUITIVE
IDEAS THAT ARE GRANDPARENTS TOLD
US AND ALSO SUPPORTING SOME
COUNTER INTUITIVE IDEAS THAT
THAT GO AGAINST THE GRAIN OF OUR
CULTURE. UM I'M NOT SURE IF I
ANSWERED THE QUESTION ADEQUATELY
. YOU DID FOR SURE. I APPRECIATE
THAT. UH, YOU ALSO MENTIONED THE
CURRICULUM, WHICH IS I WORKED IN
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR
ABOUT 20 YEARS. SO I'M ALWAYS
INTERESTED IN THAT. WHAT WHAT
ARE YOU LOOKING AT? WHAT DOES IT
LOOK LIKE? AND WHAT IT WHAT AGE
LEVELS. AND THOSE TYPES OF
THINGS YES. SO WE HAVE
CURRICULUM FOR, UH GRADE SCHOOLS
AND ALSO HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE, SO
WE SORT OF TWO SETS OF
CURRICULUM. BECAUSE WE REALIZE
THIS IS, UM YOU KNOW, MAKING A
MOVIE IS CAN BE ENTERTAINING AND
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE
FAMILY. BUT IT CAN BE EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT FOR KIDS DEVELOPMENT
BECAUSE AT AT THE FUNDAMENTAL
LEVEL. IT'S ABOUT BEING AWARE OF
SOMETHING. THAT YOU JUST SIMPLY
WEREN'T AWARE OF BEFORE AND THE
EMPOWERMENT THAT PEOPLE FEEL
WHEN THEY LOOK INTO HAPPINESS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S NOT REALLY IN
THE VERNACULAR. IT'S NOT
SOMETHING WE LIKE I SAID. I KIND
OF THOUGHT YOU WERE BORN GRUMPY
OR LOOKING AT THE BRIGHT SIDE. I
THOUGHT THOSE WERE THE TWO
OPTIONS OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH WAS UP TO
US, AND THE CURRICULUM REALLY
HELPS EMPOWER CHILDREN TO
RECOGNIZE THEIR OWN PERSONAL
ROLE AND AUTONOMY IN CHOOSING A
PATH AND CHOOSING MANY PATHS.
MANY DECISIONS TO MAKE EVERY
SINGLE DAY THAT CAN LEAD TO
EITHER A HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER
AND MORE FLOURISHING LIFE OR THE
OPPOSITE. THANKS THAT'S GREAT.
YEAH AND I THINK FROM THAT
PERSPECTIVE REMINDS ME. I'VE
READ A LOT OF DANIEL SIEGEL AND
MINDSIGHT AND MINDFULNESS AND TO
A LARGE EXTENT, I THINK IT'S A
LOT ABOUT WHAT HE CALLS A
AWARENESS AWARENESS. UH WHICH I
THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO
VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING WE DO, UH,
FROM A WORK PERSPECTIVE TO A
FAMILY PERSPECTIVE. UH AND SO ON
, UM I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION
AND I WANT TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES
IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UM, BUT, UM OR STATE GOVERNMENT.
UH, WE FUNCTION AT THE 35,000 FT
LEVEL. UM WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT
WHAT CAN WE DO? UH AND ALSO WHAT
? WHAT CAN WE NOT DO? UH, YOU
KNOW WHAT? HOW CAN WE UH, HELP
TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
HAPPINESS. AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO
STAND IN THE WAY? WHAT? WHAT
SHOULD WE DO TO MAKE SURE WE GET
OUT OF THE WAY. AS THESE ARE
EXCELLENT QUESTIONS AND I. I
FEEL LIKE THERE'S ENOUGH
ATTENTION PAID TO THE FINANCIAL
BEDROCK THAT IS REQUIRED. YOU
KNOW, IF YOU IF YOU HAVE NÓ
MONEY AN EXTRA $5000 A YEAR
MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. AND
THOSE POLICIES, I THINK, ARE
THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE FOCUSING
ON. UH, I BELIEVE THAT IN THE
HAPPINESS SIDE OF THINGS. SIMPLY
HAVING A CONVERSATION, STARTING
THE CONVERSATION, OPENING UP THE
DIALOGUE THAT THERE ARE WAYS TO
BE HAPPY THAT HAVE TO DO WITH
VALUES. UM THAT RESEARCHER NAMED
TIM CAER AND, UH, KNOX COLLEGE
IN ILLINOIS. HE STUDIED THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTRINSIC
GOALS AND EXTRINSIC GOALS. AND
PEOPLE WHO PRIORITIZE MONEY.
POWER FAME. GOOD LOOKS, SOCIAL
STATUS ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE
HAPPY. WHETHER THEY SUCCEED OR
NOT. THAN SOMEBODY WHO
PRIORITIZES. WHAT HE CALLS
COMMUNITY FILLING GOALS WANTING
TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
WANTING TO IMPROVE THINGS
DEVELOPING YOURSELF AS A PERSON.
SO THESE CONVERSATIONS DON'T
NECESSARILY COST MONEY. BUT JUST
BEING IN THE MINDS OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE DIRECTING THE CONVERSATIONS,
I THINK IS THE FIRST STEP. TO
GIVE A VOICE TO THESE IDEAS, AND
MANY OF THE PANELISTS HERE HAVE
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW,
AND HAVE FOCUSED ON SOME OF
THESE POLICY POSSIBILITIES AND
GIVING THEM A PLATFORM. TO
EXPRESS THOSE WHETHER IT'S IN
SCHOOL OR WHETHER IT'S IN
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS LIKE THIS.
UM I THINK YOU YOU'RE EXACTLY ON
THE RIGHT PATH, MR RENDON, AND I
APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE DOING
THIS. THANKS I'VE BEEN, UH WE'VE
BEEN JOINED BY. UH UH. ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS. UH, BRIAN WALDRON AND
MCKENNA AND I'M GONNA GIVE THEM
AN OPPORTUNITY IN A SEC TO SAY
HELLO IF THEY WISH, BUT I
BELIEVE MR RAMOS HAS A QUESTION
FIRST. THANK YOU, UH, MR CHAIR
ON ON THE DATA THAT'S BEING
COLLECTED HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND DISTRICTS THAT WE
REPRESENT. THERE'S DIFFERENT.
UM, BOUTS LIKE HEALTHY BELT. UM
WHERE PEOPLE ARE ARE LIVING
HEALTHIER OR LONGER LIVES. IS
THERE DATA THAT'S BEING
COLLECTED TO SUBSTANTIATE THE
HAPPINESS COMPONENT TO MAYBE
LONGEVITY OF LIFE OR EVEN
ECONOMIC, UM, PURSUIT. UM YES,
IF YOU MEAN IS THERE DATA THAT
CORRELATES LONG LIFE TO
HAPPINESS. YES. UH I CAN'T POINT
TO A SPECIFIC STUDY. BUT I CAN
FIND IT FOR YOU AFTERWARDS AND
THERE IS DATA AND MAYBE SOMEBODY
ELSE ON THE PANEL CAN CAN POINT
TO THAT. IN OTHER WORDS, UM,
HAPPY PEOPLE TEND TO LIVE
HEALTHIER. THEY'RE IN THE
HOSPITAL. LESS OFTEN, THEY GET
SICK LESS OFTEN, AND THEY
ACTUALLY LIVE LONGER. UM IF THAT
ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION IN TERMS
OF ECONOMICS YOU DON'T HAVE TO
BE EXTREMELY WEALTHY TO BE
HAPPY. AND IF YOU'RE EXTREMELY
POOR, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE
UNHAPPY. BUT THERE IS A KIND OF
A CURVE. IT'S NOT A STRAIGHT
LINE. MONEY TO A VERY POOR
PERSON. A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY
MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO A
VERY WEALTHY PERSON MAKES VERY
LITTLE DIFFERENCE. I'M NOT SURE
IF I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT
THERE IS DATA ABOUT WHERE THAT
CURVE IS HOW MUCH INCOME IS
REQUIRED SO SORT OF FOR A BASE
LEVEL AND ALSO IS THERE DATA IN
THE EARLY AGE OF A PERSON, UM,
CORRELATING WITH HAPPINESS AS
FAR AS HOW THEY'RE STRIVING AND,
UM, TACKLING LIFE'S ISSUES. I
DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION. SPECIFICALLY, UM IT'S
A IT'S A GOOD ONE. IT'S GREAT. I
MEAN, THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW.
THANK YOU. UM UH, MR CHAIR FOR
PUTTING US ON THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE, AND I THINK THERE ONE
CAN WE FIND AND WE PULL BACK
THAT THAT LAYER WE'LL FIND THAT
HAPPINESS IS A CORRELATION TO
EARLY GROWTH TO ISSUES THAT WE
TACKLE RIGHT AND ULTIMATELY, UM,
THE HAPPINESS COMPONENT CAN LEAD
TO THAT. THAT LONG, UH,
LIVELIHOOD OF A PERSON, SO I'M
INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT DATA.
AS THIS COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO
MOVE FORWARD, MR. RAMOS, CAN I
JUMP IN? SORRY. YOU YOU'RE
BRINGING UP AAA VERY IMPORTANT
POINT, WHICH IS THAT? UM
ESSENTIALLY, THERE IS NÓ DOMAIN
EXCEPT TWO. THAT I KNOW OF WERE
HAPPINESS IS NOT A WIN WIN WIN
ON ALL SIDES. HAPPY PEOPLE GET
HEALTHIER, THEY MAKE MORE MONEY,
BETTER RELATIONSHIPS. ALL OF
THESE THINGS ARE MORE
PRODUCTIVE. EVERYTHING. IF
YOU'RE AN AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLER, BECAUSE HAPPINESS
AND, UH AND OPTIMISM GO HAND IN
HAND HAPPY PEOPLE TEND TO BE A
LITTLE OPTIMISTIC. YOU DON'T
WANT THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER
TO SAY OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
THEY'LL BE FINE. THEY WON'T HIT,
SO THERE'S A COUPLE TINY
DOMAINS, BUT BASICALLY
HAPPINESS, I THINK AND THAT'S
ACROSS. UH UH, AGE BOUNDARIES. I
THINK FROM START TO FINISH. IF
YOU ARE HAPPY YOU WILL FLOURISH
AND THRIVE MORE LIKELY THAN IF
YOU ARE UNHAPPY, IF JUST TO
SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT
MR RAMOS. YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU,
MS. UM THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I
HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM YET. BUT
NOW I WANT TO SEE IT, AND I ALSO
WANNA BRING THE CURRICULUM INTO
MY DAUGHTER'S CLASS. UM, AS I
MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK
YOUR POINT ABOUT INTENTIONALITY,
UH, IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND YOU
KNOW, AND THINKING ABOUT AT THE
GOVERNMENT LEVEL, HOW CAN WE, UM
, SUPPORT POLICIES THAT BRING
PEOPLE TOGETHER? YOU KNOW, LIKE
THE EXAMPLE OF BRINGING, UH,
TODDLERS AND SENIORS TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW THINGS THAT, UM CAN BE
INCENTIVIZED, I THINK OR, YOU
KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO
REALLY THINK ABOUT, UM, THINK
ABOUT THAT ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW,
BIGGEST STRESSES THAT II. I KNOW
WHERE, UH, DON'T TALK ABOUT
SPECIFIC POLICIES HERE, BUT I DO
HAVE A HOMEWORK BILL I'M WORKING
ON. UM AND YOU KNOW, AND WHAT
I'VE BEEN FINDING IN THE
RESEARCH IS THAT IT'S A THE TOP
THREE STRESSOR IN KIDS' LIVES.
UH, IS HOMEWORK AND OFTEN NUMBER
ONE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF
INTENTIONALITY AROUND THINGS
LIKE THAT. AND UM AND SO, YOU
KNOW, I'M MOVING SOMETHING JUST
TO HAVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS BE
INTENTIONAL. CONSIDER THE
IMPACTS IN THE RESEARCH AND PART
OF IT, I THINK IS REALLY YOU
KNOW, HAVING THAT TIME TO
CONNECT IN THE EVENING, RIGHT?
UM FOR KIDS. THEY'RE ASKED TO DO
THREE DIFFERENT SHIFTS. THEY GO
TO SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY GO TO
AFTER SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY COME
HOME AND THEY SIT AT A TABLE AND
THEY DO HOMEWORK ALL NIGHT, YOU
KNOW, AND WE'RE NOT ASKING
ANYONE TO DO THAT. AND THEN
WE'RE WONDERING WHY OUR KIDS ARE
SO STRESS. OUT UM AND YOU KNOW,
AND IT'S STRESSFUL FOR THE WHOLE
FAMILY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE
TIME TO CONNECT WITH OUR KIDS.
UM THEY DON'T HAVE TIME FOR
THINGS THAT BRING THEM JOY
PLAYING WITH FRIENDS,
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES,
TEAMS THAT THEY CAN BE A PART OF
, UM AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK,
MAKING SURE THAT IN OUR POLICY
MAKING WE'RE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT,
UM ABOUT CREATING SPACE FOR THAT
THAT DOWNTIME HAS VALUE. IT'S
NOT JUST WASTED TIME. UM THAT
PLAY TIME HAS VALUE FOR KIDS. UM
AND THE FAMILY TIME P Dð F. I
JUST LEARNED THIS P Dð F
PLAYTIME, DOWNTIME AND FAMILY
TIME. UM BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS
HAVE HAVE VALUE AND, UM AND I,
YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE POINT
THAT YOU'RE MAKING ABOUT THE
RIPPLE EFFECTS OF HAPPINESS,
RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE KIDS
WALKING INTO SCHOOLS WITH GUNS,
UM, TO SHOOT. IF THEY'RE HAPPY.
YOU KNOW, AND, UM YOU KNOW, AND
THERE'S SO MANY RIPPLE EFFECTS.
UM, WHEN YOU REALLY TACKLE
HAPPINESS IN THIS ITCH THIS, UM
DISCONNECTION CRISIS OF
DISCONNECTION THAT WE SEE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW, UM, SO
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF
THERE'S ANY KIND OF OTHER
SYSTEMATIC UM SHIFTS OR OR
POLICIES THAT YOU SAW AN
EXAMPLES AROUND THE WORLD WHEN
YOU WERE DOING THIS, BUT I WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR THEM IF THEY'RE
THERE WERE OTHERS. WELL I THINK
YOU'RE POINTING TO THE SOLUTION
DIRECTLY, WHICH IS TO BE AWARE
THAT A CHILD SCHEDULE IS NOT
JUST IN THE SERVICE OF THEM
GETTING INTO A PRESTIGIOUS
COLLEGE. UM BUT ALSO IN THE
SERVICE OF THEIR WELL BEING JUST
BEING AWARE OF THAT AND THEN
ASKING THE APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPTIMIZE
THAT, I THINK IS THE CENTER.
POINT OF WHERE WE FIND A
SOLUTION. I HAVE A 12 YEAR OLD
DAUGHTER AND A NINE YEAR OLD
SON, AND THEY ALSO COME HOME
WITH STORIES ABOUT KIDS WHO ARE
DEPRESSED AND UNHAPPY AND WE
DON'T EVEN REALLY HAVE A
LANGUAGE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
THAT'S YOU KNOW, AND JUST A
COUPLE OF GENERATIONS. THAT'S
ALREADY A VERY DIFFERENT THING.
I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE THAT GROWING
UP. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW,
I GREW UP IN CHICAGO, AND I
DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL IN
CALIFORNIA, BUT TO ME, IT'S
ALWAYS BEEN AAA PLACE. THAT'S
CREATIVE. AND BRAVE AND FORWARD
THINKING AND OPEN TO NEW IDEAS,
AND THESE ARE THE KIND THAT'S
THE KIND OF STANCE. I THINK WE
NEED TO REALLY TACKLE. THESE
THIS EPIDEMIC OF DEPRESSION AND
MENTAL ILLNESS THAT WE'RE
SEEING. AND I THINK THIS ROOM IS
FULL OF PEOPLE. WELL MEANING I
THINK I THINK. WELL YOU KNOW
YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY
ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND THEN
PUTTING THOSE QUESTIONS IN FRONT
OF THE EDUCATORS WHO ARE
ACTUALLY CREATING THOSE POLICIES
AND THE HOMEWORK POLICIES AND MY
DAUGHTER. ALSO, SHE'S SHE WAS
UPSET THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE
STRAIGHT A PLUSES. UM SHE SHE'S
SHE'S VERY SELF MOTIVATED, BUT
THE POINT IS, SHE'S STRESSED
WITH HOMEWORK, AND, UH THERE'S
PROBABLY A BALANCE THAT WOULD
SERVE HER WHOLE BEING A LITTLE
BIT BETTER. THANK YOU, UH, ANY
MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR BÀN?
GREAT. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE BUT ALSO FOR YOUR
FILM, WHICH REALLY STARTED
STARTED THIS WHOLE THING 12
YEARS AGO. WELCOME. OH AWESOME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I
APPRECIATE THAT. SO THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE IT. WE'RE GONNA GO
INTO OUR NEXT PANELIST BEFORE WE
DO THEM ON, UH, ALLOW MR BRIAN
MS MCKENNA AND MS WALDRON IN
ALPHABETICAL ORDER, UH, TO SEE
IF THEY HAVE ANY. UH UH,
COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO SAY, AND
THANK ALL THREE OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK
YOU FOR, UH YOU ALL COMING AND
PROVIDING YOUR YOUR EXPERT
TESTIMONY TODAY. YOU KNOW, I
THINK AT AT FIRST THOUGHT OF
THIS COMMITTEE. I KNOW SOME
FOLKS ARE WHAT WHAT IS HAPPINESS
MATTER AND POLICY OUTCOMES. AND
I THINK THAT IS, THAT'S WHY I
SELECT COMMITTEE LIKE THIS IS
INTRIGUING AND INTERESTING AND
IMPORTANT, WE THINK ABOUT
OUTCOMES ALL THE TIME IN THIS
BUILDING. I HAVE ONE COLLEAGUE
WHO TOLD ME THE OTHER DAY THERE.
THEIR JOB IS TO LESSEN HUMAN
SUFFERING. I THINK OFTEN YOU
KNOW, WE DEFINE OUR JOB AS
IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE
OR THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR
PEOPLE. UM AND THINKING ABOUT
HOW TO OPERATIONALIZE THE
MEANING OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.
WHY NOT INCLUDE OR AT LEAST, UH,
ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND HOW
HAPPINESS CAN BE ONE OF THOSE
OUTCOME VARIABLES OR POTENTIALLY
EVEN ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL
VARIABLES BY WHICH THOSE OTHER
OUTCOMES UM, ACHIEVE GREATER
SUCCESS AND SO VERY INTERESTED
TO HEAR THIS CONVERSATION. UH,
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR FOR STARTING
THIS COMMITTEE AND GRATEFUL TO
BE HERE WITH Y'ALL. THANK YOU,
MR BRYAN. MS MCKENNA. YES THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. UM THIS IS VERY
INTERESTING. I DIDN'T REALLY
KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. BUT I AM
HAPPY. SO I WANTED TO COME IN
WHERE WE WERE GONNA BE TALKING
ABOUT HAPPINESS AND POLICY. BUT
I THINK FOR US FOR US, THE
MEMBERS, THIS IS A PRETTY
STRESSFUL JOB. AND I THINK AS WE
AS WE START TO CREATE POLICY AS
WE AS WE START TO DO POLICY FOR
TO MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES HAPPIER,
WE OURSELVES HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE NOT IN DEPRESSION AND
WE'RE IN THE RIGHT SPACE. AND I
THINK THAT HOW WE DO THAT IS
WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING
POLICY FOR PEOPLE MAKING SURE
THAT WE'RE CARING ABOUT OUR
NEIGHBORS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR
POLICY IS UPLIFTING FOLKS AND
NOT NOT CHASING TITLES OR NOT
CHASING POWER BECAUSE I THINK
THAT'S VERY STRESSFUL. IN OUR
JOB, SO IF I'M SO GLAD TO BE
HERE, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK
THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU, MS
MCKENNA, M WALDRON. THANK YOU,
MR SPEAKER. I UM, WAS EXCITED TO
BE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE. UM
HAVING SERVED 12 YEARS WE ALWAYS
THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE
HELP PEOPLE? THE GOAL SHOULD BE
HELPING PEOPLE IMPROVE THEIR
LIVES SAVE LIVES IN MANY WAYS.
UM I'VE SERVED ON HEALTH
COMMITTEE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY, UH
MUCH INTO QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES
, ESPECIALLY FOR HEALTH AND
HEALTH ACCESS. YOU KNOW, WE
FINDING HOW MANY HOW MUCH
CHILDHOOD TRAUMAS AFFECT PEOPLE.
THEY GROW INTO ADULTHOOD. AND
UM, YOU KNOW, IN SO MANY WAYS,
AND WE LOOK, I WORK IN THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SPACE, AND I
SEE YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD
YOU KNOW EXPERIENCES IN THEIR
YOUTH THAT HAVE LED THEM INTO
THE CYCLE OF RECIDIVISM THAT
THEY'RE IN, YOU KNOW, POVERTY,
UH, WE WANT YOU KNOW WE'RE
WORKING ON CLEAN ENVIRONMENTS. I
GREW UP IN THE SOUTH BRONX. MY
PARENTS WERE IMMIGRANTS TO ME
WHEN THE SO SOMETIMES THE SOOT
WOULD COME OUT OF THE
INCINERATORS OF THE APARTMENT
BUILDINGS, THE SIZE OF
NEWSPAPERS AND THE AIR. YOU
KNOW, I GO OUTSIDE, AND THAT'S
WHAT I THOUGHT. FRESH AIR WAS. I
MEAN, I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I
FINALLY YOU KNOW. WE MOVED FROM
THERE TO QUEENS. BUT, UM YOU
KNOW, AS A KID, YOU YOU LIVE IN
IT, AND YOU DON'T REALIZE WHAT
YOU'RE LIVING IN CONCRETE NÓ
GRASS, THINGS LIKE THAT. OUR
SCHOOLS NEVER HAD GRASS. UM JUST
A SIMPLE THINGS OF LIFE CAN
BRING SO MUCH MORE JOY. UM JUST
A HUG, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT
YOU'RE LOVED AND THAT'S WHAT I
SEE. WHEN I VISIT PRISONS,
PEOPLE THERE. THEY JUST NEVER
KNEW WHAT LOVE WAS. OR ANY KIND
OF EMPATHY OR COMPASSION. UM YOU
KNOW, HOW DO WE OPEN UP
OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE SO THAT
THEY CAN ACCESS THOSE THINGS? UM
YOU KNOW, HEALTH, SAFETY,
RECREATION, LEISURE TIME. EVEN
UM, YOU KNOW, WE AS LEGISLATORS,
UH, AS MISS MCKENNA SAID, WE
WORK ON PUBLIC POLICY ARE WHAT
WOULD SHOULD IT BE OUR GOAL OF
PUBLIC POLICY AND IT REALLY IS.
FOR THE HEALTH AND PROSPERITY OF
OUR RESIDENTS FOR POSITIVE
OUTCOME FOR QUALITY OF LIFE. UM
AND IF WE'RE NOT ACHIEVING THAT
IN OUR POLICIES, THEN WE'RE
FAILING. SO I THINK CALIFORNIA
HAS A GREAT ABILITY TO LEAD THE
WAY AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR
CHAIRMAN FOR PUTTING THIS
COMMITTEE TOGETHER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. WALDRON UH, AND
THANK YOU, ROCCO. APPRECIATE IT.
OUR NEXT PANELIST IS EMILIANA
SIMON THOMAS, THE SCIENCE
DIRECTOR AT THE GREATER GOOD
SCIENCE CENTER AT U, èC
BERKELEY AND A LEADING EXPERT ON
THE SCIENCE OF CONNECTION AND
COMPASSION. DOCTOR SIMON THOMAS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US
TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
INVITATION. I'M HONORED TO BE
HERE AND HAPPY TO SHARE THE
PERSPECTIVE OF THE GREATER GOOD
SCIENCE CENTER. AT THE GREATER
GOOD. WE TRACK, UH, PUBLISH
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON ALL
THINGS. HAPPINESS RELATED, UH,
HONOR THAT SOMETIMES IT'S CALLED
WELL BEING. SOMETIMES IT'S
CALLED FLOURISHING. SOMETIMES
IT'S CALLED THRIVING. SOMETIMES
IT'S CALLED SUBJECTIVE, WELL
BEING THE GOOD LIFE AND THE LIST
GOES ON. UM WE TURN FINDINGS
INTO INSIGHTS AND PROGRAMS AND,
UH, RESOURCES THAT PEOPLE CAN
USE TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN LIVES
AND TO CONTRIBUTE IN BENEFICIAL
WAYS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO
SOCIETY AND, UM ASPIRATIONALLY
TO THE GREATER GOOD. UM SO I
ALWAYS LIKE TO START WITH, LIKE,
WHY HAPPINESS AND RECOGNIZE AND
I THINK ROCCO ALSO ALLUDED TO
THIS THAT IN A HUMANS HAVE HAD A
TIMELESS INTEREST IN HAPPINESS,
AND, UM, WHENEVER PEOPLE ARE
ASKED QUESTIONS LIKE YOU KNOW,
WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? OR
WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR
CHILDREN? ALMOST EVERYBODY
SPONTANEOUSLY MENTIONS HAPPINESS
. UM AND YOU KNOW, HERE IN THE U
S¼ WE HAVE A CODIFIED AND
ALIENABLE RIGHT TO PURSUE IT AND
DEFEND IT. UM, SO THAT SAID
THERE'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL
DEFINITION OF HAPPINESS RIGHT
NOW THAT ALL SCHOLARS USE. UM
MOST THINK ABOUT IT IN A WAY
THAT ALIGNS WITH THE DEFINITION.
UH, FROM SONIA LUBOMIRSKI, WHO
WROTE THE HOW OF HAPPINESS AND
OTHER EARLY PIONEER IN HAPPINESS
SCIENCE. SHE DEFINES IT AS THE
EXPERIENCE OF JOY, CONTENTMENT
OR POSITIVE, WELL BEING COMBINED
WITH A SENSE THAT ONE'S LIFE IS
GOOD, MEANINGFUL AND WORTHWHILE.
AND THIS DEFINITION POSITS
HAPPINESS AS A BROAD UMBRELLA
LIKE GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC OF
LIFE THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN A
SPECIFIC, MOMENTARY EMOTIONAL
EXPERIENCE, AND IT'S AN
IMPORTANT DISTINCTION. UM THIS
DEFINITION PO, UM, ENCOMPASSES
SEVERAL LONG HELD IDEAS ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HAPPY TO BE
LUCKY RIGHT FOR A LONG TIME.
PERHAPS HAPPENSTANCE. HAPPY
COINCIDENCE? HAPPINESS WAS ABOUT
YOU KNOW THE CONFIGURATION OF
THE STARS WHEN YOU WERE BORN, UM
LIVING ACCORDING TO VIRTUE.
RIGHT. THAT'S ONE WAY THAT
PEOPLE DEFINE HAPPINESS,
ENJOYING ONESELF, I THINK FOR
BETTER OR FOR WORSE, THAT'S
PROBABLY THE MOST POPULAR,
ACCESSIBLE WAY OF THINKING ABOUT
HAPPINESS IS WHAT THE
ADVERTISING POWERS THAT BE. TELL
US. WE HAVE STAFF. IF WE GET
ENTERTAINED, WE'LL BE HAPPY AND
THEN BELONGING OR PLAYING A
HARMONIOUS ROLE IN A MUTUALLY
SORT OF, UH, SUPPORTIVE
COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE NEWER
EMERGING IDEAS FROM HAPPINESS
SCIENCE IS THAT HAPPINESS IS
INHERENTLY SHARED. MOST RESEARCH
TO DATE MEASURES HAPPINESS AT
THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, BUT
INCREASINGLY, STUDIES ARE
CONSIDERING HOW IT WORKS. IN
SOCIAL CONTEXTS. FOR EXAMPLE,
THERE WAS A STUDY. WELL FOR
EXAMPLE, DOES MY HAPPINESS
DEPEND ON THE HAPPINESS OF
PEOPLE AROUND ME? A RECENT STUDY
OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, UM TOOK
ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT THAT
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS GET RANDOMLY
ASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT DORMITORY
COMMUNITIES, AND THIS STUDY
SHOWED THAT THE SOCIAL
MICROCLIMATE THAT WAS MORE
EMPATHETIC AND HAPPIER,
PREDICTED INDIVIDUAL HAPPINESS
ABOVE AND BEYOND CHARACTERISTICS
LIKE ACHIEVEMENT OR SOCIO
ECONOMIC PRIVILEGE OR
PERSONALITY. UM THERE'S ANOTHER
OLDER STUDY, WHICH SHOWED THAT
HAPPINESS SPREADS COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE'S THIS WONDERFUL CHART
. WHERE ALL THE YELLOW UH,
SYMBOLS ARE KIND OF LUMPED
TOGETHER IN NEIGHBORHOOD
CLUSTERS, AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE
WHO ARE HAPPIER AND THE AU. THE
ILLUSION IS THAT THE HAPPINESS
IS THERE AND IT SPREADS AND IT
GROWS OVER TIME IN THIS SORT OF
GENERATIVE WAY. UM AS AS ROCCO
ALLUDED TO, THERE'S A NUMBER OF
WELL DOCUMENTED ADVANTAGES TO
HAPPINESS, UM TO GREATER
HAPPINESS, BOTH AT THE
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL AND AT THE
GROUP LEVEL. UM BETTER HEALTH.
LONGEVITY UH, BETTER ACADEMIC
AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS CLOSER,
LONGER LASTING SOCIAL BONDS,
CREATIVITY, INNOVATION,
INSTITUTIONAL TRUST AND PROGRESS
TOWARDS GOALS THAT SERVE THE
COMMON INTEREST. SEVERAL FACTORS
HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO IMPACT
HAPPINESS FROM PREDISPOSITION TO
LIFE STRESS TO HOW YOU SPEND
YOUR TIME AND RESOURCES AND
BASED ON THIS, PEOPLE OFTEN ASK.
WELL IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO
CHANGE HAPPINESS RIGHT NOW? IT'S
KIND OF ROCCO'S POINT. AND THE
ANSWER IS YES. IN PART WELL
JEANS AND IRREVERSIBLE LIFE.
HISTORY SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHY
ONE PERSON'S DEFAULT HAPPINESS
IS DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER'S AND
EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES. BARRING
EXTREME DISADVANTAGE. ALSO
EXPLAIN A BIT OF THIS VARIANCE.
OUR EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES AND
BEHAVIORS CAN INFLUENCE
HAPPINESS, MUCH MORE THAN MOST
PEOPLE TEND TO ASSUME. FOR
EXAMPLE, WHILE DESIRABLE, IN
ADDITION TO DEEPLY UNPLEASANT
LIFE EVENTS TEND NOT TO IMPACT
HAPPINESS IN LASTING WAYS,
BECAUSE WE'RE BIOLOGICALLY
EQUIPPED TO ACCLIMATE TO
PLEASURE AND RECOVER FROM PAIN.
THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO
INTENTIONALLY EXERCISES AND
ACTIVITIES THAT WE PRACTICE
REGULARLY THAT CAN SUSTAINABLY
INCREASE HAPPINESS IN LIFE. THE
EXPERIENCES AND BEHAVIORS THAT
FOSTER HAPPINESS GENERALLY FALL
INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
CONNECTION ENHANCING MUTUALLY
SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH
OTHERS THROUGH GENEROSITY,
COMPASSION AND RECONCILIATION.
NUMBER TWO POSITIVITY, WHICH IS
A HEALTHY APTITUDE FOR
EXPERIENCING UPLIFTING STATES
LIKE AMUSEMENT AND AWE AND
GRATITUDE, PRIORITIZING TIME AND
SPACE FOR THESE AND HAVING AN
OPTIMISTIC HOPEFUL OUTLOOK. AND
THEN THIRD IS RESILIENCE, AND
THIS IS AUTHENTICITY AND GRACE
IN THE FACE OF HARDSHIP.
RECOVERING FROM DISTRESS WITH
COURAGE AND EASE AND FINDING
WAYS TO LEARN AND GROW FROM
DIFFICULT TIMES. THE KEY
OPPORTUNITIES THAT I SEE FOR
ADVANCING HAPPINESS OR
CONDUCTING MORE RIGOROUS
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON
HAPPINESS, PROMOTING
INTERVENTIONS, ONES THAT SAMPLE
MORE DIVERSE AND REPRESENTATIVE
POPULATIONS AND THAT CONTROL FOR
PRE EXISTING ATTITUDES AND
EXPECTATIONS. WE'D ALSO BENEFIT
FROM A DEEPER EXAMINATION OF THE
BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES AND
STRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT AND
UPHOLD HAPPINESS. THIS WOULD
GIVE US A MECHANISTIC INSIGHT
INTO WHY GREATER HAPPINESS MAKES
US HEALTHIER. AND INFORM NEW
APPROACHES TO FOSTERING
HAPPINESS. AND THEN FINALLY MORE
WORK ON THE BASIS AND ADVANTAGES
OF GROUP LEVEL HAPPINESS THAT IS
SYSTEMICALLY OR SYSTEMATICALLY
MEASURING IT OVER TIME,
DISCOVERING IN CHARACTERIZING
THE EMERGENT BENEFITS, AND THIS
IS BEYOND THE MEAN OR SUM OF
HAPPINESS LEVELS OF THE
INDIVIDUALS IN SAID GROUPS. UM
MAYBE IT'S THE RIPPLE EFFECTS
THAT THAT ROCCO WAS ALLUDING TO
AND THEN DOCUMENTING OR
DISCOVERING EFFECTIVE METHODS
FOR IMPROVING GROUP LEVEL
HAPPINESS. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU
VERY HELPFUL. UH, I ENCOURAGE.
OBVIOUSLY ENCOURAGE MY
COLLEAGUES TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS
THEY HAVE. UM EARLIER, I TALKED
ABOUT THE NEED TO BE DATA DRIVEN
. UM I JUST FROM YOUR COMMENTS.
IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU BORROW,
BUT THE CENTER BORROWS BOTH FROM
THE NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES.
UH CAN CAN I SPEAK TO THAT? I
MEAN, YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT PREDISPOSITION, WHICH
OBVIOUSLY, I THINK IS SOMETHING
ABOUT STUDIES YOU HAVE FROM THE
NATURAL SCIENCES, AND THEN YOU
TALK A LOT ABOUT CONNECTION
WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SOCIOLOGY AND
OTHER TYPE PSYCH GROUP
PSYCHOLOGY. UM BUT I'M
INTERESTED IN IN THAT I
MENTIONED DANIEL SIEGEL EARLIER
WHO TALKS A LOT ABOUT THE HUMAN
BRAIN. AND SO I'M INTERESTED IN
THAT. DICHOTOMY, WHICH IS A
SCIENTIFIC DICHOTOMY BUT
INCLUDED IN EVERY INDIVIDUAL'S
MAKEUP IN THE IN A UNIFIED WAY.
YEAH, I MEAN, WHEN I WAS IN
COLLEGE, I TOOK A CLASS THAT WAS
CALLED NATURE VERSUS NURTURE.
AND THE ASSUMPTION WAS THAT YOU
HAD CERTAIN THINGS THAT WERE
YOUR GENES, AND THERE WAS
NOTHING YOU COULD DO ABOUT IT.
AND THE OTHER THINGS WERE ALL
YOUR PARENTS FAULT, AND NOW WE
KNOW THAT THE BODY DOESN'T WORK
THAT WAY AND EPIGENETIC
PROCESSES ARE PART OF OUR MENTAL
LIFE AND PART OF HOW WE DEVELOP
AS HUMANS, AND SO THERE ARE
CERTAIN KIND OF GENETIC
PREDISPOSITIONS OR JEAN'S
SYSTEMS THAT ARE IMPLICATED IN
BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES THAT MIGHT
MAKE SOMEONE MORE READILY ABLE
TO EXPERIENCE POSITIVE EMOTION
OR MIGHT MAKE THEM MORE
PREDISPOSED TOWARDS ANXIETY. UM
AND WE KNOW THAT EARLY LIFE
EXPERIENCES WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR
CHILDHOOD ACTUALLY HAS AN EFFECT
ON HOW YOUR GENES EXPRESS IN
SUCH A WAY THAT MAYBE YOU WOULD
END UP LESS HAPPY BECAUSE OF
SOME ADVERSITY OR TRAUMA. FIGHT
THE GENETIC PROFILE THAT YOU
MIGHT HAVE HAD, UH, FROM YOUR
FROM YOUR THE TIME THAT YOU WERE
BORN. UM THERE ARE PATHWAYS IN
THE BRAIN THAT HAVE GENETIC
UNDERPINNINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE
IMPLICATED IN A PERSON'S
HAPPINESS LEVEL, WHETHER YOU'RE
REWARD SYSTEMS THAT SPEAK IN THE
LANGUAGE OF DOPAMINE OR YOUR
AFFILIATIVE SYSTEM THAT'S
SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF
OXYTOCIN. UM OR YOU KIND OF EASE
AND CONTENTMENT. UH, MOOD STATE,
WHICH IS, UH, USUALLY TALKED
ABOUT IN THE CONTEXT OF
SEROTONIN. ALL OF THESE ARE LIKE
THINGS. THE BODY HAS THAT. ARE
AFFECTED BY YOUR DAY TO DAY
EXPERIENCE IN YOUR BRAIN IS JUST
MAKING ASSOCIATIONS ALL DAY.
LONG WITH WHAT YOU SEE HOW YOU
ACT AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT,
AND IT TURNS OUT ARE INTENTIONAL
CHOICES TO PUT OURSELVES IN
CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE MIGHT
EXPERIENCE ONE PARTICULAR THING
OVER ANOTHER, FOR EXAMPLE, AN A
MOMENT INMERSED IN NATURE CAN BE
A REALLY POWERFUL WAY TO REDUCE
OUR BLOOD PRESSURE. FEEL MORE,
UM, A GREATER SENSE OF COMMON
HUMANITY WITH ANOTHER PERSON AND
, UM, INCREASE OUR AGEL TONE. SO
THESE SYSTEMS ARE ALL VERY
INTERTWINED. AND, UM, IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO GATHER THE
DATA THAT HELPS US REALLY
CAREFULLY DOCUMENT THOSE THOSE
DYNAMICS AND RELATIONSHIPS.
THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT. UM AND
IT REMINDS ME THAT THERE'S
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONNECTIONS.
THERE'S SOCIAL CONNECTIONS. BUT
THERE'S ALSO I MEAN, UM AND FOOD
IS THEY TALK A LOT ABOUT A SENSE
OF IMMEDIACY, RIGHT? AND A SENSE
OF CONNECTION TO THE MOMENT. UH
WHICH I THINK IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. AND WE CAN, UM BE
VERY DISTRACTED AT TIMES. UM AND
I THINK THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT.
I BELIEVE MR BRYANT HAS A
QUESTION. YEAH. NÓ I. I THINK
THE CHAIR HAS RAISED AN
INTERESTING POINT AND INTO A
VIEW WITH KIND OF THE NATURE
NURTURE CONVERSATION AS IT
RELATES TO HAVING IT. OBVIOUSLY
WE LOOK FOR THINGS LIKE THE
CRIME GENE. BACK IN THE DAY I
WAS ADOPTED AS A CHILD UNDER MY
ADOPTIVE PARENTS WERE WONDERING,
COULD WERE THEY THE MAJOR
DRIVING INFLUENCE ON HOW IT
WOULD TURN OUT OR WAS I BORN A
CERTAIN WAY THAT THEY WERE GONNA
PREPARE AND WHETHER IT'S A
MIXTURE OF BOTH OF THOSE I'M
INTERESTED IN THE HAPPINESS
CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGOROUS
STUDY. WE KNOW HIERARCHICAL
STRESS AND LIKE GENERATIONAL
TRAUMA HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN
HEALTH OUTCOMES AND LIFE
EXPECTANCIES AND THINGS THAT WE
DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND. WE JUST
KNOW BLACK PEOPLE DIE SOONER AND
WE SUSPECT IT HAS AAA
CORRELATION WITH ENSLAVEMENT IN
CAPTIVITY AND SUBJECT, YOU KNOW,
GENERATIONAL SUBJUGATION. I'M
WONDERING IF IT DOES THAT. AND
THE HAPPINESS LITERATURE
SUGGESTS THAT THERE ARE SOME
GROUPS THAT HAVE A PRE
PREDISPOSITION TO BEING LESS
HAPPY BECAUSE OF THOSE SAME
HISTORICAL CONTEXT OR THAT THE
MECHANISMS BY WHICH YOU CAN
ACHIEVE GREATER HAPPINESS. UM
ALSO PLAY WITH THOSE WITH THAT
KIND OF HISTORICAL WEIGHT, OR IS
IT EACH KIND OF EACH PERSON'S,
UH, OWN EXPERIENCES IN THEIR
LIFETIME? ARE ARE WHAT DRIVE
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE HAPPINESS
OUTCOMES. IT'S SUCH A GOOD
QUESTION, AND I LIKE TO THINK
ABOUT IT FROM LIKE A MEDICAL,
UH, LENS. SO WHILE THERE ARE
CERTAIN VULNERABILITIES THAT
PEOPLE CAN HAVE THAT ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR THEIR
CULTURAL LEGACY THAT ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH, YOU KNOW THE
GEOGRAPHIC ORIGINS OF THEIR
IDENTITY. UM THEY ARE OFTEN LESS
PROMINENT THAN DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN ONE INDIVIDUAL AND THE
PERSON SITTING NEXT TO THEM, UM
THE SAME QUESTION OFTEN GETS
ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEX,
GENDER, YOU KNOW, DO DO WOMEN
ARE ARE THEY MORE LIKELY TO BE
HAPPY THAN MEN? UM USUALLY, ANY
BIG GROUP WISE DIFFERENCES ARE
ARE, UM, UNDERWHELMING COMPARED
TO THE THINGS THAT ARE APPARENT
IN AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIC
EXPERIENCE AND THEIR UM,
BIOLOGICAL MILIEU. SO I. I WOULD
I WOULD HIGHLY BE, I WOULD BE
HIGHLY SKEPTICAL OF ANY ARGUMENT
THAT A ANY KIND OF PERSON BASED
ON THEIR ETHNIC, UH OR IDENTITY
WOULD HAVE ANY LESS ELIGIBILITY
FOR HAPPINESS THAN ANYONE ELSE.
UM DESPITE THE PRESENCE OR
ABSENCE OF, YOU KNOW, UH,
DECADES OR CENTURIES OF
OPPRESSION AND, UM ADVERSITY AND
THAT'S NOT TO DIMINISH THE WAYS
THAT THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT
MAKE SOMEONE MORE VULNERABLE TO,
UM, A CERTAIN KIND OF STRESS
RESPONSE OR A CERTAIN KIND OF
VIGILANCE TO THREAT. I JUST
THINK THAT THOSE TWO THINGS, UH,
COEXIST, YOU CAN HAVE A AAA KIND
OF STRESSFUL LIFE OR OR A
PHYSIOLOGICAL MILIEU THAT IS
REACTIVE BUT ALSO BE A VERY
HAPPY PERSON, RIGHT? I DON'T
WANNA LIMIT HAPPINESS IN THE
TRADITIONAL KIND OF MASLOW. A
WHERE YOU ONLY GET TO IT IF ALL
THE OTHER NEEDS ARE MET. THERE
ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY
UNDERPRIVILEGED WHO LIVE VERY
SIMPLE LIVES WHO PUT US TO SHAME
IN TERMS OF THEIR CAPACITY TO
FIND JOY AND HAPPINESS IN THEIR
OVERALL LIFE. I MEAN, I THINK IN
MANY WAYS, THE BRAZILIAN CITIES
IS AN EXAMPLE. HERE'S A PLACE
WHERE THEY YOU KNOW. LIFE WAS
HARD, BUT THEY FIGURED OUT IN
SOME WAYS TO COME TOGETHER TO BE
TO MAKE PROGRESS TO CHANGE
THINGS IN A WAY THAT WAS SERVING
COMMON INTERESTS AND THAT REALLY
LED TO THEM SCORING REALLY HIGH
ON SOME MEASURE OF HAPPINESS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR BRYAN.
THE CONVERSATION REMINDS ME OF
GOING BACK TO YOUR POINT ABOUT
RESILIENCE, TOO, WHICH COULD BE
PART OF THAT OVERALL EQUATION. I
THINK GREAT ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
WE'RE GONNA GO. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE NEXT
PANELIST BEFORE. I DO WANT TO
SEE IF WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY MISS
ORTEGA. I WANTED TO SEE IF SHE
HAD ANYTHING SHE WANTED TO SAY.
MS ORTEGA IS GOOD, ALL RIGHT.
GONNA GO TO MY NOTES ARE A MESS
HERE. WE'RE GOING HERE. OK THANK
YOU. MILIANA OUR NEXT PANELIST
IS JOHN HALLIWELL, ECONOMIST AND
FOUNDING EDITOR OF THE WORLD
HAPPINESS REPORT. NOW IN ITS
11TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION HE IS
JOINING US REMOTELY FROM
VANCOUVER. DOCTOR HALLIWELL.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
èC AND YOU'RE YOU'RE AUDIBLE.
THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE?
SORRY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO START
ASKING ME? YEAH. YOU CAN GO
AHEAD AND GET STARTED. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THE, UH WORLD
HAPPINESS REPORT FOR THOSE OF
YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT HAD
ITS ORIGINS IN A UNITED NATIONS
HIGH LEVEL MEETING IN 2012. SO
PURSUANT TO THE 2011 RESOLUTION
BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF BHUTAN
BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO
MAKE HAPPINESS AND WELL BEING A
FOCUS FOR GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE
SERIOUSLY AND DESIGNING THEIR
POLICIES. IN THE PROCESS IN
MEETINGS IN BHUTAN PRIOR TO THAT
, APRIL 2012 MEETING, IT WAS
DECIDED THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT
TO FOR THAT MEETING SUMMARY OF
THE AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND DATA,
UH ABOUT WELL BEING AROUND THE
WORLD AND THAT WAS GATHERED
TOGETHER IN THE FIRST WORLD
HAPPINESS REPORT. IT APPARENTLY
FED QUITE A NEED AN INTEREST IN
THESE DATA BECAUSE THERE IS THIS
STANDARD LINE THAT IF YOU
TREASURE IT, YOU MEASURE IT. AND
IF YOU MEASURE IT, YOU TREASURE
IT. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS. AND IN
THE ABSENCE OF THE DATA, IT'S
HARD TO MOVE BEYOND THE
INSTINCTS INTO THE ACTION. AND
SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE
REASON WHY BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS
AROUND THE WORLD HAVE PAID A LOT
OF ATTENTION AND WHY WE'VE
ACQUIRED MORE AND MORE. SPREAD
IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S
PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED, AND
THE SCIENCE SAYS YOUR PREVIOUS
SPEAKERS HAVE SAID IS GROWING
FANTASTICALLY. SO OUR PURPOSE IS
EVERY YEAR TO TRY AND UPDATE OUR
REVIEW OF THE SCIENCE OFTEN
THROUGH SPECIAL CHAPTERS. WE'VE
GOT SPECIAL CHAPTERS ON
IMMIGRATION AND THE HAPPINESS OF
IMMIGRANTS. CITIES VERSUS
COUNTRIES THAT GENETIC BASIS OF
HAPPINESS. THIS YEAR. THE FOCUS
OF THE REPORT COMING OUT ON
MARCH. 20TH IS ON HAPPINESS AT
DIFFERENT AGES AND IN DIFFERENT
GENERATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD
WERE USED TO RANKING HAPPINESS
AND FOR US, UH, PICKING UP ON
WHAT OTHERS HAVE TOLD YOU, UH,
IS REALLY ASKING PEOPLE. TO
ANSWER ARISTOTLE'S QUESTION, HE
SAID. THE WAY TO JUDGE A GOOD
LIFE IS TO ASK A PERSON IN A
REFLECTIVE MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT
THEIR LIFE. AND SO THAT'S DONE
THROUGH THE, UH, ADVANTAGE OF
HAVING THE GALLUP WORLD POLL,
WHICH IS NOW ALMOST 20 YEARS
OLD. UH AND ASKS A QUESTION
AROUND THE WORLD, ASKING PEOPLE
TO THINK OF THEIR LIFE. AS
POSSIBLE LIFE AS A 10, AND THE
WORST IS A ZERO AND WHAT THEY
RATE THEIR LIVES TODAY. AND THEN
WE AND OTHERS TRY AND FIGURE OUT
WHAT UNDERLIES A GOOD LIFE. OF
COURSE, THE BASIC SCIENCE OF
WELL BEING IS LOOKING AT ALL
KINDS OF EXPERIMENTAL CONTEXT
AND SUBPOPULATION CONTEXT. WHEN
I'M SPEAKING TO GOVERNMENTS AS I
AM NOW, FIRST OF ALL, I
CONGRATULATE THEM FOR THINKING
ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S
VERY COMMON WHEN YOU SPEAK TO
GOVERNMENTAL OR
INTERGOVERNMENTAL OR GLOBAL
INSTITUTIONS. FOR PEOPLE TO SAY,
THAT'S GREAT. AND THEN TOMORROW
THEY GO BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY
WERE DOING YESTERDAY. MOVING
BEYOND THE INTEREST INTO THE
ACTION IS WHAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. I'D LIKE TO SPEND A
COUPLE OF MINUTES GIVING SOME
SPECIFIC ADVICE IF YOU LIKE. I'M
HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THESE
ISSUES FROM COMING UP WITH
DIFFERENT AGES. COUPLE OF
THOUGHTS WERE SPURRED BY WHAT
I'VE HEARD FROM YOUR OTHER, UH,
PANELISTS. ONE WAS THE QUESTION
OF TODDLERS AND SENIORS. OR THAT
WAS A THEY HAVE BEEN ONE OF YOUR
COMMITTEE MEMBERS RATHER THAN
THE OTHER PANELISTS, BUT IT'S
CERTAINLY TRUE. UH AND THERE'S A
KEY ROLE FOR GOVERNMENTS IN THAT
BECAUSE THIS IRATE, MORE GENERAL
PROBLEM WITH GETTING A MOVE
TOWARDS ENABLING PEOPLE TO BUILD
HAPPIER LIVES FOR OTHERS, AND
FOR THEMSELVES IS THERE'S A
CLIMATE OF RISK. REDUCTION SO
ALMOST EVERY ORGANIZATION I'M IN
AND I'M SURE IT'S TRUE IN YOUR
DEPARTMENTS. COMPARED TO 20
YEARS AGO. THEY ALL HAVE RISK
COMMITTEES. THEY'RE ALL DESIGNED
TO DEVELOP PROCEDURES AND
METHODS AND CHECKLISTS FOR
EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE
RISKS. WELL, THAT TYPICALLY
INVOLVES CLOSING DOORS. WHEN
WHAT YOU WANT IS OPEN DOORS. LET
ME GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.
THERE IS A OK IN SASKATOON THAT
BRINGS TOGETHER A GRADE SIX
CLASS FOR A WHOLE YEAR PUTS IT
INTO AN ELDER CARE FACILITY.
WE'VE BEEN NOW STUDYING THAT.
EXPERIMENT FOR MORE THAN FOUR
YEARS. IT'S BEEN GOING FOR
LONGER THAN THAT. AND IT'S QUITE
APPARENT FROM THE DETAILED
INVESTIGATIONS OF THE LIVES OF
THE STUDENTS, THEIR TEACHERS,
THE ELDERS, THE FAMILIES OF THE
STUDENTS, THE PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY
WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT
EVERYBODY'S LIFE IS IMPROVED.
IT'S A TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE NÓ.
IT'S JUST A CLASS CLASS AND THE
TEACHER MOVE INTO A SPACE THAT'S
NÓ BIGGER THAN THE OR SMALLER
THAN THE SPACE THEY WOULD HAVE
HAD IN THE SCHOOL. IT'S JUST A
DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING OF
THINGS. IT'S USING THE ELDERS TO
TEACH THE YOUNGER IT USING THE
YOUNGERS TO TEACH. ELDERS. AND
I'M SURE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES IN
FAMILIES AND I WOULD WOULD ALLOW
YOU TO SEE WELL, OF COURSE IT'S
A NÓ BRAINER. WHY AREN'T WE
DOING IT EVERYWHERE? WELL THE
REASON WHY IS VERY HARD TO IT'S
A SCHOOL BOARD WHO'S TRYING TO
KEEP THEIR KIDS SAFE AND NOT LET
THEM INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WITH
ELDER CARE FACILITIES. THEY
DON'T WANT THE PEOPLE INSIDE TO
GO OUT. THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE
OUTSIDE TO COME IN, SO THEY
LOCKED THEM UP AND THEY DIE AND
A BORED THEM IN FRONT OF THE
TELEVISION SET. AND SO IF YOU
LOUD DOORS TO STAY CLOSED,
RATHER THAN FORCE THEM OPEN SO
THAT GOOD THINGS CAN HAPPEN, BUT
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO
BECAUSE WE'VE TRIED IT IN A
NUMBER OF VENUES, AND THERE'S
ALWAYS IT DOESN'T TAKE MANY
PEOPLE TO SHUT DOWN INNOVATION.
IT TAKES A WHOLE COMMUNITY OR A
WHOLE CONFLUENCE OF THINGS, UH,
TO START ONE SO ON A STATE
GOVERNMENT OR OTHER GOVERNMENTS,
THESE CROSS SILO COOPERATIONS
ARE TERRIBLY IMPORTANT TO
IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, STARTING FROM
A MINISTERIAL BASE, YOU HAVE TO
GET THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND
THE ELDER CARE PEOPLE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT ALL ON THE
SAME PAGE AND SAY, HEY, WAIT A
MINUTE. WE THINK WE'RE KEEPING
PEOPLE SAFE BY OUR OWN SILOS AND
LOOKING AFTER OUR OWN PEOPLE
WITH OUR OWN SPECIALISTS. WHY
DON'T WE TREAT THE STUDENTS AS
STAFF AND THE ELDER CARE
FACILITY AND THE ELDERS AS
TEACHERS OF THE YOUNG? UH THIS
IS WHERE YOU GET THE KIND OF
SOCIAL CONNECTIONS WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, UH, IN A REALLY POWERFUL
WAY. I WILL TAKE ONE MORE
EXAMPLE FOR THAT. I HEARD OF THE
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS. YOU SAY
SOME OCCUPATIONS THEY DON'T WANT
TO BE. AND YOU DON'T WANT THEM
TOO HAPPY. IN FACT, I THINK THE
EVIDENCE AND I GOT AN EXAMPLE OR
TWO IS QUITE STRONG THAT IN FACT
, YOU DO WANT THEM HAPPY,
ESPECIALLY IN HIGH STRESS
OCCUPATIONS BECAUSE WHERE THE
ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURES ARE
FLAT AND FRIENDLY MEANS FLAT AND
FLAT MEANS FRIENDLY. TYPICALLY
WITH THESE STRUCTURES, PEOPLE
ARE MORE OPEN TO OFFERING ADVICE
TO THEIR COLLEAGUES. THEY'RE
HAVING MORE FUN WITH THEIR
COLLEAGUES DURING THE WORKING
DAY, THEY'RE LESS STRESSED.
THEY'RE MORE RELAXED, AND IN
FACT, THEY'RE MORE OBSERVANT
RATHER THAN LAST. LIKE TWO
EXAMPLES OF THAT ONE IS IN, UH,
EXPERIMENTS THAT WERE DONE ON
STOPPING BAD THINGS HAPPENING
AROUND THE OPERATING TABLE AND
THE KEY THING. TURNED OUT IN THE
PROCEDURES THEY ADOPTED, WHICH
ARE MORE LIKE PILOTS CHECKLIST
BEFORE THE OPERATION. THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING WAS THE PART
WHERE THE PEOPLE PULL DOWN THEIR
MASKS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO
THE COLLEAGUES AND THE HALLS ARE
STRUCTURE FLATTENED, LOWEST
PERSON. I RIGHT IN THE ROOM WAS
CAPABLE OF SPEAKING TO THE
OTHERS ON A NÓ THREAT BASIS AND
THAT RATE OF ACCIDENTS DROPPED.
UH UH, VERY CONSIDERABLY. OK UH,
THOSE ARE EXAMPLES, QUITE
SPECIFIC ONES ABOUT WHAT
GOVERNMENTS CAN DO. SO IF YOU
TALK ABOUT HIGH LEVEL
GOVERNMENTS AND LOW LEVEL
GOVERNMENTS, I AGREE WITH THE
PREVIOUS SPEAKERS THAT THE KINDS
OF THINGS THAT NEED DOING ARE
MOST EASILY AND PRODUCTIVELY
STARTED AT A VERY LOW LEVEL. UH
HIGHER LEVEL GOVERNMENTS CAN
COME IN AND HELP ENSURE THE
LOWER LEVEL COMMUNITIES THAT
SOMEBODY'S WATCHING THEIR BACK
IF YOU ASK PEOPLE IN SPECIFIC
TERMS WHY THEIR LIBRARY ISN'T
OPEN IN THE EVENING FOR
EVERYBODY TO USE WHILE THESE
PUBLIC THINGS ARE NOT MADE
AVAILABLE FOR WIDER PUBLIC USE.
WHY AREN'T MORE GATHERING PLACES
? UM MORE GREEN SPACES THAT ARE
SHARED? THEY SAY SOMEONE WILL
HAVE AN ACCIDENT. WE WILL GET
SUED AND THAT IS OFTEN AND AS AS
A STOPPER RIGHT THERE. AND SO
IT'S POSSIBLE THEN FOR SOMEBODY
AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
TO SAY YOU GO AHEAD AND
EXPERIMENT IF SOMEBODY TRIES TO
SUE YOU SEND THEM TO US. WE'VE
GOT THE WE'VE GOT THE BACKSTOP,
AND THERE WAS A PROGRAM ON SHOWS
. NOBODY WAS TAKING THESE VERY
VALUABLE PAINTINGS AROUND THE
WORLD BECAUSE OF THE INSURANCE
COSTS WERE EXORBITANT. UH, SO
THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT BROUGHT
IN A SYSTEM WHERE THEY SAID,
WE'LL ENSURE THOSE PAINTINGS FOR
YOU SELF INSURER. THEY DIDN'T
EVEN GO ABOUT GETTING PREMIUMS,
AND IN FACT, THEY MADE POSSIBLE
ART SHOWS OF WONDERFUL ART
COMING FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD
IN A WAY THAT HELPED EVERYBODY
AND IT ENDED UP COSTING
ESSENTIALLY. THING BECAUSE THESE
RISKS WERE NOT AS GREAT AS
PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE, AND
IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF SOMEBODY
SAYING, I'LL I'LL STAND BEHIND
YOU AND HELP YOU. AND OF COURSE
THAT MAKES THE GOVERNMENTS FEEL
BETTER ABOUT, UH, ABOUT WHAT
THEY'RE DOING. ON ONE FINAL
QUESTION THAT I CAN ADD TO WHAT
YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE ABOUT TRAUMA
AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. OTHERS IN
THIS YEAR'S REPORT WE'RE
FOCUSING ON AS I MENTIONED
HAPPINESS AT DIFFERENT AGES. AND
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCOVERED
AND IT'S GOT A GOOD SIDE AND A
BAD SIDE IS THAT IN COUNTRIES
THAT HAVE HAD SEVERE TRAUMA AND
DEATH? WITHIN LIVING MEMORY. UH
AND THEY'RE BOTH EASTERN AND
WESTERN EUROPE THERE, BUT I'M
GOING TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON
THE COUNTRIES THAT THE FORMER
YUGOSLAVIA ONE YOU CAN REMEMBER
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE 19
NINETIES. THE PEOPLE OR IN MOST
COUNTRIES, YOU KNOW, HAVE
DIFFERENCE OF HAPPINESS IN AGES.
ONE OF THE SETS OF COUNTRIES
WHERE THERE'S THE MOST EXTREME
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HAPPINESS
OF THE YOUNG BEING A MUCH HIGHER
THAN THE HAPPINESS THAT THE
OLDER IN THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE
THOSE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVED
THROUGH IT ARE STILL BEARING
IMPORTANT SCARS. THE POSITIVE
THING ABOUT IT IS THAT THEIR
CHILDREN ARE NOT AND SO THAT THE
INTERGENERATIONAL EFFECT EVEN A
CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH ARE AS
TERRIBLE AS THOSE WERE, UH, IN
FACT IT WITHIN A GENERATION AND
IT IT'S EVEN SHORTER IN SOME OF
THESE PLACES. IT'S TURNED AROUND
ANOTHER EXAMPLE. EASTERN WESTERN
EUROPE, THE PEOPLE UNDER 30.
WE'RE NOT EVEN BORN WHEN THE, UH
WHEN THE WALL FELL AND THERE WAS
A BIG GAP IN HAPPINESS BETWEEN
THE COUNTRIES OF WESTERN EUROPE
AND THOSE OF THE FORMER SOVIET
UNION THAT BECAME CENTRAL AND
EASTERN EUROPE, UH AND THE
HAPPINESS GAP HAS BEEN STEADILY
NARROWING FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S THE YOUNG
WHO AT THE HIGHEST HAPPY LEVELS
AND THE PEOPLE WHO STILL HAVE
THE SHADOW OF THE OLD WORLD AND
ITS PAINS BEHIND, UH, LIVING
WITH THEM. UH, SO THAT NOW THE
UNDER THIRTIES ARE EQUALLY AS
HAPPY IN, UH IN WESTERN AND
EASTERN EUROPE, EVEN THOUGH
THERE'S A FOUR POINT ON THE 10
POINT SCALE, UH, LOWER FOR THE
OLDER POPULATION, SO I THINK
THAT'S TELLING US THAT YES,
HAPPINESS CAN BE TERRIBLY
DAMAGED BY BAD EVENTS. AND BAD.
THINGS HAPPENING. UM BUT IT
SOCIETY CAN GROW AND LEARN THE
LESSONS. ONE MORE THING, AND I
THINK I'LL THEN I'LL STOP FOR
QUESTIONS BECAUSE I HAVE A
TENDENCY TO KEEP TELLING STORIES
FOREVER. THAT, UH THERE IS A
PUZZLE ABOUT HAPPINESS IN OLD
AGE. THERE'S THIS A U SHAPE OFF
AND THEN PEOPLE THEN ASK AND WE
ARE ASKING ABOUT IN THIS YEAR'S
REPORT. WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE, AS
WELL. WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE AS
THEY GET OLDER? UH, ARE GETTING
HAPPIER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
SUBJECT THAT STRONG DETERMINANT
OF HAPPINESS. IT'S GETTING WORSE
ON A STEADY DECLINE. ROAD LIGHT
THE IMPORTANCE PEOPLE ATTACH TO
IT IS ACTUALLY GROWING WITH AGE
WE FIND AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS,
WHICH WE KNOW ARE ABSOLUTELY
FUNDAMENTAL. THE ACTUAL AMOUNT
OF MEETING THAT GOES ON WITH
OTHERS BY PEOPLE IN THE OLDER
AGE GROUPS IS LESS THAN AMONG
THE YOUNGERS. BUT YET THEY'RE
HAPPIER. AND YOU SAY, HOW COULD
THAT BE? AND THE ANSWER IS THAT
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES
EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT THE
NEGATIVES AND FOCUS ON THEM
SOMETHING THAT RAY B MEISTER,
VERY EMINENT PSYCHOLOGIST SPENT
A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE
NEGATIVITY BIAS THAT PEOPLE ARE
HARDWIRED. UH, TO PAY ATTENTION
TO BAD THINGS TO PAY ATTENTION
TO POSSIBLE DANGERS. AND TO
ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT THEM MORE
AND REACT TO THEM MORE. AND THAT
HAD A MUCH GREATER RELEVANCE FOR
LIFE WHEN BEING ATTACKED BY A
SNAKE WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
LIVING IN A LARGER COMMUNITY.
NOWADAYS THERE'S MUCH MORE
BENEFIT TO BE GAINED BY THINKING
BETTER OF OTHERS, AND IT TURNS
OUT THAT SOMEWHERE ALONG MIDLIFE
OR EARLIER IF YOU'RE UH, THERE'S
SOMETHING THAT CALLED THE
POSITIVITY EFFECT. SO FIRST,
IT'S JUST SIMPLY REACTING TO THE
NEGATIVITY EFFECT. UH, BUT IT
ALLOWS YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE
NEGATIVES TO LEARN FROM THEM,
BUT PUT THEM IN A DRAWER. DON'T
LET THEM AND OVER YOUR HEAD AND
THE POSITIVE THINGS TO BRING
THEM OUT TO POLISH THEM AND TO
LOOK FOR MORE WAYS OF DOING IT.
IT ALSO LEADS PEOPLE TO BE MORE
TRUSTING AND OPEN. WELL YOU
COULD IMAGINE HOW THAT HIT A
DEPARTMENTS OF, UH OF
GERONTOLOGY AND ELDER CARE.
THEY'RE SAYING, OH, MY GOODNESS.
THEY'RE ALL THESE SCAMS GOING
ON. ON THE INTERNET AND THE OLD
PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE NOT. DON'T
ALL HAVE ALL THE MARBLES THEY
USED TO HAVE, AND THEY'RE NOT AS
TECH SAVVY. THEY'RE JUST GONNA
BE MINCE MEAT FOR THE SCAMMERS.
UH AND THAT'S A BECOME A BIG
POLICY ISSUE OF PROTECTING THEM.
AND SOMEBODY WISELY ENOUGH, WHO
WAS A RESEARCHER IN THE MOLD OF
THE GREATER POSITIVITY EFFECT
THAT YOU GET AS YOU LEARN ABOUT
LIFE AND LEARN WHAT IT IS TO BE
MORE POSITIVE AND LEARN THE
BENEFITS OF BEING MORE POSITIVE.
AT UH, THEY SAID MAYBE THIS
LEADS PEOPLE TO BE TOO
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OTHERS AND TO
BE SUBJECT TO SCAMS. AND THAT'S
THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO
PROTECT THEM AGAINST. WELL THESE
VERY WISE RESEARCHERS, AND THIS
IS VERY RECENT BECAUSE OF THIS.
ALL THE NEED FOR THIS ONLY HAS
ARISEN IN THE LAST HALF DOZEN
YEARS. HE SAID. WELL, WE'RE
GONNA SET UP A SCAMMING
EXPERIMENT AND WE'RE GOING TO
RUN IT. UH AND, UH, SAMPLES OF
OLD PEOPLE AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND
PUT THEM THROUGH EXACTLY THE
SAME REST THE SAME TELEPHONE
CALLS THE SAME EMAIL EXCHANGES
AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. NOW HE DID
ACROSS THE WITHIN AGE GROUPS.
THEY DID FIND THAT THE PEOPLE OF
LESS MENTAL ACUITY WERE MORE
LIKELY TO BE SCANNED THE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE LESS TECH SAVVINESS
WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE SCAMMED.
BUT EVEN THOUGH THAT'S TRUE, AND
THAT BOTH OF THOSE ARE WEAKER IN
THE OLDER AGE GROUPS THAN THE
YOUNGER ONES, THE OLDER AGE
GROUPS WERE LESS LIKELY TO BE
SCAMMED THAN THE YOUNGER ONES.
AND SO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, AND
IT'S IT IT GETS. UH UH BACK TO
THE QUESTION ABOUT CAN YOU BE
TOO OPTIMISTIC AND JUST TOO
ACCEPTING OF OTHERS? WHAT'S
GOING ON? IN THIS POSITIVITY
EFFECT? IT'S WISE POSITIVITY
THAT PEOPLE ARE LEARNING IT
ISN'T THAT THEY THEY SIMPLY
IGNORE RISK AND BACK TO THE AIR
TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS. YOU PAY
ATTENTION TO THE RISK, BUT YOU
DON'T MAGNIFY IT OUT OF
PROPORTION, AND YOU LOOK FOR
WAYS TO DEAL WITH IT. SO THESE
ELDER PEOPLE AND THESE SCAMMING
EXPERIMENTS. THEY, UH A LITTLE
MORE SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHAT THEY
HEARD THEY WANTED TO. THEY
WANTED TO LOOK AT THE
UNDERPINNINGS OF IT BEFORE THEY
WENT ANY FURTHER, AND SO THEY
WERE MORE OPEN IN GENERAL, BUT
IT DIDN'T MEAN THEY WERE JUST
SAYING I ACCEPT ANYTHING. LET ME
WORRY. THEY WERE WISER ABOUT
ALLOCATION OF THEIR TRUST AND
BUILT AND WELL BEING. SO IF YOU
HAVE THAT WISER OPENNESS, THEN
YOU WON'T GET IN TROUBLE AND YOU
WILL DISCOVER A HAPPY LIFE.
WELL, OF COURSE. THERE ARE
LESSONS IN THAT FOR ALL OF US.
MIGHT BE NICER. I THINK IF I
OPENED FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS,
SO I DON'T TALK TOO LONG. THANK
YOU, MR HOWELL. I APPRECIATE
THAT, UH, SUPER COMMITTEE
MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I
HAVE, UH, ONE QUESTION. I
APPRECIATE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT
, UH, SORT OF CROSS GOVERNMENT
AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS, AND
IN YOUR COMMENTS. I WAS THINKING
ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH, LIKE
URBAN PLANNING, FOR EXAMPLE, UH,
CAN VERY MUCH HAVE AN IMPACT ON
ISOLATION AND WHAT WE DO WITH
OUR PARKS AND WHAT WE DO WITH
SCHOOLS AND THEN I IMMEDIATELY
THOUGHT, WELL, WE DON'T DO ANY
OF THAT. AS A STATE GOVERNMENT,
UM SO, OBVIOUSLY WE, IT DOES
REQUIRE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT. BEING INVOLVED WITH
ONE ANOTHER. YOU USE THE EXAMPLE
OF CAÑADA WITH RESPECT TO ART
AND ART INSURANCE. THERE ARE
OTHER GOVERNMENTS THAT YOU'RE
AWARE OF THAT SEEM TO DO CROSS
GOVERNMENTAL COOPER OPERATION.
WELL IN A WAY THAT HELPS TO THAT
HELPS WITH THESE OUTCOMES. UH,
IT'S A VERY GOOD POINT I AS YOU
WELL KNOW, THE CLASS LEADERS IN
IN THE WORLD. ASSESSMENTS OF
HAPPINESS IN TERMS OF PEOPLE'S
VALUATIONS FOR THEIR LIVES AS A
WHOLE ARE THE NORDIC COUNTRIES
AND IN MY DISCUSSIONS ON
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS LIKE THIS
WITH NORDIC GOVERNMENTS AND
POLICYMAKERS, THERE IS A
TENDENCY TO BE MUCH MORE OPEN TO
WHAT WE CALL CROSS SILO COOPER
OPERATION IN OTHER WORDS, NOT
GOING AT IT AS A SPECIALIST, BUT
DRAWING IN PEOPLE FROM OTHER
DISCIPLINES THAT FINNISH
GOVERNMENT WHICH, AS YOU KNOW,
WAS THE HAD THE BEST EDUCATION
SYSTEM BY THE PISA TESTS FOR A
LONG TIME. THEY WERE AMONG THE
FIRST EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS THAT
SAID THIS ISN'T ALL ABOUT GRADES
IN MATH. AND SCIENCE AND
LANGUAGE. THIS IS ABOUT
REPAIRING PEOPLE FOR A WORLD IN
WHICH THEY ARE TO BE PRODUCTIVE,
HAPPY CITIZENS AND WE SHOULD
LOOK AT THOSE ASPECTS OF
EDUCATION. VERY SERIOUSLY. WELL,
THAT INVOLVES YOU GOING OUTSIDE
THE REGULAR NOTION OF CURRICULUM
AND SUCCESS. SO EVEN THOUGH THEY
WERE LEADERS OF THE GAME THAT
WAS BEING PLAYED, THEY SAID,
WE'RE NOT SURE THIS IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT GAME. WE HAVE TO
BROADEN IT. AND UH SO THEY I WAS
IMPRESSED BY THEIR WILLINGNESS
TO DO THIS. I'VE SEEN EVIDENCE
THAT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL THIS
KIND OF THING TO HAPPEN. UH,
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF
EXPERIMENTS IN TIJUANA, FOR
EXAMPLE, WHICH WAS THE MURDER
CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND THEN
HE BROUGHT IN PEOPLE FROM THE
DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES. INTO
THAT. COMMUNITY AND, UH SAID
EVERYONE SAT DOWN AND SAID, WHAT
CAN WE DO TO MAKE OUR
COMMUNITIES HAPPIER OR SAFER
PLACES AND, UH, YOU COULD ONCE
JUST GETTING TOGETHER AND
TALKING WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE
COMING FROM DIFFERENT
DISCIPLINES WITH DIFFERENT
POWERS THAT THEY'RE THEN
COOPERATING. NOT THE OTHER WAY
AROUND. THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
CAME OUT OF PRINCE ALBERT,
SASKATCHEWAN, JUST BY
COINCIDENCE IN THIS SAME
PROVINCES, THE OTHER THING I
MENTIONED UM, WHERE THEY CALLED
IT A HUB MODEL WHERE THEY WERE
HAVING COMMUNITIES WHERE UM 90%
OF THE, UH, POLICE CALLS AND
ACCIDENT CALLS AND, UH UH FAMILY
DISTURBANCE CALLS WERE COMING
FROM SOME COMMUNITIES. UH, SO IT
ESSENTIALLY BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL
THE PEOPLE WHO END UP BEING
CALLED AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITIES OR CALLING AND
SAYING, WHAT COULD WE DO TO MAKE
A MORE UNIFIED, UH, SET OF
SERVICES? SO WE'VE GOT THINGS
THERE FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY WANT
THEM WHEN THEY NEED THEM TO STOP
THINGS GETTING INTO A CRISIS
SITUATION, SO THAT GIVES THE
KIND OF ENGAGEMENT YOU HEARD
FROM THE BUT FAR FROM ROCCO THAT
IT'S GETTING THE PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER WITH
THE PEOPLE WHOSE JOB IT IS TO
HELP THEM PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES
. SO IT WAS THE FIRST RESPONDERS
. IT WAS. IT WAS POLICE. IT WAS
PEOPLE LOOKING AFTER
UNEMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL SUPPORT,
SOCIAL PROGRAMS, EDUCATION AND A
NUMBER OF THE HEALTH SERVICES AS
WELL AS LOCAL COMMUNITY, UH
PEOPLE, AND, UH, IT WAS A SMALL
ENOUGH LEVEL THAT THEY ACTUALLY
HIGH ENOUGH LEVEL THAT THEY HAD
THE BUY IN FROM THEIR HOME
DEPARTMENT, SO THEY WERE FREE TO
ACTUALLY DELIVER ON PREMISES.
UM, BUT YET IT WAS A LOW ENOUGH
LEVEL THEY COULD ACTUALLY MEET
TOGETHER PERSONALLY AND DO IT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, ONCE YOU DO
THAT, AND IT WORKS, THEN YOU,
UH, LIGHTING A STREET LIGHT FOR
OTHERS. TO LOOK THROUGH OR TO
LEARN FROM THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
HOW WELL ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
FROM OUR MEMBERS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, DOCTOR. HOW HOW? WELL, I
APPRECIATE IT GONNA GO TO, UH,
OUR NEXT PANELIST, UH, OLD
FRIEND, UH, MARK MARK BALDESSARI
, A STATEWIDE SURVEY DIRECTOR
AND MILLER CHAIR AND PUBLIC
POLICY AT PP. MR BALDESSARI. HAS
RESEARCH TO SHARE WITH US ON
TRENDS ON HAPPINESS AND
SATISFACTION IN CALIFORNIA. GOOD
TO SEE YOU AGAIN. MARK BEEN A
WHILE. UM SO, UH, WHEN KATIE
SENT ME THE INVITATION, I WAS
ASKED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
THAT WAS ROUGHLY FIVE MINUTES SO
UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO BE ROUGHLY
FIVE MINUTES OR LESS, UH, IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME, AND, UH, ON
OUR PP I èC WEBSITE TODAY IS
THE TESTIMONY IF YOU WANT TO
READ IT, WHICH WILL BE MY
COMMENTS. UM AND THE HEADLINE
WAS MOST CALIFORNIANS ARE PRETTY
HAPPY, BUT A GROWING SHARE ARE
NOT TOO HAPPY. SO I'M I'M KIND
OF GIVING IT AWAY RIGHT THERE IN
TERMS OF THIS, BUT, UM, FIRST OF
ALL, I'M PLEASED TO BE, UH,
SPEAKING WITH THIS COMMITTEE
TODAY AND THAT YOU'RE TAKING ON
THIS ISSUE. I'VE BEEN ANALYZING
LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL
POLLING ON HAPPINESS AND QUALITY
OF LIFE THROUGHOUT MY ACADEMIC
AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER. AND
WHEN, UM I LAUNCHED THE PP I èC
STATEWIDE SURVEY IN 1998. WE
INCLUDED A FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTION ON HAPPINESS, UH, FROM
THE NATIONAL SURVEY, THE GENERAL
SOCIAL SURVEY. AND WE RECENTLY
REPEATED THAT QUESTION. UH AND A
NUMBER OF QUALITY OF LIFE ITEMS,
UH, FOR AN UPDATE ON MY BOOK,
WHICH WAS ON THE ISSUE OF
CALIFORNIA'S CHANGING SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
. I JUST WANNA SUMMARIZE SOME OF
THE FINDINGS FOR YOU. SO YOU GET
A SENSE AS AS POLICYMAKERS, UH,
WE CALIFORNIANS ARE ON ON
HAPPINESS TODAY. SO, UH, KEEPING
IN MIND THAT WE TALKED TO ADULT
CALIFORNIANS, 18 AND OLDER, UM,
IN OUR IN OUR POLLING IN A
SEPTEMBER PP STATEWIDE SURVEY
WHEN PEOPLE WERE ASKED, TAKEN
ALL TOGETHER, HOW WOULD YOU SAY
THINGS ARE THESE DAYS? THAT'S
THE NATIONAL QUESTION OF ASKED,
58% SAID. THEY'RE PRETTY HAPPY.
16% SAID. THEY'RE VERY HAPPY IN,
26% SAID. THEY'RE NOT TOO HAPPY.
UH, MAJORITIES ACROSS AGE,
GENDER, PARTISAN RACIAL ETHNIC
GROUPS. STATE REGIONS REPORT
BEING PRETTY HAPPY. BUT FEWER
THAN ONE IN FIVE IN THESE
SUBGROUPS SAY THEY ARE VERY
HAPPY. OK? HOW DID THESE
CALIFORNIA RESULTS COMPARE WITH
THE NATIONAL FINDINGS? THE MOST
RECENT GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY? UM
IN 2022 FOUND SIMILAR NUMBER OF
AMERICANS SAYING THAT THEY'RE
PRETTY HAPPY 55% SOMEWHAT MORE,
SAYING THAT THEY'RE VERY HAPPY
25. SOMEWHAT FEWER SAYING THAT
THEY'RE NOT HAPPY 20. IN THE
NATIONAL FINDINGS. I SHOULD
POINT OUT, UM THERE WAS A, UH, A
PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DECLINE. IN
HAPPINESS. UM IF YOU LOOK AT THE
POLLING IN 2018 2020 2022, AND
MANY PEOPLE ATTRIBUTE THAT TO
THE PANDEMIC, AND WE'LL FIND OUT
WHETHER OR NOT THAT, UM, THAT WE
SEE A RECURRENCE OF THAT, BUT I
THINK THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME
WE'VE MENTIONED THE PANDEMIC
HERE, BUT, UH, I, I WANNA JUST,
YOU KNOW, POINT THAT OUT. UM OK,
SO THE DECLINE IN HAPPINESS IN
THE U S¼ CAN SIDES WITH
COINCIDES WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN
IN CALIFORNIA DECLINE IN
HAPPINESS, DESPITE A FAIRLY
STABLE CORE OF PEOPLE WHO SAY
THAT THEY'RE PRETTY HAPPY AS
ADULTS, IN FACT, UH, MOST ADULTS
IN THE THREE TIMES WE'VE ASKED
THIS QUESTION SAY THEY'RE PRETTY
HAPPY. FEWER CALIFORNIANS TODAY
ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE VERY
HAPPY. UM, THE NUMBER UM, THAT
WENT FROM 28. DOWN TO 16% SAYING
THEY'RE VERY HAPPY TODAY. AND
MORE PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THEY
, UM NOT TOO HAPPY. THE NUMBER
OF NOT TOO HAPPY WENT FROM 13%
THE FIRST TIME WE ASKED THE
QUESTION TO 26% TODAY, SO THAT'S
ROUGHLY A DOUBLING BUT I REALLY
IMPORTANT UM IN MY VIEW, AS YOU
KNOW, LOOKING AT THE POLLING IS
THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC
DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS IN CALIFORNIA
WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO SAY THAT
THEY'RE NOT TOO HAPPY. UM,
TODAY. UM 18 TO 34 YEAR OLDS.
30% OF THEM SAID THEY'RE NOT TOO
HAPPY RENTERS 32% THOSE WERE THE
HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR LESS
30, THREE PERCENT. THOSE WITH
ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOMES OF
40,000 OR LESS 39% SO THOSE WERE
THE GROUPS THAT, UM, EXPRESSED,
UM TODAY THAT THEY WERE THE MOST
LIKELY TO BE NOT TOO HAPPY. AND
SINCE THE ORIGINAL TIME WE ASKED
IN 1998, THE SHE WHO SAY THEY'RE
NOT TOO HAPPY AND INCREASED BY
LARGE MARGINS. PARTICULARLY
AMONG 18 TO 34 YEAR OLDS WHERE
IT WENT FROM 10% TO 30% IN OUR
LATEST POLLING. AND THOSE WITH
INCOMES UNDER 40,000 WENT FROM
18% TO 39, SO ROUGHLY DOUBLING
IN THAT CASE. WHY THESE DOWNWARD
TRENDS. UM OUR OUR SURVEY OFFERS
A GLIMPSE. UH AT SOME KEY
FACTORS ARE WE FIND THAT
HAPPINESS IS ALIGNED WITH A
SPECIFIC QUALITY OF LIFE RATINGS
IN PARTICULAR JOBS, LEISURE AND
HOUSING. UH IN IN OUR POLLING.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT PERSONAL
FINANCE. BUT UM THE BIGGEST
CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER
TIME HAVE BEEN IN SATISFACTION
WITH JOBS, WHICH WENT FROM 52%
SAYING THAT THEY WERE VERY
SATISFIED IN OUR FIRST POLLING,
UH TO 31% TODAY. LEISURE THOUGH,
TWO WHEN WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING
WHEN THEY'RE NOT, UM IN IN
WORKING 47 TO 31% AND HOUSING.
THERE'S SATISFACTION WITH
HOUSING ALSO WENT DOWN INTO
SEEING MORE MORE. THOSE THINGS
WERE MORE RELEVANT THAN
SATISFACTION WITH, UH, HOUSEHOLD
FINANCES AND ONCE AGAIN IN THESE
SPECIFIC RATINGS, IT WAS YOUNGER
ADULTS AND LOWER INCOME
RESIDENTS WHO'VE LOST THE MOST
GROUND 1834 YEAR OLDS. SO THE
GREATEST DECLINE IN, UH,
SATISFACTION WITH JOBS GOING
FROM 37 TO 18 WITH LEISURE GOING
FROM 49 TO 29, BUT ALSO WITH
HOUSING GOING FOR 43 TO 32. AND
SIMILARLY AMONG THOSE WITH LOWER
INCOMES. WE SAW DECLINES DOUBLE
DIGIT DECLINES IN EACH CATEGORY
FOR JOBS FOR LEISURE AND FOR
HOUSING. SO YOU KNOW, I ONLY
HAVE FIVE MINUTES, SO THERE ARE
MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT COULD
CONTRIBUTE TO HAPPINESS. YOU
HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT TODAY IN
THE DISCUSSION SO FAR, AND I'M
I'M I'M CERTAIN WE'LL HEAR SOME
MORE FROM OUR REMAINING SPEAKER.
SATISFACTION WITH MARRIAGE,
FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS,
LOCAL CIVIC LIFE, AMONG OTHER
THINGS CAN LEAD TO PERSONAL
HAPPINESS. UM RATINGS OF PARKS,
SCHOOLS, POLICE STREETS AND
ROADS, LOCAL AIR AND WATER
QUALITY MAY ALSO MATTER. THESE
ARE ALL THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY IN
IN YOUR PURVIEW AND RESIDENTS,
PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PHYSICAL
AND MENTAL HEALTH. AND SPECIFIC
INDICATORS OF THEIR ECONOMIC
WELL BEING CAN ALSO HAVE PRO,
PROFOUND, UM, CONSEQUENCES.
UNHAPPINESS UM, AT THIS POINT,
UM, I'M NOT GOING TO, UH,
PROVIDE SOLUTIONS ON HAPPINESS
AND PUBLIC POLICY OUTCOMES, BUT
I'M GONNA RECOMMEND THAT YOU PAY
SPECIAL ATTENTION TO A YOUNGER
ADULTS. UM, AND LOWER INCOME
RESIDENTS IN CALIFORNIA BASED ON
BASED UPON OUR, UH, RESULTS. UM
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK IN MORE
DETAIL AT WHAT KINDS OF POLICIES
RELATED TO JOBS. LEISURE AND
HOUSING CAN HAVE, UM, IMPACTS ON
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THESE
RESIDENTS IN CLOSING UH, WE
STILL DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
DECLINE IN HAPPINESS IN THE U S¼
AND IN CALIFORNIA IS RELATED TO
THE PANDEMIC. UM OR WHETHER IT
HAS ROOTS IN DEEPER POLITICAL,
SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC ISSUES. UH
BUT AND FOR THIS REASON WE PLAN
TO ASK ABOUT HAPPINESS AGAIN IN
OUR POLLING, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE
NOVEMBER 2024 ELECTION, SO STAY
TUNED FOR MORE RESULTS FROM PP.
I èC THANK YOU. THANKS, MARK.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. MR
BRYANT'S QUESTION. GOOD TO SEE.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD, UM, I, I I'M
CURIOUS 18 TO 34. POOR FOLKS.
RENTERS ARE THESE PROXIES FOR
EACH OTHER. ARE THERE
COMPOUNDING EFFECTS BETWEEN
THOSE DO WE SEE ANY KIND OF
MUTUAL EXCLUSIVITY THERE AND
THEN I GUESS YOU ALSO SAID THERE
WERE MAJORITIES OF PEOPLE WHO
FEEL HAPPY ACROSS OTHER
SUBGROUPS LIKE RACE. SO, LIKE
BLACK AND LATINO POPULATIONS
DON'T APPEAR TO BE PROXIES FOR
YOUNGER OR POORER OR MORE LIKELY
TO BE RENTERS. OR IS THERE SOME?
I'M NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING HOW
THOSE THINGS SPEAK TO EACH
OTHER. WELL SO FAR AS WE CAN
TELL, THERE IS SOME COMBINATION
OF FACTORS BETWEEN UM, AGE. AND,
UM INCOME AND EDUCATION. UM YOU
KNOW, I LOOKED REAL HARD FOR A
DIFFERENCES ACROSS RACE AND
ETHNICITY AND GENDER AND DIDN'T
SEE THEM AS MUCH AS, UH, AS WE
DID IN THOSE CATEGORIES, BUT
THERE IS SOME COMPOUNDING AND
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
THE COMPOUNDING OF RACE. UH UH,
UH OF INCOME. AND RENTING. UM
AND, UM, AGE, YOU KNOW,
ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA TODAY.
UM AND YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF
THE OTHER FINDINGS THAT WE'RE
SEEING IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH
STRESS, PARTICULARLY IN YOUNGER
ADULTS TODAY, AND I JUST WANT TO
AGAIN SAY THAT YOU KNOW, UM WE
JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT CHILDREN.
WE DIDN'T. WE DIDN'T DO POLLING
ON CHILDREN, BUT, UH, THIS GIVES
YOU A SENSE OF WHERE WHERE
ADULTS ARE AND WHERE SOME OF THE
WERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES SL
TODAY. THANK YOU. BUT MORE MORE
RESEARCH IS NEEDED FOR SURE.
ALWAYS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MARK.
GREAT SEEING YOU AGAIN. UH, OUR
FINAL PRESENTER FOR OUR FIRST
PANEL IS REVEREND RAJIV RAMBO.
REVEREND RAMBO IS A MINISTER OF
THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, AND
HE'S HERE TODAY TO TALK TO US
ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF
HAPPINESS AND SPIRITUALITY.
REVEREND RAMBAUD THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. WELCOME IT'S AN
HONOR TO BE WITH YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THE INVITATION. UM I AM
REVEREND RAJIV RAMBO. THE 1ST 14
YEARS OF MY CAREER WERE IN Kò 12
EDUCATION. AS A CLASSROOM
TEACHER AND èC ADMINISTRATOR.
NEXT I VENTURED A NONPROFIT WORK
, PRIMARILY HOMELESS SERVICES
AND AT A COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
, AN ANTI POVERTY ENTITY THAT
WAS BORN OUT OF PRESIDENT
JOHNSON'S WAR ON POVERTY. I WAS
RECENTLY PASTOR AT PARKSIDE
COMMUNITY CHURCH, LOCATED 4.7.
MILES SOUTH OF WHERE WE'RE
GATHERED NOW. PARKSIDE IS A
VIBRANT PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL
JUSTICE, CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY.
AND AS OF A FEW MONTHS AGO, I
HAVE RETURNED TO THE CLASSROOM.
I NOW TEACH FOURTH GRADE AT PONY
EXPRESS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, JUST
A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH. THIS
MOMENT IS SURREAL. NOT BECAUSE
OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON HAPPINESS
AND PUBLIC POLICY OUTCOMES ISN'T
NECESSARY BUT SURREAL. AS YOU
ELOQUENTLY DESCRIBED MISTER
RENDON IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS
IN SETTINGS LIKE THIS, WE'VE
DONE IT BACKWARDS FOR ALL TOO
LONG. AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN
ON THE FRONT LINES OF PUBLIC
SERVICE TO THE MOST STRAINED
INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SOCIETY. I
CAN ATTEST THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN
IT BACKWARDS MORE OFTEN. THEY
NOT. AND WE AS A SOCIETY ARE NOT
VERY GOOD AT CONSIDERING OUR
WELL BEING OR OUR HEALTH OR
HEALING. IN THE MOST
FOUNDATIONAL AND COMPREHENSIVE
SENSE BECAUSE WE HAVE MANAGED TO
FORCE OURSELVES AT EVERY TURN TO
MONETIZE AND COMMODIFIED OUR
HUMANITY. TO CONSIDER OUR
COMFORTS THE FULLEST MEASURE OF
SUCCESS. WHEN A DISASTER STRIKES
AND THE NEWS REPORT SHARES THE
INJURY AND DEATH TOLL. AND
FLASHES IMAGES OF DESTRUCTION.
MANY WONDER WHEN IS THE REPORTER
GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE
FINANCIAL COST? THE DOLLAR
DAMAGE ESTIMATE. HOW AND WHY
HAVE WE ALLOWED IT TO BECOME
COMMONPLACE TO PUT A PRICE TAG
ON TRAGEDY WHEN THE PRECEDING
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS INCLUDED
INJURY AND DEATH OF HUMAN
BEINGS? THE MORE I'VE WONDERED
ABOUT THIS, THE MORE IT SEEMS,
THE ANSWER IS MONEY IS THE
MEASURE WE VALUE MOST. ADEQUATE
NOURISHMENT, CLEAN WATER,
NAVIGABLE ROADS, SAFE HOUSING,
OR ALL IMPORTANT, NOT IN AND OF
THEMSELVES, BUT IMPORTANT FOR
WHAT THEY CAN FACILITATE. AS YOU
TALKED ABOUT AS A CLERGY PERSON.
I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO BE
ALONGSIDE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR
LOVED ONES IN TIMES OF PREGNANT
EXPECTATION, BIRTH AND BAPTISM.
WEDDING SICKNESS AND IN TRAGEDY.
THE FINAL DAYS OF LIFE. WHEN
SITTING WITH A PERSON WHO IS NÓ
LONGER RESPONSIVE. AND THE
MOMENT OF DEATH IS ALREADY IN
THE ROOM. THE CONVERSATIONS WITH
FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE OFTEN
VOID OF PRETENSE. AND FULL OF
PURITY. PEOPLE ALWAYS EXPRESS
GRATITUDE FOR THE THINGS THAT
BROUGHT THEM HAPPINESS. AND
HERE'S WHAT THOSE SENTIMENTS
BOIL DOWN TO COMMUNITY. FAMILY A
FRIEND CIRCLE SERVICE CLUB, A
HOUSE OF FAITH. ONE OR TWO REAL
FRIENDS. FRIENDS WHO KNOW ALL
YOUR STUFF. AND ARE STILL YOUR
FRIENDS. SHARING LAUGHTER. TIME
SPENT TOGETHER DOING NOTHING.
YOUR MOTHER TERESA SAYS OR SAID.
THE HUNGER FOR LOVE IS MUCH MORE
DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THAN THE
HUNGER FOR BREAD. AND I ADD THAT
HAPPINESS TRUE HAPPINESS. IS THE
EVIDENCE THAT THE HUNGER FOR
LOVE HAS BEEN SATISFIED. THE
ESSENTIAL MISSION OF THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE. IS TO SATISFY THE
HUNGER FOR LOVE. AND HAPPINESS
IS THE EVIDENCE OF A JOB WELL
DONE. AND I THANK YOU AND TO
BORROW THE WORDS OR QUOTE THE
WORDS OF FORMER VICE PRESIDENT
JOE BIDEN. THIS IS A BIG
FREAKING DEAL. THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE THAT. AND I HOPE IT
IS, UH, YOUR COMMENTS WERE
ELOQUENT. I THOUGHT OF A QUOTE
THAT OPERA PRODUCER UM PETER
SELLERS ALWAYS SAYS HUMAN
PRODUCTIVITY. IS A CULTURAL
QUESTION BEFORE IT IS AN
ECONOMIC QUESTION, AND I THINK
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT UM
CONNECTIONS THEMSELVES. UM I
THINK, ULTIMATELY, UH, I. I
THINK IT SPEAKS TO THAT. UM, I'M
ALSO REMEMBERING A NEW YORK
TIMES STUDY ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
UM YOU TALKED ABOUT JUST BEFORE
PEOPLE DIE. UM, THE NUMBER ONE
WORD THAT PEOPLE SAY BEFORE THEY
DIE, ACCORDING TO THIS SURVEY
WAS MOM. FOR MOST PEOPLE THAT I
THINK AGAIN SPEAKS TO A LOT OF
WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT WITH RESPECT
TO NURTURING WITH RESPECT TO
CONNECTIONS WITH RESPECT TO
MEMORY AND THOSE TYPES OF
THINGS. UM SPECIFIC TO YOUR DAY
JOB. UM WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE
BOWLING ALONE CONCEPT, AND WE
HEAR A LOT ABOUT YOU KNOW, A LOT
OF GOVERNMENTS IN IN WESTERN
EUROPE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE
DEMISE OF QUOTE UNQUOTE
ORGANIZED RELIGION, WHICH AGAIN
THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN RELIGION
AND SPIRITUALITY IS DIFFERENT.
UM WHAT DO YOU SEE THE ROLE OF
ORGANIZED RELIGION, UH, IN TERMS
OF CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND
SPACES FOR, UM CONNECTION AND
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND I'M
SURE CONNECTION MEANS A LOT OF
THINGS TO YOU AS IT DOES TO ME.
SURE UH, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. AND I THINK, UM HOUSES
OF FAITH AND RELIGIOUS
TRADITIONS, ESPECIALLY THE
LONGER ESTABLISHED ONES ARE
CHAMPIONS OF SILO LIVING. YOU
KNOW, NOBODY INVENTED IT OUTSIDE
OF RELIGIONS. INSTITUTIONS UH,
WE TEND TO BE VERY INSULAR,
PROTECTIVE AND ISOLATIONIST I. I
HAVE WONDERED IF MORE EFFORT
FROM STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WERE OFFERED TO HOUSES OF FAITH.
THROUGH SOME SORT OF INCENTIVE
TO DO INTER RELIGIOUS
COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION. TO
IMPROVE COMMUNITY JUST A SIMPLE
EXAMPLE OF A CHURCH THAT I HEARD
OF, AND WE NEVER QUITE GOT IT
OFF THE GROUND AT AT MINE. UM
WAS AN AFTER SCHOOL MILK AND
COOKIES PROGRAM. WE RETIRED
MEMBERS OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY.
WHO AND THE CHURCH HAPPENED TO
BE NEAR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
HAD FREE MILK AND COOKIES ONE
DAY A WEEK AFTER SCHOOL, SO HIS
KIDS WERE WALKING HOME. THEY
COULD STOP IN. EVERYONE WAS
FINGERPRINTED AND CLEARED SAFE
AND JUST TALK. WITH AN ELDER IN
THE COMMUNITY OVER MILK AND
COOKIES, BECAUSE THAT WAS
SOMETHING A LOT OF US HAD
GROWING UP THAT REALLY, WE CAN'T
HAVE ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE
FINANCIAL DEMANDS OF A HOUSEHOLD
, SO I THINK SOME OF THOSE TYPES
OF OUT OF THE BOX THINKING TO DO
WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE STUDIED
AT LENGTH, UM WELL, WE HAVE AN
IMPACT. UM ALISON THINK HOUSES
OF FAITH NEED TO DO MORE TOWARDS
MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING. UM AND TO
RECOGNIZE ROOTEDNESS SHOULD NOT
BE A SHIELD. UM OR AN INSTRUMENT
OF WAR. IN ANY WAY, BUT
ROOTEDNESS SHOULD BE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE A STABLE.
PERSON OR COMMUNITY WHO CAN THEN
BE OPEN AND AN HONEST
RELATIONSHIP AND DIALOGUE WITH
OTHERS WHO ARE ALSO ROOTED IN
THEIR TRADITION. AND I THINK
THAT TAKES SOME CULTIVATION THAT
HAPPENS AMONGST CLERGY, BUT IT
TYPICALLY DOESN'T ROLL OUT TO
THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. AND
ANOTHER THING QUITE FRANKLY, UH,
WITH THE DECLINE IN ORGANIZED
RELIGION, NOT JUST IN THE UNITED
STATES, UH, EUROPE HAS CERTAINLY
BEEN ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THAT,
UM THERE ARE A LOT OF PREMIUM
SPACES FOR MEETING AND GATHERING
THAT COULD BE LEVERAGED. TO
EQUIP COMMUNITIES TO DO THIS
MORE FREELY AND POSSIBLY AT LOW
TO NÓ COST SO LONG AS THE
FACILITY NEEDS ARE ARE MET. I
THINK MOST CONGREGATIONS OF ALL
STRIPES WOULD BE VERY WILLING TO
CONSIDER BECOMING MORE OF A
COMMUNITY CENTER HUB THAN JUST A
ONE SERVICE A WEEK SHOP. UM, BUT
THEY ALSO WANT TO KEEP THE PLACE
UP. UM AND JUST A REAL QUICK
THING ABOUT THE DATA. UH AS AS A
SPIRITUAL PERSON AND A LOVER OF
SCIENCE AND DATA. A LOVE
SPREADSHEETS. UM DATA OFTEN
REVEALS WHAT ALREADY IS. THE
CHANCE OF IT OFFERING YOU CLEAR
ANSWERS TO WHAT COULD BE IS SLIM
TO NONE. SO THERE COMES A POINT
WHERE YOU AND OTHERS IN THESE
IMPORTANT POSITIONS. MAYBE EVEN
LITERALLY HAVE TO STAND AROUND
IN A CIRCLE AND HOLD HANDS.
DISCUSS AND TAKE A LEAP OF
FAITH. AND GIVE SOMETHING IN
EARNEST SHOT. COMMUNICATE WITH
US ALONG THE WAY, YOU'LL HAVE A
LOT OF CHEERLEADERS AND FAILURES
ARE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. YOU
KNOW, NOTHING IS GOING TO BE
PERFECT THE FIRST TIME OUT. BUT
IF WE DON'T DO THIS, WE ALREADY
SEE WHERE WE'RE HEADED. UM AND
IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND THERE'S
A LOT OF PEOPLE. WHO I KNOW AND
HAVE TALKED TO ALREADY THAT THAT
ALREADY TO PITCH IN IN ANY WAY
THEY CAN. UM A LITTLE BIT MORE
IN RELATION TO WHAT, UH, WAS
TALKED ABOUT. I THINK FROM A
PRACTICE PERSPECTIVE, I THINK
BEING TALKED ABOUT ROOTED
DEVOTION. IS ANOTHER PART. I
THINK WE HAVE FALLEN, UH, WE'VE
BECOME DEVOTED TO OUR SCREENS.
WE NEED TO BE DEVOTED TO TIME TO
BE BORED. TO JUST WONDER AND
IMAGINE AND SIT TOGETHER WITH
PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE IN SILENCE,
NOT HAVE AN AGENDA AT ALL. I
THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT PARTS
OF A SPIRITUAL, A HEALTHY
SPIRITUAL LIFE AS WELL. YEAH YOU
REMINDING ME OF A BOOK? I THINK
IT'S CALLED THE ART OF DOING
NOTHING TO A PROFESSOR AT
STANFORD WROTE IT AND THEN ALSO
REMEMBER OLD POEM. UM OR SO ONLY
ADMITS THAT HASTE AND NOISE AND
REMEMBER WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE
IN SILENCE. UM AND I ENCOURAGE
MY FOUR YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. IT'S
OK TO BE BORED SOMETIMES, UM,
JUST SIT THERE AND DO NOTHING.
THAT'S OK. IT IT IS COOL. THANK
YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. I
APPRECIATE IT. I AM. WHAT AM I
DOING? OH, THANK YOU. AND THANK
YOU TO OUR FIRST PANEL FOR YOUR
EXCELLENT PRESENTATIONS. WE'RE
GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND
PANEL FOCUSING ON HAPPINESS AND
GOVERNMENT. HOW CAN I DO THAT?
AND ALSO GO TO THE RESTROOM?
KATIE YEAH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A
FIVE THREE MINUTE BREAK. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. JUST SO MUCH.
ARE WE THE ONLY ONES IN PERSON?
YOU AND I ARE DOING I. YES. I
JUST SAID I HAVE A SWEARING IN
FOR MY FIREFIGHTERS AT 530. IT'S
OK. DON'T WORRY. I WASN'T SURE
IT'S OK. SO YOU CAN IF I COULD,
BUT IT'S OK. SHOULD I PUT IT
UNDER? IF IT'S NOT RIGHT ON THE
WATER, I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY WHO
WAS FIRST.
TO
SORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM
GONNA GET ONTO OUR OUR NEXT
PANELIST. OUR NEXT PANELIST IS
MAYOR LILY MAY OF FREMONT. UH,
FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, FREMONT
HAS BEEN NAMED THE HAPPIEST CITY
IN THE NATION, ACCORDING TO AN
ANNUAL STUDY CONDUCTED BY WALLET
HUB, UH, MAY OR MAY THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND I'M
GOING TO, UM, UH, IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME. REMIND ALL OF
OUR PANELISTS TO KEEP, UH, THEIR
PRESENTATIONS IN FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU. TO GO LIVE THERE. IT
IS PERFECT. UM GOOD AFTERNOON
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
COME AND SHARE. UM I'M DELIGHTED
TO BE HERE TODAY AS REPRESENTING
ONE OF THE HAPPIEST CITIES IN
THE UNITED STATES. UM WE'RE VERY
BLESSED THAT THE CITY OF FREMONT
IS HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. IT'S THE FOURTH
LARGEST CITY IN THE BAY AREA BY
POPULATION, THE SECOND LARGEST
BY LAND, MASS AND DEALS WITH
MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT EVERYONE
ELSE DOES TRAFFIC, UH,
CHALLENGES WITH HOMELESSNESS AND
HOUSING. BUT WHAT MAKES OUR
SPECIAL COMMUNITY SO SPECIAL.
IT'S A VIBRANT COMMUNITY WITH AN
QUALITY OF LIFE AND ABUNDANT
OPPORTUNITIES, AND FREMONT HAS
REALLY EARNED ITS REPUTATION AS
A BEACON OF HAPPINESS AND WELL
BEING. WHILE I WAS LISTENING TO
SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS TALK
ABOUT HOW THERE IS THE
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THAT SENSE
OF COMMUNITY. OUR RESIDENTS
EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF UNITY,
COOPER OPERATION INCLUSIVITY AND
WHETHER IT'S THROUGH NUMEROUS
COMMUNITY EVENTS, VOLUNTEER
INITIATIVES OR NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATIONS ARE RESIDENTS
DEEPLY ARE CONNECTED AND ARE
COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING ONE
ANOTHER PART OF IT COMES FROM
THE THAT WE HAVE SUCH A DIVERSE
HERITAGE. AND WHEN YOU COME FROM
SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES AND
LANGUAGES, AND THE GENTLEMAN
EARLIER TALKED ABOUT INTERFAITH,
ONE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY
BLESSED TO HAVE AS INTERFAITH
THANKSGIVING AND OTHER
GATHERINGS THAT BRING OUR
RESIDENTS TOGETHER, AND THE
STRONG SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE CITY
CREATES A SENSE OF WELL BEING
AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL
HAPPINESS. UM I KNOW SOME OF
THIS FIRSTHAND. UM, WHEN I MOVED
THERE 30 YEARS AGO, I WAS A
YOUNG PERSON WITH STUDENT LOANS
AND TRY TO GET THROUGH THAT AND
THEN HAVE HAD THE PLEAS. AN
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE TWO MIF S¼
MADE IN FREMONT AND RAISED MY
FAMILY THERE. AND THEN NOW, UM,
AS I'M NEARING THE END OF MY
SECOND TERM AS MAYOR, I ALSO
HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE CLASSIFIED
AS MY SENSE AS I PLAN VERY WELL
BECAUSE I COULD MOVE INTO MY OWN
SENIOR HOUSING. SO I'VE SEEN THE
WHOLE GAMUT, BUT I THINK THAT
THAT TENURE BRINGS TO US THE KEY
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO OUR
CITY'S HAPPINESS AND SEXUAL
QUALITY OF LIFE THAT OUR CITY
OFFERS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE TALKED
ABOUT WELLNESS AND HOW IMPORTANT
RIGHT NOW I THINK AFTER THE
PANDEMIC, WE REALIZE HOW PEOPLE
REALLY NEED TO HAVE THAT
CONNECTION. IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST
SEEING SOMEONE ON ZOOM. IT'S
ABOUT HOW WE ARE ABLE TO CONNECT
WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND SOME
LITTLE THINGS LIKE MAKING A 10
MINUTE WALK PLEDGE SO THAT OUR
CITY CAN, UM UTILIZE AND BETTER
BOAST OUR RAY OF AMENITIES AND
SERVICES THAT CATER TO THE NEEDS
AND INTERESTS OF OUR RESIDENTS
FROM OUR BEAUTIFUL PARKS, HIKING
TRAILS, WE UPDATE OUR MASTER
PARK PLAN. UM, OUR BIKE AND
TRAIL PLANS. AND RECREATIONAL
FACILITIES TO WORLD CLASS
INSTITUTIONS AS WELL AS HEALTH
CARE FACILITIES. FREMONT REALLY
THRIVES TO PROMOTE NURTURING
ENVIRONMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WE
HAVE OVER 60 THREE PARKS AND
OVER THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS,
EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE
OPENED UP THE FIRST CAMPGROUND
IN THE BAY AREA. UM HIKING
TRAILS. UM WE'VE SHUT DOWN THE
CANYON FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO
SEE THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND TO
CONNECT AND SEE WHAT IT'S ABLE
TO IMAGINE EVEN THINGS LIKE
RIGHT NOW WE ARE UPDATING OUR
MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
BECAUSE WE'VE REALIZED DURING
THE PANDEMIC. WE DO ALSO A
HEALTH STUDY AND WE NOTICED THE
CHALLENGES WITH OBESITY AND
OTHER HEALTH ISSUES THAT HAVE
ARISEN WHETHER IT'S THE MENTAL
HEALTH AND WORKING WITH OUR
YOUTH TO DO, UM, THINGS LIKE BOX
ART IN OUR COMMUNITY, OR WE HAVE
A MENTAL HEALTH. UM AWARENESS
CONTEST, SO I THINK THE BEST
MESSAGING SOMETIMES COMES FROM
THEMSELVES AND TO UTILIZE THAT,
UM, SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT
THAT. BUT WHEN I WAS TALKING
ABOUT THE ACT OF TRANSPORTATION
PLAN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE GET OUT AND THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE AS A LOCAL
LEADERS CAN DO. AND SO WE WENT
OUT AND DID, UM, THE FIRST YEAR
WALKING WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. I
WAS JOKING. I SAID YOU COULD
MOVE WITH ME AND WE CAN WALK
THROUGH ALL THE DISTRICTS WITH
ALL OUR COUNCIL. UM OR WE CAN
ALSO DO THINGS LIKE RIGHT NOW.
WHEN WE UPDATED OUR
TRANSPORTATION PLAN, IT MEANS
LOOKING AT EACH DISTRICT AND
HAVING SOME, YOU KNOW A SAFE
ROUTES TO SCHOOL. I'M VERY
BLESSED THAT WE'VE PARTNERED
WITH OUR ACT ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION WHEN WE LOOK AT
PUBLIC TRANSIT. IF YOU ADOPT IT
YOUNGER, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO
USE IT AND ALSO BECAUSE THE
EQUITY PIECE OF IT WHEN YOU'RE
ABLE TO PROVIDE AND PROVIDE THAT
OPTION FOR FREE AND REDUCED BUS
PASSES TO LOOK AT. HOW CAN WE
GET PEOPLE ON THIS RIDERSHIP? WE
ARE BETWEEN 6 88 80. SO WE HAVE
HIGHWAY. WE HAVE BUS. WE ALSO
HAVE BAR Tð. AND SO WE'RE ABLE
TO UTILIZE THE ADOPTION. IT
CREATES THIS LIFELONG AWARENESS
OF THIS OPTION. WE ALSO ARE ONE
OF THE FEW CITIES I'VE JUST SAT
IN OUR SENIOR COMMISSION PLAN. I
WAS TEASING WITH THEM. WHEN I'M
DONE. I COULD JOIN THEIR
COMMISSION, TOO, AND THAT WE
WERE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT
OPTIONS AND WE'RE UPDATING IT
RIGHT NOW AND HAVING LESSONS.
LIKE FOR ELDERLY WE HAVE, AS I
MENTIONED SO MANY PEOPLE IN
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND CULTURES
, SO DIVIDE PROVIDING THAT
ACCESS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
AND PROVIDING THAT ASSISTANCE IF
YOU'VE NEVER RIDDEN THE BUS.
HERE'S HOW YOU'D GO AND RIDE THE
BUS AND WE TRAIN PEOPLE. IT
MEANS THAT ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT
TECHNOLOGY. I'M STRONG BELIEF IN
PIONEERING OUR TECHNOLOGY. SO
UM, WHETHER IT'S USING AN APP WE
HAVE GO GO, GRANDAD, GRANDPA, I
THINK I JUST REMEMBER GRANDDADDY
I'M GONNA GET, UH WHICH I THINK
IS IMPORTANT AND ALSO THINGS
LIKE HAVING GATHERINGS WHERE
THEY CAN GO ON TRIPS, DAY TRIPS.
I MEAN THAT PEER COUNSELING AND
THAT ABILITY TO CHECK ON YOUR
COMMUNITY RESIDENTS LET THEM
KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE. AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
SO IMPORTANT WHEN DELIVERING
FOOD FOR MEALS ON WHEELS OVER
THE YEARS. ONE THINKS THAT'S THE
SADDEST PART FOR ME IS WHEN
PEOPLE DON'T WANT US TO LEAVE
BECAUSE THEY FEEL SO LONELY HAVE
NÓ ONE TO TALK TO. SO THAT'S HOW
WE KNOW THE CONNECTION IS SO
IMPORTANT. BUT WINTER IT'S THE
PLACE TO LIVE AS I MENTIONED OR
THE PLACE TO WORK. WE'RE PROUD
OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE
MOST MANUFACTURING JOBS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE MOST
CLEAN TECH MANUFACTURING AND
HARDWARE MANUFACTURING IN THE
UNITED STATES. WE WERE
RECOGNIZED BY N L èC RECENTLY
AS ONE OF THEIR SOUL SMART
PLATINUM, THE FIRST CITY IN THE
UNITED STATES TO BE PLATINUM,
AND IN FACT, I JUST GOT BACK
FROM THERE, AND THEY ASKED JUST
BY CHANCE. I DIDN'T PLAN THIS.
THEY SAID PICK A PIN AND IT
SAYS, ASK ME WHAT MAKES ME
HAPPY. AND SO JUST BY CHANCE,
YOU KNOW, BEING HERE TODAY IS
ONE OF THE THINGS BUT HAVING
THAT CONNECTION AND HAVING A
ROBUST ECONOMY WHERE PEOPLE CAN
WORK AND HAVE SKILLS, SO IT
MEANS THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION.
WHEN I PICKED FREMONT FOR HOME.
I WAS A YOUNG PERSON AND DIDN'T
HAVE CHILDREN. BUT I KNEW THAT
HAVING QUALITY EDUCATION HAVING
THOSE SUPPORT WRAPAROUND
SERVICES IS IMPORTANT FOR THE
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR
COMMUNITY. AS THE MAYOR. I LOOK
AT PEOPLE DURING THE PANDEMIC,
AND IT'S THINGS LIKE RENTAL
ASSISTANCE, PROVIDING FOOD
ASSISTANCE. DELIVERING THAT
VACCINATION OR HEALTH CARE
GETTING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. WE
ALSO ARE ONE OF THE FEW SCHOOLS
FOR THE DEAF ONE OF TWO IN THE
UNITED STATES. I MEAN IN THE
CALIFORNIA AREA, THE ONLY SCHOOL
FOR THE BLIND SO WHY DON'T WE
TALKED ABOUT ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION? IT MEANS LIKE
WHITE CANE DAY. IT MEANS THERE'S
OTHER WAYS THAT WE ENGAGE THEM
SO PEOPLE DON'T GET LEFT OUT.
THE OTHER THING I MENTIONED
EARLIER WAS THE ACCESSIBILITY
AND WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE
EVEN OUR STATE OF THE CITY OR A
CENSUS, AND, UM, OUR, UM,
OUTREACH, UM I WAS HONORED TO BE
ABLE TO GIVE SOME BASIC WELCOMES
IN EIGHT LANGUAGES. SO PEOPLE
FEEL PART OF IT. IT MEANS THAT
WHEN WE'RE AT OUR CONCERTS IN
THE PARK, WE HAVE SOMEONE
SIGNING AND ALSO, EVEN OUR SANTA
CLAUS WAS ABLE TO SIGN AND WE
HAD THE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF WITH
THEIR BELL AND OTHER CHIMES. IT
MEANS OUR PLAYGROUNDS AND I HAVE
TO THANK THAT WE'VE HAD ALUMNI
LIKE CHRISTIAN YAMAGUCHI COME
BACK. HELP US CREATE IT ALWAYS
DREAM PARK BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT
EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO BE ON
THE PLAYGROUND. IT'S HANDY,
CAPABLE SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO
JOBS. WE ALSO HAVE A STRONG
PRESENCE OF LEADING COMPANIES
AND START UPS THAT OFFER A
WEALTH OF EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES AND FOSTER A
CULTURE OF CREATIVITY,
INNOVATION. THE VALID ABILITY OF
GOOD JOBS, COUPLED WITH THE HIGH
STANDARD OF LIVING IS A
CHALLENGE OVER THESE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS. MANY OF US ARE
STRUGGLING WITH ALLOWING OUR
RESIDENTS TO LEAD FULFILLING AND
PROSPEROUS LIVES, SO THAT MEANS
US PARTNERING WITH OUR
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FROM
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL,
PROVIDING THINGS LIKE FOR OUR
AREA. AS A MAYOR, WE CAN WORK
WITH OUR LIBRARIES. WE'VE
CREATED MAKERSPACE AT THE
LIBRARY, SO ONE IN THE COMMITTEE
CAN HAVE ACCESS THINGS LIKE OUR
JUNIOR HIGH LEVEL, HAVING THINGS
LIKE ROBOTICS OR HAVING A PLACE
THAT THEY CAN BORROW TOOLS OR
EVEN COMPUTERS IS SOME OF THAT.
AND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT CROSS
SECTIONAL BETWEEN INTERATION, IT
MEANS THINGS LIKE HAVING READING
TIME. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I
REALLY ENJOYED. IT GIVES ME
GREAT HOPE. WHEN I SPEND TIME
WITH OUR YOUTH. IT MAKES ME
HAPPIER THAN ANYTHING BECAUSE
THEY'RE TRULY THE MOST HONEST
AND, UM, THE MOST GENUINE IN
THEIR CARE AND THEN BRINGING
THEM WITH OUR ELDERLY BECAUSE I
THINK I REALIZE AS A PARENT IS
THAT SOMETIMES YOU'RE SO BUSY AS
A PARENT RUNNING FROM DAY TO DAY
THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO TAKE
A PAUSE. BUT SOMETIMES OUR
GRANDPARENTS WHO FEEL ALSO THAT
LONELINESS HAVE THAT PATIENCE
AND THAT LOVE AND CARE. SO WHEN
YOU BRING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO
LISTEN AND CHILDREN WHO NEED
THAT ATTENTION, IT REALLY
CREATES SOME FOSTER OR SENSE OF
COMMUNITY AND EVEN ON THE
REVERSE, SO MANY OF OUR OUR
FAMILIES RIGHT NOW WITH THE
TECHNOLOGY, DAY AND AGE, DON'T
HAVE THAT ACCESS AND TRAINING
AND GETTING OUR STUDENTS TO BE
ABLE TO TEACH THOSE SKILL SETS
IN TERMS OF HOW ACCESS THE
INTERNET TO OUR SENIORS THAT
ALSO CREATES A SYMBIOTIC
RELATIONSHIP. SO PROMOTING
HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACCESS TO
TOP NOTCH HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
. THINGS LIKE WE HAVE A FRIENDS
OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
AND OTHER CENTERS, WHICH PROVIDE
NOT JUST CLASSES FOR THE
INDIVIDUALS BUT FOR THEIR
FAMILIES AND ALSO FOR WORK
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO CAN
PROVIDE THAT AS WELL AS HOUSING
SPACES. SO FREMONT'S COMMITMENT
TO SAFETY AND SECURITY
CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL
HAPPINESS LIKE I MENTIONED WHERE
WE CAN LIVE, WORK AND PLAY.
LASTLY UM, I THINK THAT HAVING
THE CULTURE DIVERSITY, VIBRANT
ART SCENE I TELL PEOPLE THAT I
CAN GO FROM A JEWISH TEMPLE TO A
BUDDHIST TEMPLE TO A GWA TO A
CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC AND SO HAVING
THAT ABILITY TO SEE THAT IS
SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. AND IT
EMBRACES THIS FOSTERING A SENSE
OF UNDERSTANDING TOLERANCE AND,
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
APPRECIATION THE CITY HOSTS A
WIDE RANGE OF CULTURAL FESTIVALS
FROM THE FESTIVAL OF INDIA TO,
UM, OUR NILES FESTIVAL PARADE
WHERE WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL, UM
UM BRONCHO, BILLY AND CHARLIE
CHAPLIN. SO THE ORIGINAL
HOLLYWOOD TO ART EXHIBITIONS AND
PERFORMANCES LIKE THIS PAST
YEAR, WE ALSO HAD HAD THINGS
LIKE LUNAR NEW YEAR BLACK
HISTORY MONTH, UM, AND TO BE
ABLE TO CELEBRATE AND ENJOY THE
DIVERSITY OF PERFORMANCES. UM
THIS BRINGS JOY AND HAPPINESS
AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INCLUSIVITY
OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE. SO IN
CONCLUSION, I JUST WANTED TO BE
ABLE TO SAY THAT I HOPE OUR CITY
OF FREMONT STANDS AS A SHINING
EXAMPLE. AND THERE'S MUST BE A
REASON. I HOPE THAT WE HAVE BEEN
HAPPIEST FOR SIX OUT OF EIGHT
YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN MAYOR. UM
AND SO I JOKINGLY SAY, ONE OF MY
FELLOW NEIGHBORING CITIES HAS
BEEN HAPPIEST TWO OR THREE OF
THE OTHER YEARS. BUT IT'S OK
BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO WORK ON
THIS REGIONALLY. IT'S NOT JUST
FOR US AND THAT'S ONE THING.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ME. MY HOPES
IS THAT FOR OUR CITY AS WE MOVE
FORWARD, WE CONTINUE TO BRIBE
THIS EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE
, ABUNDANT OPPORTUNITIES AND
COMMITMENT TO WELL BEING AND THE
CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY. WHILE
THIS IS MY FIRST CONVERSATION
WITH YOU TODAY, I HOPE THIS IS
NOT MY LAST. I THINK THAT IT'S
VERY HARD TO ENCAPSULATE
EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN
OUR CITY IN FIVE MINUTES. AND I
HOPE THAT WE CAN CHERISH AND
PRESERVE THESE QUALITIES. UM,
THAT MAKE OUR CITY SPECIAL AND
WHEN I WENT TO WORK TO COMMUTE
TOGETHER ON HAPPINESS AND BEING
THE WELL BEING FOR OUR RESIDENTS
REMAINING AT THE COLLECTIVE
EFFORTS OF OUR FOREFRONT. AND SO
RIGHT NOW, I ALSO WANT TO
CLARIFY THAT. I THINK THAT EVERY
CITY HAS THEIR OWN PROCESSES AND
WORKING WITH SCHOOL BOARD AND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. I'M NOT THE
èC E Ó OF OUR CITY BECAUSE
THAT IS OUR CITY MANAGER. BUT I
OFTEN TELL PEOPLE THAT I HOPE
I'M A CHO, WHICH IS THE CHIEF
HOPE OFFICER. AND I THINK
BECAUSE MY BACKGROUND IN
NETWORKING, IT'S ABOUT BRIDGING
AND BRINGING PEOPLE'S
CONNECTIONS, UM, FROM THE NEEDS
AND THE PROGRAMS AND TO AMPLIFY
THEIR VOICES ADVOCATE FOR THEIR
RESOURCES AND TO ENSURE THAT THE
PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE
QUALITY OF LIFE. WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THINGS AND I'M NOT COULD HAVE
CRITICIZED, BUT I KNOW IT'S EASY
TO LOOK AT ANYTHING REPORT
HAVING BEEN IN MANAGEMENT AS A
BUDGET LINE ITEM AS A STATISTICS
, BUT NOT HERE DIRECTLY. WHAT
HAPPENS TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
AFFECTED BY THAT, AND SO I THINK
IT'S A PRIVILEGE AND AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SAY TO YOU
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO
HAVE THIS AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE
COMMUNITY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT
MEANS SO MUCH TO ME THAT YOU
KNOW. WHEN YOU MEASURE HAPPINESS
, IT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYONE'S
HAPPY EVERY DAY, BUT IT MEANS
THAT WE'RE STRIVING TO PROVIDE
THAT AND TO CONTINUE THAT EFFORT
AND CHAMPIONING THAT, SO I'M
DELIGHTED TO BE HERE. IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER.
UM AND I'M HAPPY TO RETURN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE APPRECIATE
IT. I KNOW YOU HAVE TO RUN A
COUPLE OF REALLY QUICK
QUESTIONS. UH, BEFORE BEFORE WE
LET YOU GO. UH, TWO QUESTIONS
WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, UH, 12
YEARS AGO. I. I THINK THE 11 OF
THE THINGS THAT SURPRISED ME THE
MOST WAS MOST OF THE A LOT OF
THE DEBATES. A LOT OF THE FIGHTS
WE HAVE ARE NOT NECESSARILY, UH,
PARTISAN OR IDEOLOGY AS MUCH AS
JURISDICTION AND LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT. UM YOU TALKED ABOUT
VERY REAL WAYS THAT THE CITY OF
FREMONT AND MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENTS AND, LIKE LONDON HAS
BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON,
UM, BATTLING SOCIAL ISOLATION
AMONG SENIORS. UM AND SOUNDS
LIKE THE THIS TYPE OF VEIN
YOU'RE WORKING IN AS WELL. UM
WHAT FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE.
UM USUALLY, COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY
THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS
STAY OUT OF OUR WAY. UM WHAT?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP CITIES,
UH, TO FACILITATE A LOT OF WHAT
YOU'VE DONE, AND THEN LET ME ASK
YOU OTHER QUESTION, TOO, BECAUSE
I KNOW YOU GOTTA RUN. I CAN. YOU
CAN ANSWER BOTH AT THE SAME
TIME. UM OBVIOUSLY AROUND HERE,
UH, THINGS ARE NOT FINANCIALLY
WHAT THEY WERE, UH, OVER THE
PAST DECADE AND WE'RE FACING
SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT DEFICIT
THIS YEAR. WE'RE WONDERING ALSO
WHAT SORT OF LOW COST UM TYPES
OF THINGS PROGRAMS THAT CITY OF
FREMONT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN
THAT HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL
. THANKS. SURE, I THINK THAT YOU
KNOW ONE FOR THE STATE LEVEL. I
THINK IT COMES WITH POLICIES AND
BE ABLE TO FUND THOSE WITH THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED, AND I
DON'T THINK IT'S ONE OR OR IT
COULD NOT EITHER, OR IT COULD BE
BOTH. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND
HOW PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO
FIND HOUSING AND BECOMING
HOMELESS, IT'S CREATING THESE
EDUCATIONAL WE HAD TO EARN AND
LEARN. FREMONT PROGRAM WHERE WE
GOT PEOPLE, UM INTO JOBS WHEN
COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR THE
WORKFORCE, AND PEOPLE NEED TO
HAVE THESE JOBS, HAVING PAID
POSITIONS, HAVING SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES, SUCH AS PAID
HEALTHCARE FOR THEM. IT CREATES
THE ABILITY FOR THE COMPANIES TO
FIND THE WORKFORCE THAT THEY
NEED, AND IT CREATES PEOPLE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE NOT JUST
THE TRAJECTORY OF THEMSELVES,
BUT THEIR WHOLE FAMILY. IT MEANS
THAT WE BROUGHT PEOPLE THAT WERE
FORMERLY HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT
WERE FORMERLY SENIOR SINGLE
MOTHERS AND CONNECTED THEM TO
JOBS THAT WERE ABLE TO AN
EDUCATION WITH THE A. LONEY
COLLEGE OR OTHER ENTITIES. IT
MEANS LIKE RIGHT NOW, WITH OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICT THIS YEAR, WE'RE
GOING TO DO OUR FIRST JOINT
INTERNSHIP THERE AND TO TALK
ABOUT, YOU KNOW. I THINK A LOT
OF TIMES AND WE'RE AT THIS
PIVOTAL MOMENT RIGHT NOW. WHEN I
CAME OUT OF SCHOOL, I
DEMONSTRATED IBM WILL RIDERS AND
I REMEMBER COMPAQ TELLING ME
ABOUT A NEW CONCEPT CALLED THE
LAPTOP COMPUTER. SO IT DATES ME
A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU KNOW,
WE'RE KIND OF AT THAT MOMENT
RIGHT NOW, AND THERE'S SUCH FEAR
ABOUT A I AND ALSO THE JOBS THAT
ARE GONNA BE OUT THERE. I HAVE
TWO MILLENNIALS, SO I KNOW THAT
BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE WE
AS A STATE WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME
OF THE INNOVATION AND WHAT WE
HAVE. WE SHOULDN'T WALK AWAY
FROM THAT. IN FACT, THIS FRIDAY,
I'M GONNA HELP HOST ONE OF OUR
FIRST CALIFORNIA BATTERY DAYS. I
MEAN, WITH THAT TYPE OF
INNOVATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE
ALL BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THE
CRAZY EARTHQUAKES, RED ORANGE
SKIES AND FIRE. WE UM, HAD
PILOTED USING OUR OWN TECHNOLOGY
, NOT JUST SAVING COSTS ON
UTILITIES, BUT GETTING PEOPLE
TRAINED AND THEN ALSO THE
ABILITY TO BE RESILIENT IN CASE
OF A NATURAL DISASTER. ABILITY
FOR US TO MICRO GRID AND GO OFF
GRID FOR 12 TO 15 HOURS BECAUSE
WE'RE NOT JUST ISOLATED, THERE'S
NÓ REPUBLICAN WAY OR DEMOCRAT
WAY TO FILL A POTHOLE. IT JUST
WANTS TO BE FIXED. AND I THINK
THAT THAT PRAGMATIC PERSPECTIVE
AND APPROACH AND ALSO HAVING THE
ABILITY TO PIONEER AND
DEMONSTRATE THIS. I WANT TO
THANK THE CHAIRS OF THE ENERGY
COMMISSION FOR HELPING US DO
SOME OF THOSE PILOTS AND FOR ALL
OF YOU WITH THE TRANSPORTATION,
THE SAFE, SMART CAN CONNECTED
STREETS HAVING THINGS LIKE EVEN,
UM, WE ARE ONE OF THE FIRST
CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES TO
DO JOURNALISTS, FIRST RESPONDERS
, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC
SAFETY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WAYS
TO MAKE IT SO IT'S LESS
CONFRONTATIONAL TO REIMAGINE
SAFETY, BUT IN A WAY THAT
UTILIZES TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS
OUR COMMUNITY SO AGAIN, IF YOU'D
LIKE ME TO COME BACK, I AM
DELIGHTED TO COME BACK AND
SHARE. I WOULD LOVE TO BE A
MEMBER OF, HOWEVER, I CAN
PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM I JUST THINK THAT'S KIND OF
HARD TO SHARE IN FIVE MINUTES.
BUT UM I HAVE PLENTY OF THINGS
TO SAY. EVEN THINGS LIKE
DEVELOPMENT HOUSING. I WAS JUST
AT THEIR STATE PLANNING
COMMISSIONER'S DISCUSSION AND A
COMMENT. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
HAPPINESS, IT ALSO REFLECTS ON
ALL OF US IN LEADERSHIP. IT'S
HARD BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE SO
DIVISIVE AND I'LL SAY THAT WHEN
I SEE THE FEDERAL I JUST CAME
BACK FROM Dð èC, UM AND ALSO AT
THE STATE LEVEL, BUT IF WE CAN
PUT ASIDE OUR DIFFERENCES AND
FOCUS ON WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT,
THE BEST EXAMPLE I'LL CLOSE WITH
WHEN I WAS LEAVING. WHEN I WAS
ON SCHOOL BOARD. IT'S ONE OF THE
HARDEST POSITIONS BECAUSE
NOTHING GETS MORE PERSONAL. I
THINK YOU KNOW AS A PARENT THAN
YOUR CHILDREN, AND WHEN WE'RE
GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE
TOUGHEST TIMES, ONE OF THE BEST
THINGS WE DID, WHICH I THINK IS
STILL THERE TODAY. IS THAT WE
PUT PICTURES OF OUR CHILDREN UP
THERE. SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE
PROBABLY NOW IN THEIR TWENTIES
OR THIRTIES NOW, BUT WE PUT
PICTURES OF CHILDREN OF EVERY
ETHNICITY HANDICAPABLE DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS, SO THAT WHEN WE'RE
DISPUTING WITH EACH OTHER ON THE
DAIS, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE FOCUS AND
LOOK OUT AND WE SEE THE FACES OF
THE CHILDREN, WHICH IS WHAT WE
COMMITTED TO SERVE, NOT
OURSELVES, NOT OUR POLITICAL
IDEOLOGY, NOT THE BUDGET AND
FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER, BUT
WHO WE REALLY NEED TO DESERVE IS
TO GET THAT VOICE OUT. AND SO
THAT'S WHY I THINK HAVING THAT
PERSPECTIVE. IS WHAT GROUNDS US
WHAT MAKES US MORE SANE IN TERMS
OF TRYING TO DELIVER THESE
SOLUTIONS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M
DELIGHTED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE
HERE WITH YOU TODAY CHAIR AND I
REALLY, REALLY WANNA THANK YOU.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOUR
INCREDIBLE TEAM. SO THANK YOU
FOR THE PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MAYOR. THANK YOU
APPRECIATE IT. UH OUR NEXT
PANELIST IS, UH, JOINING US
REMOTELY, UH, MR F SHU NORBU,
COUNSEL GENERAL OF THE KINGDOM
OF BHUTAN. TO THE TO THE UNITED
STATES. UH, FOR DECADES, BHUTAN
HAS DEVELOPED AND UTILIZED A
MEASUREMENT TOOL KNOWN AS GROSS
NATIONAL HAPPINESS, THE
PHILOSOPHICAL AND PRACTICAL
APPROACH TO MEASURING HAPPINESS,
WHICH IS THEN USED TO DEVELOP
PUBLIC POLICY. MR NORBU HAS
JOINED US REMOTELY FROM NEW YORK
CITY, AND WE'LL BE GIVING A, UH,
SLIGHTLY LONGER PRESENTATION IN
ORDER TO PROVIDE A THOROUGH
BACKGROUND OF THIS
GROUNDBREAKING GOVERNMENT POLICY
. MISTER NOBLE. WE'RE HAPPY TO
HAVE YOU JOIN US TODAY. ANTHONY
RENDON, CHAIR OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON HAPPINESS AND
PUBLIC POLICY OUTCOMES. MEMBERS
OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE. LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS PIN NÓ. AND I'M THE
CONSUL GENERAL OF THE KINGDOM OF
BHUTAN TO THE UNITED STATES.
ALLOW ME TO THANK CHAIR RENDON
AND THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
HAPPINESS AND PUBLIC POLICY
OUTCOMES. IN FOR INVITING ME
HERE TODAY IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME
TO INTRODUCE BHUTAN AND OUR
PURSUIT OF CROSS NATIONAL
HAPPINESS OR GNH BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE. TODAY I WILL PROVIDE
A BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE
CONCEPTUALIZATION OF GNH IS
BASIC TENS AND HOW WE
OPERATIONALIZE G NH IN BHUTAN.
HONORABLE MEMBERS. THE CONCEPT
OF HAP HAPPINESS IS NOT NEW. FOR
AMERICA OR FOR US IN BHUTAN. OUR
FOUNDING FATHERS HAVE CLEARLY
UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF
INCLUDING THE HAPPINESS OF THE
PEOPLE. IN THEIR RESPECTIVE
FOUNDING DOCUMENTS. THE FOUNDING
FATHERS OF THE UNITED STATES
HAVE INCLUDED LIFE, LIBERTY AND
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS IN THE
1776 DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE. SHALL BRU ALL
YOU'RE THE FATHER OF UNIFIED
BHUTAN IN 1729 HAD PRONOUNCED IN
THE LEGAL COURT THAT IF THE
GOVERNMENT CANNOT CREATE
HAPPINESS FOR ITS PEOPLE, THEN
THERE IS NÓ PURPOSE FOR THE
GOVERNMENT TO EXIST. THIS
PRONOUNCEMENT IS A COMPELLING
REASON FOR GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE
HAPPINESS VERY SERIOUSLY.
HONORABLE MEMBERS. BHUTAN IS A
SMALL, LANDLOCKED MALIAN KINGDOM
THAT BEGAN PLANNED ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ONLY IN THE 19
SIXTIES. BÀN IS NEITHER A
RESOURCE RICH COUNTRY NOR AN
ECONOMIC POWER. BE A LANDLOCK
BETWEEN TWO OF THE WORLD'S MOST
POPULOUS COUNTRIES, CHINA TO THE
NORTH AND INDIA TO OUR SOUTH. WE
HAVE MANY CONSTRAINTS AND ARE
FACED WITH MULTIPLE CHALLENGES.
BUT WE ARE ALSO BLESSED WITH
EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP. OR
VISIONARY KINGS HAVE
CONSISTENTLY FOREGONE THEIR
COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE, AND I
HAVE PLACED THE PRIORITY OF THE
WELL BEING OF THE PEOPLE. THEY
HAVE MADE HAPPINESS FOR THE
BHUTANESE. THEY ARE OVERARCHING
PRIORITY. THIS WAS CLEARLY
DEMONSTRATED WAY BACK IN EARLY
19 SEVENTIES. AND HIS MAJESTY
THE F KING PRONOUNCED FOR BHUTAN
. GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS IS
MORE IMPORTANT THAN GROSS
DOMESTIC PRODUCT. WHAT THIS
MEANT WAS THAT THE FOCUS OF
DEVELOPMENT IN BHUTAN WILL BE ON
THE HAPPINESS OF THE PEOPLE
RATHER THAN JUST THE ECONOMIC
PURSUIT. THIS WAS AN
UNCONVENTIONAL CONCEPT AT A TIME
WHEN COUNTRIES WERE FOCUSED ON
MAXIMIZING GROSS DOMESTIC
PRODUCT BECAUSE WAS USED AS THE
PRINCIPAL YARDSTICK TO GAUGE THE
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE OF A
COUNTRY. SO WHY DID BHUTAN
DECIDE ON THIS NEW PATH? SO
EARLY IN ITS DEVELOPMENT
JOURNEY. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS
CAN BE ANSWERED BY LOOKING AT SO
MANY OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THE
WORLD FACES TODAY, INCLUDING THE
MOST RECENT SITUATION CAUSED BY
COVID-19 PANDEMIC. TO A LARGE
EXTENT, MOST OF THESE PROBLEMS
CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO FOLLOWING A
DEVELOPMENT MODEL THAT IS
ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON MAXIMIZING
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND
UNSUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION, WHICH
DID NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE IMPORTANT
FOR THE PROGRESS OF A SOCIETY.
THE G Dð P FOCUSED GOVERNMENT
MODEL PURSUES LIMITLESS WEALTH
IN A FINITE WORLD, THUS
PROGRESSIVELY DESTABILIZING THE
VERY ENVIRONMENT THAT ENABLES US
TO SURVIVE ON THIS PLANET. A
DEVELOPMENT MODEL PURSUED BY
BHUTAN PROVIDES CENTRALITY TO
HUMAN BEINGS, A HUMAN CENTRIC
MODEL THAT STRIKES A BALANCE
BETWEEN THE MATERIAL NEEDS AND
THE EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL
NEEDS OF MANKIND. BHUTAN FOLLOWS
A DEVELOPMENT PLANNING OF
PLANNING CYCLE OF FIVE YEARS,
AND HIS MAJESTY THE KING ABSED.
AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEAR
PLANNING CYCLE IF THESE
DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES DID NOT
MEET THE BHUTANESE HAPPIER, THEN
THIS PLANS HAD FAILED. SIMPLY
PUT J TRIBES ALL DEVELOPMENT IN
BHUTAN. THE REST OF THE WORLD
STARTED LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE
DEVELOPMENT MODELS ONLY DURING
THE TURN OF THE 20 21ST CENTURY.
WHEN IT CAME, CAME TO NOTICE
THAT ALTHOUGH COUNTRIES RECORDED
VERY HIGH ECONOMIC GROWTH, IT
DID NOT NECESSARILY TRANSLATE
INTO A HIGHER LEVEL OF HAPPINESS
OR WELL BEING OF HIS PEOPLE.
THIS WAS FURTHER EXACERBATED BY
THE SEVERAL FINANCIAL CRISES IN
THE LAST TWO DECADES WHERE WE
SAW ENTIRE LIFE SAVING STOCKS
JOBS AND WHOM SO MANY ACROSS THE
GLOBE DISAPPEAR OVERNIGHT. THE
FLAWS, LIMITATIONS AND A NARROW
SCOPE OF G Dð P DRIVEN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT MODEL WAS STARKLY RI
AND THE NEED FOR A WRITTEN ON
ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT MODELS
WAS OBSERVED ACROSS THE GLOBE. A
MORAL THAT IS HOLISTIC AND
INCLUSIVE. THE UNITED NATIONS
HAS SINCE ADOPTED THE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS,
WHICH IS A UNIVERSAL CALL TO
ACTION TO END POVERTY, PROTECT
THE PLANET AND ENSURE THAT ALL
PEOPLE ENJOY PEACE AND
PROSPERITY BY 2030. SO WHAT IS
GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS IN
SIMPLE TERMS? G N HÌ STEERS THE
GOVERNMENT AWAY FROM CHASING
UNRESTRAINED MATERIAL GOOD
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, CULTURAL PROTECTION
, ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION AND
GOOD GOVERNANCE. TO MAKE SURE
THAT DEVELOPMENT IS TRULY
HOLISTIC AND INCLUSIVE. G N HÌ
IS BUILT ON FOUR INTERRELATED
AND MUTUALLY REINFORCING
PILLARS. THEY ARE ONE EQUITABLE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. TO
PROTECTION OF CULTURE, THREE
PRESERVATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND
FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE. SO UH UH,
PILLAR NUMBER ONE COULD SOCIO
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THIS
PILLAR ENSURES THAT THE GROWTH
IS CLEAN, GREEN AND EQUITABLE
AND THAT ALL CITIZENS ARE
PROVIDED FREE HEALTH CARE AND
RECEIVE FREE EDUCATION. TO
PROTECTION OF CULTURE. THIS
PILLAR ENSURES THAT AT THE AGE
OF GLOBALIZATION, WE DO NOT LOSE
OUR CULTURE AND TRADITIONS. THIS
IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST BECAUSE WE
ARE A SMALL COUNTRY, BUT WE ARE
ALSO THE LAST SURVIVING MAHAYANA
BUDDHIST COUNTRY AND AS SUCH, WE
ARE THE WORLD'S CUSTODIAN WHO A
UNIQUE SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL
HERITAGE. FREE PRESERVATION OF
THE ENVIRONMENT. OUR
CONSTITUTION REQUIRES US TO
ENSURE THAT A MINIMUM OF 60% OF
BHUTAN'S TOTAL LAND AREA WILL BE
MAINTAINED UNDER FOREST COVER
FOR ALL TIMES TO COME. TODAY DUE
TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PILLAR WE
HAVE 72% OF OUR COUNTRY UNDER
FOREST COVER AND MORE THAN 50%
OF OUR TOTAL AREA, PROTECTED AS
NATIONAL PARKS, NATURE RESERVES
AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES. THE
UNSPOILED NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
SUPPORTS THRIVING POPULATIONS OF
SOME OF THE RAREST ANIMALS AND
PLANTS ON THE PLANET. BÀN IS
ALSO A CARBON NEUTRAL COUNTRY.
IN FACT, YOU ARE A CARBON
NEGATIVE COUNTRY AND A FORESTRY
CRYSTAL THREE TIMES MORE
GREENHOUSE GASSES THAN WHAT THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY EMITS. PILLAR.
FOUR GOOD GOVERNANCE. OUR KINGS
HAVE FOCUSED ON MAKING THE
GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENT,
ACCOUNTABLE AND DECENTRALIZED.
HIS MAJESTY, THE FOURTH KING
INTRODUCED PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY IN 2008. IN REALITY,
HE IMPOSED DEMOCRACY AGAINST THE
WILL OF THE BOTANIST PEOPLE.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT WE MAY
BE THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
THAT DID NOT FIGHT TO BECOME A
DEMOCRACY. TODAY WE ARE A
DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY, AND IT IS THE ELECTED
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO
STAY FAITHFUL TO THE IDEALS OF
GNH. THE PURSUIT OF JH IS
ENSHRINED IN OUR CONSTITUTION
THAT THE STATE SHALL STRIVE TO
PROMOTE THOSE CONDITIONS THAT
WILL ENABLE THE PURSUIT OF GROSS
NATIONAL CAPITALISM. AT THIS
POINT. I WISH TO CLARIFY THAT
THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT IN THE
BUSINESS OF MAKING EVERY
INDIVIDUAL B IS HAPPY. THIS IS
NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
GOVERNMENT AND THE HAPPINESS OF
INDIVIDUALS MUST REMAIN THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
INDIVIDUAL. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT
DOES IS THROUGH DELIBERATE
PUBLIC POLICIES CREATE THE RIGHT
CONDITIONS THAT WILL ALLOW
PEOPLE TO PURSUE HAPPINESS.
THESE CONDITIONS ARE CAPTURED BY
THE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE NINE
DOMAINS THAT INFLUENCED THE
HAPPINESS OF OUR PEOPLE. FIRST
FIVE OF THE NINE DOMAINS ARE
STRAIGHTFORWARD AND HAVE BEEN
THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION FOR
ANY COUNTRY IN PURSUING
DEVELOPMENT. ONE HELP, BECAUSE
PHYSICAL WELL BEING IS CRITICAL
FOR HAPPINESS. TO EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT BECAUSE WITHOUT
EDUCATION ONE CANNOT FULFILL
THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. THREE
LIVING STANDARD, WHICH COVERS
FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER AND
EMPLOYMENT. FOR ECOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE BECAUSE
THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IS SO
CRITICAL TO THE GOOD HEALTH OF
THE PLANET AND ITS INHABITANTS.
45 GOOD GOVERNANCE BECAUSE ONLY
THROUGH GOOD GOVERNANCE.
INDIVIDUALS ARE PROVIDED THE
PLATFORM TO PURSUE HAPPINESS.
THE REMAINING OF THE NINE
DOMAINS REMAINING. FOUR OF THE
NINE DOMAINS ARE QUITE
INNOVATIVE AND NEGLECTED IN MOST
DEVELOPMENT DISCOURSE, BUT WE IN
BANG FEEL THAT THESE ARE EQUALLY
IMPORTANT, IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT
THAN THE FIRST FIVE DOMAINS.
THEY ARE ONE COMMUNITY VITALITY.
THIS TOUCHES ON THE DEPTH AND
QUALITY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP,
WHETHER IT IS WITH YOUR FAMILY,
FRIENDS OR THE COMMUNITY IN
WHICH YOU LIVE. TWO CULTURAL
DIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE, WHICH
IS VERY IMPORTANT AS IT IS THE
FOUNDATION OF OUR IDENTITY. FREE
TIME USE. BECAUSE TIME IS OUR
VERY LIFE. WE MAKE BETTER
CHOICES WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THIS
AND USE IT FOR WHAT WE CARE
ABOUT MOST AND THE LAST
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING. THIS
IS THE SPIRITUAL HALF THAT MAKES
US HUMAN AND IN BHUTAN IN
NURTURE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING
THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF
MEDITATION TO INCREASE
MINDFULNESS, WHICH IS SHOWN TO
ENHANCE HAPPINESS. THEREFORE, WE
HAVE INTRODUCED MEDITATION ALL
OUR SCHOOLS. SO HOW DOES THE
ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF BHUTAN
IMPLEMENT GNH IN ITS PLANNING
PROCESS? WE DO NOT LEAVE THE
GENIUS DISCOURSE AT A
THEORETICAL LEVEL. AND YES, WE
DO OPERATIONALIZE IT IN OUR
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING.
UNTIL VERY RECENTLY, WE HAD A
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT BODY THAT WAS
MANDATED TO LOOK AFTER ALL
POLICY FORMULATION AND PLANNING
ACTIVITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT.
ALL THE GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS
COMMISSION. GIVEN ITS IMPORTANCE
, IT HAS NOW BEEN SUBSUMED
DIRECTLY UNDER THE PRIME
MINISTER'S OFFICE. THE PRIMARY
FUNCTION OF HIS BODY IS TO
ENSURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT
POLICIES AND PLANS ARE GNH
FRIENDLY. THIS IS DONE BY USING
WHAT WE CALL THE GNH POLICY
SCREENING TOOL. EVERY DRAFT
POLICY AND PROJECT THAT IS
INITIATED BY THE GOVERNMENT WILL
HAVE TO UNDERGO SCREENING
THROUGH THE GNH LENS TO CHECK IF
THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL
ADVANCEMENT OF HAPPINESS OF OUR
PEOPLE. ONLY THOSE POLICIES AND
PROJECTS THAT PASS THE SCREENING
TOOL ARE APPROVED FOR
IMPLEMENTATION. MANY POLICIES DO
NOT PASS THE SCREENING TOOL. AND
THEY ARE SENT BACK FOR REVIEW
REVISION AND IMPROVEMENT TILL
THEY ARE DEEMED TO BE GNH
FRIENDLY. SOME PIECE OF GREAT
REJECTION, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
GOVERNMENT'S MINERAL DEVELOPMENT
POLICY WHICH WAS DEEMED TOO
POLLUTING AND TOO UNSUSTAINABLE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE
MEASURE GNH? IN MEASURING Dð N
HÌ WE HAVE AN AUTONOMOUS SOCIAL
SCIENCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
CALLED THE CENTER FOR BHUTAN AND
J N A STUDIES. THEY UNDERTAKE A
NATIONWIDE JH SURVEY EVERY FIVE
YEARS, SEEKING KEY RESPONSES
RELATED TO THE WELL BEING
HAPPINESS AND THE LEVEL OF
CONTENTMENT OF THE BHUTANESE
PEOPLE. THE SOVIET QUESTIONNAIRE
TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THAT 30
THREE INDICATORS, WHICH
CONTRIBUTE TO THE FOUR PILLARS
AND TOGETHER MAKE UP THE G N HÌ
INDEX. THE 30 THREE INDICATORS.
INPUT STANDARD INDICATORS LIKE
INCOME HOUSING, SCHOOLING, BUT
ALSO MENTAL HEALTH. THE NUMBER
OF HEALTHY DAYS IN EMOTION,
SPIRITUALITY, FAMILY SAFETY, THE
ENVIRONMENT AND OTHERS LIKE
SLEEP TIME AND THE GOVERNMENT'S
PERFORMANCE. THE GENUS INDEX
PROVIDES AN ABUNDANCE OF
INTERESTING DATA, AND THE
RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY IS
ELABORATED EXTENSIVELY WITHIN
THE CONCERNED AGENCIES OF THE
GOVERNMENT AND TARGETED POLICY
INTERVENTIONS ARE PRESCRIBED IN
ORDER TO ADDRESS AREAS THAT NEED
IMPROVEMENT. THE RESULTS ARE
ALSO USED TO INFLUENCE THE FIVE
YEAR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
HONORABLE MEMBERS ALLOW ME TO
RECAPITULATE ON THE POINTS I
HAVE MADE THUS FAR. NUMBER ONE
GNH DRIVES ALL GOVERNMENT
ACTIVITIES IN BHUTAN. NUMBER
TWO. THE FOUR PILLARS OF
DRAINAGE ARE ONE EQUITABLE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO
PROTECTION OF CULTURE. THREE
PRESERVATION OF ENVIRONMENT FOR
GOOD GOVERNANCE. THREE THE TO
ENSURE THAT ELECTED GOVERNMENTS
STAY FAITHFUL TO GAIN IT. THE
CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THE STATE
TO PROMOTE THOSE CONDITIONS THAT
WILL ENABLE THE PURSUIT OF Dð N
HÌ. FOR THE NINE DOMAINS OF JH
DEFINE THOSE CONDITIONS THAT
ENABLE HAPPINESS. FIVE THE
OFFICE OF THE CABINET AFFAIRS
AND STRATEGIC CO ORDINATION
SUBJECTS ALL GOVERNMENT POLICIES
THROUGH A SCREENING TOOL TO
ENSURE THAT THE POLICIES AND
PROJECTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE
OVERALL WELL BEING AND HAPPINESS
OF OUR PEOPLE. SIX CENTER FOR
BHUTAN AND G N. A STUDIES
CONDUCTS A NATIONWIDE G N HÌ
SURVEY EVERY FIVE YEARS, THE
RESULTS OF WHICH IS USED TO
INFLUENCE THE NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PLANS. SO GIVEN ALL
THE ABOVE, ARE WE THE HAPPIEST
COUNTRY? THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS
NÓ. WE ARE NOT AND WE HAVE A
LONG WAY TO GO. WE HAVE MANY
IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES SUCH AS
POVERTY, INEQUITY, UNEMPLOYMENT
AND CLIMATE CHANGE. AMONGST
OTHERS. HOWEVER WE INTEND TO
WORK THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES
WITHIN THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
MODEL. HIS MAJESTY THE KING
JIGME AND HAD DEFINED JH TO
SIMPLY MEAN DEVELOPMENT WITH
VALUES AND PROMULGATED HIS
VISION FOR THE J FOR THE 21ST
CENTURY. I QUOTE IN ORDER TO
CONTINUE TO ACHIEVE GNH IN A
FAST CHANGING WORLD WITH NEW
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF
THE 21ST CENTURY GNH MUST BE
USED AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE
FUNDAMENTAL VALUES OF KINDNESS,
EQUALITY AND HUMANITY AND THE
NECESSARY PURSUIT OF ECONOMIC
GROWTH. I HOPE I HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT ON THE
PURSUIT OF GROSS NATIONAL
HAPPINESS IN BHUTAN AND TAKE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMMEND THE
INITIATIVES TAKEN BY THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY IN
THIS NEW ENDEAVOR. I WISH YOU MR
CHAIR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE OUR VERY BEST
FOR A SUCCESSFUL DELIBERATION
AND YOUR EFFORTS TOWARDS
ENHANCING THE HAPPINESS OF THE
PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU
AND THANK YOU, COUNSEL GENERAL.
I APPRECIATE IT. I SAID ONE
QUICK QUESTION. EVEN I KNOW
YOU'VE BEEN UH, MEASURING GNH
FOR DECADES NOW, UM WHAT? WHAT
CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN DURING
THAT TIME? THANK YOU. UM WE HAVE
A SOCIAL SCIENCE. UH, THINK TANK
WHICH HAS BEEN MEASURING G N HÌ
FOR QUITE SOME TIME. SO, UH, THE
EVERY FIVE YEARS SURVEY IS
UNDERTAKEN WITH ALL THE 30 THREE
INDICATORS AND KEY QUESTIONS. SO
WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT MOST
OF THE PEOPLE ARE, I THINK ON
HAPPINESS ON ON ON THE FRONT OF
HAPPINESS. I THINK IT IS THE
SATISFACTION. AND I THINK PEOPLE
ARE HOME TO BE RELATIVELY HAPPY.
ALMOST 90% HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE
RELATIVELY HAPPY. SMALL NUMBER
HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE NOT SO
HAPPY. SO WE ARE WORKING ON HOW
WE CAN MAKE TARGETED
INTERVENTIONS. POLICY
INTERVENTIONS ARE MADE TO SEE
HOW WE CAN COVER EVERYBODY TO BE
VERY HAPPY. THANK YOU, COUNSEL
GENERAL. I APPRECIATE AND I
THINK THAT POINTS TO THE JUST
THE IMPORTANCE OF AWARENESS AND
MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE CRAFTING
YOUR POLICIES. UH ACCORDING TO
WHERE YOU WANNA GO. UM THANK YOU
. WE ARE GOING TO OUR NEXT
PANELIST IS ZM CREASON,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CALIFORNIA
EDGE COALITION, WHO'S HERE TO
TALK TO US ABOUT THE
INTERSECTION OF WORK AND
HAPPINESS? UH MISS, UH, CREASON
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME SO HAPPY TO BE
HERE. SO AS YOU MENTIONED I AM
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA EDGE COALITION, ALSO
ON THE SAN JUAN UNIFIED BOARD OF
EDUCATION. I SPENT ALMOST TWO
DECADES WORKING IN MENTAL HEALTH
POLICY. AND I'M ALSO THE SIBLING
OF TWO, A BROTHER AND SISTER
THAT DIED BY SUICIDE. SO THE
TOPIC OF HAPPINESS IS NEAR AND
DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE THE
REALITY IS THAT THE ABSENCE OF
HAPPINESS REALLY CAN LEAD TO
DEATH THAT HAS SEEN I HAVE SEEN
IN MY OWN FAMILY, AND WE SEE IN
SO MANY FAMILIES. SO TALKING
ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF WORK,
HAPPINESS AND POLICY. SO WHAT'S
THE FIRST THING? ONE OF THE
FIRST THINGS WE ASK EACH OTHER?
WHEN WE MEET SOMEONE NEW? WHAT
DO YOU DO RIGHT? AND THE
RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION. COULD
HAVE YOU FEELING DIFFERENT WAYS,
DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR SITUATION
IS, SO IT CAN ABSOLUTELY BE AN
ONGOING REOCCURRING CONTRIBUTOR
TO THE DECLINE IN YOUR HAPPINESS
EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO ANSWER
QUESTION AND IT COULD BE. YOU
CAN HAVE A JOB. IT COULD BE A
LIVING WAGE JOB. BUT FOR
WHATEVER REASON, THERE'S A
STIGMA BEHIND THAT JOB. OR MAYBE
YOUR STATE. YOU KNOW, UH,
WORKING THROUGH THE WHOLE
WORKING A HOME MANAGER IS WHAT I
LIKE TO CALL THEM AND THERE'S A
STIGMA RELATED TO THAT OR YOU
ARE MAKING BELOW A LIVING WAGE
OR YOU'RE LIVING IN POVERTY. SO
ALL THAT COMES UP EVERY TIME
YOU'RE ASKED THAT QUESTION. SO
WORKPLACE OBVIOUSLY A
SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR LIVES AS
A CONTRIBUTOR TO HAPPINESS IN
SEVERAL WAYS WAYS, AND I'M GOING
TO POINT OUT A FEW EXAMPLES. SO
RESOURCES RESPONDING TO THAT OLD
SAYING, OH, MONEY DOESN'T MAKE
YOU HAPPY. WELL, IT DOES TO A
POINT. UM, A RECENT PURDUE STUDY
, UM, THAT I PULLED UP ACTUALLY
HAD A NUMBER IN CALIFORNIA, 100
AND $45,000 A YEAR TO BE HAPPY
IN CALIFORNIA, AND PAST STUDIES
THAT I HAVE SEEN SHOW THAT IT'S
NOT LIKE YOU GET HAPPIER WITH
EVERY DOLLAR THAT YOU MAKE AFTER
THAT AMOUNT, BUT THAT LEADS TO
MY NEXT POINT ECONOMIC
STABILITY. YOU KNOW THE MEANS TO
SUPPORT YOURSELF THE MEANS TO
SUPPORT YOUR FAMILY. IT'S A, UH
IT'S A SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF
HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH. UH,
WORK PROVIDES A SENSE OF PURPOSE
, A REASON TO GET UP IN THE
MORNING SOCIAL CONNECTION AND
OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH
INDIVIDUALS TO BUILD YOUR
NETWORK TO BE ABLE TO ADVANCE
REALLY, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY
OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH
PEOPLE EVERY DAY AND, OF COURSE,
SELF ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE, THE
ABILITY TO ADVANCE IN A POSITION
CAN MAKE PEOPLE VERY HèA HAPPY
AND ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO
MASTER NEW SKILLS. SO LET'S TIE
ALL THAT TO POLICY. SO I DO HAVE
SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF HOW,
UH, POLY SOME POLICY FOCUS AREAS
THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE, UM TO THIS
INTERSECTIONALITY. SO OF COURSE
JOB QUALITY. NOBODY'S HAPPY
WORKING IN A JOB WHERE THEY'RE
DISRESPECTED, OR THEY CAN'T
DEPEND ON THEIR SCHEDULE. OR
THEY CAN'T HAVE AN ACTUAL LIFE.
UM OR THEY'RE NOT BEING PAID
APPROPRIATELY, UM, HIGH QUALITY,
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND TRAINING
OFFER OFFERINGS ARE HUGE AND NOT
JUST THE OFFERINGS, BUT THE
SUPPORT TO ACCESS THOSE
OFFERINGS INTO COMPLETE THOSE
OFFERINGS. ARE INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT AND ALSO THE FULL
SUPPORT. AND THIS IS THERE'S A
THROUGH LINE HAPPENING WITH THE
OTHER POUND ON THE LIST THAT
SUPPORTS THAT IT TAKES, UM FOR
THE WHOLE PERSON, RIGHT? SO THE
TRANSPORTATION TO CHILD CARE,
ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, ALL THE
THINGS THAT IT REALLY TAKES TO
BE SUCCESSFUL, UM, IN SUPPORTING
EMPLOYERS, THAT'S SOMETHING I
DON'T KNOW THAT I HEARD YET
TODAY, SO I WANNA UPLIFT THAT.
UM THERE REALLY IS A ROLE FOR US
TO, UH, SUPPORT EMPLOYERS SO
THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO BUILD AND
SUSTAIN A HEALTHY WORKPLACE,
SMALL AND LARGE, BECAUSE IF WE
DON'T KNOW WHY WOULD WE ASSUME
THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THIS RIGHT
AND HOW TO DO THIS? WELL ONGOING
AND, OF COURSE, ENSURING THAT
WE'RE NOT BUILDING A ONE SIZE
FITS ALL APPROACH BUT INSTEAD
HONORING THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF
CALIFORNIANS, YOU KNOW,
OPPORTUNITY, YOUTH. I LIKE TO
BRING UP QUITE A BIT, YOU KNOW.
SO YOUNG FOLKS REALLY LIVING THE
STRUGGLE MOST OF THEM, YOU KNOW,
UM, MAYBE IN FOSTER CARE OR
JUSTICE INVOLVED, YOU KNOW
REALLY HARD TIME. UH, WHEN WE
WORK WITH Ó Y, THEY DON'T FIT
NICE AND NEAT INTO THE ADULT
WORKFORCE SYSTEM, SO BEING
REALLY MINDFUL OF THE NEEDS OF
THE VERY DIFFERENT COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, UM, REPRESENTED HERE IN
YEAH. SO TODAY, I JUST WANNA
UPLIFT. YOU KNOW, IT WARMS MY
HEART. WE'RE USING THE
CELEBRATORY LANGUAGE OF
HAPPINESS, BUT TO ME AND IN MY
VIEW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL
WELLNESS IN A NEW WAY. THAT'S
LONG, LONG OVERDUE. SO WHEN I
HEAR THIS, I THINK ABOUT MY
BROTHER AND SISTER THAT ARE NÓ
LONGER HERE AND HOW MANY OTHER
BROTHER AND SISTERS MAY STILL BE
HERE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS
? UM BECAUSE OF THIS WORK, SO I,
ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE EDGE TEAM,
APPLAUD YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK
YOU FOR INVITING US TO BE
INVOLVED, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO
PARTNER. WITH YOU IN ANY WAY TO
MOVE THIS FORWARD, MOVE THE WORK
FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
APPRECIATE IT. UM, WE SPENT SO
MUCH OF OUR TIME AT WORK. UM,
IT'S NÓ. NÓ UH, SURPRISE THAT IT
HAS A BIG IMPACT ON OUR OUR
LEVEL OF HAPPINESS. UM OBVIOUSLY
, SINCE SINCE COVID WE'VE SEEN A
CHANGE, AND EVEN BEFORE COVID,
WE SAW A LEAD UP TO CHANGE IN
TERMS OF THE WAY WE WORK, UH AND
YOU TALKED ABOUT SOCIAL
CONNECTIONS GOING TO WORK AND IN
INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU
LIKE IS COOL. THAT'S A THAT'S A
GOOD PART OF, UH OF THE HUMAN
EXPERIENCE. UM, DOES HAVE YOU
LOOKED AT REMOTE WORK? WHAT DOES
THAT DO FOR HAPPINESS? WHAT DOES
WHAT'S WHAT? WHAT WHAT HAPPENS
THERE, THOUGH MY RESPONSE IS
GONNA BE VERY LIVED EXPERIENCE.
I CAN'T POINT TO A STUDY ON
THIS. SO BASED ON WHAT I'M
SEEING IN BUSINESS AND WHAT
WE'VE DONE EVEN IN OUR OWN
OFFICE, BECAUSE, OF COURSE I
MEAN, WE HAD AN OFFICE. WE WERE
IN THE FREEPORT FREMONT. YOU
KNOW, THE BUILDING 10TH AND
NINTH OVER THERE. UM YOU KNOW
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT THEN
YOU TALK ABOUT IF IT'S STILL
THERE. UH, WE HAD AN OFFICE. WE
WENT IN EVERY DAY. I THINK
FRIDAY'S WAS A REMOTE DAY.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEN THE
PANDEMIC HAPPENED. WE CAN'T IT
DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO KEEP THE
SPACE WE GOT RID OF THE SPACE.
WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GO ALL
REMOTE. WE DID THAT. WE DID NOT
COME BACK, BUT WE DO VALUE. THE
AND IN THE CONNECTIVITY TIME, SO
WE BUILT THAT IN INTO DOING
SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO ONCE A
MONTH WE HAVE TOGETHER THIS DAY
WE GET TOGETHER. WE HAVE LUNCH
TOGETHER. WE CELEBRATE. UM UH,
BIRTHDAYS OR HOLIDAYS OR
WHATEVER IT MAY BE, UH, WE HAVE
INTERACTION VIA ZOOM. IT IS VIA
ZOOM, BUT EVERY WEEK I MEET WITH
EACH TEAM MEMBER. INDIVIDUALLY
WE GET TOGETHER TO, UM UM, AS A
GROUP ON OUR AGENDA. WE HAVE A
NEW ITEM CALLED THE WELLNESS
CORNER. SO WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE REALLY BEING VERY
INTENTIONAL BECAUSE THAT GETS
THE AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING
ABOUT WORK ANYMORE. SO EVEN IF
WE'RE ON ZOOM WE'RE BUILDING UM,
CONNECTIVITY CONVERSATION TO
KEEP THAT GOING. AND OF COURSE,
STILL HAVING THAT TOGETHER THIS
TIME, SO IT'S INTERESTING
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE
FIELD IS THERE ARE SOME LEADERS
THAT HAVE THE MINDSET THAT YOU
JUST NEED TO BE THERE. IF YOU'RE
NOT HERE, YOU'RE NOT WORKING.
BUT WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE OF
THAT? I'M SURE THERE'S SOME
JOBS. YOU KNOW RETAIL, THERE'S
SURE SURE THERE'S SOME JOBS
WHERE THAT MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF
SENSE. BUT NOT ALL THE JOBS. SO
REALLY, ARE WE, UM, OVERTAXING
COMMUNITY BE MAKE US FEEL
BETTER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
I'D SAY NÓ. THANK YOU. THAT'S
SUPER SUPER HELPFUL. I
APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. AND IF YOU CAN STAY FOR
QUESTIONS, THAT'D BE GREAT AND
NOT SURE IF YOU CAN GREAT OUR
FINAL PRESENTER. THANK YOU FOR
STAYING, UH, STAYING WITH US,
UH, IS, UH MALIK UH, CHA DEER,
THE ENDOWED PROFESSOR IN
HAPPINESS AT SACRAMENTO STATE
UNIVERSITY. HE'S COMING TO OUR
HEARING HEARING ROOM STRAIGHT
FROM, UH, SAC STATE HAPPINESS
DAY CELEBRATION. THAT WAS
ACCIDENTAL, OR WAS THAT WE DO
THAT ON PURPOSE? IT WAS
ACCIDENTAL, UM, WHICH IT WAS
INTENTIONAL. UH, WHICH IS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU,
UH, PROFESSOR DEM FOR JOINING
US. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME. YEAH, IT'S GOOD.
YEAH, I THINK SO. I'M DELIGHTED
TO BE HERE AND MY NAME IS MALIK
SHAIR AND I'M UH UH, THE REY
SING AND OUT, PROFESSOR IN
HAPPINESS AT SAC STATE. AND MY
POSITION ENTAILS, UH, PROMOTING
HAPPINESS ON OUR CAMPUS AND IN
OUR COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, AND AS WE MAY KNOW,
MARCH 20TH IS THE INTERNATIONAL
DAY OF HAPPINESS AND BECAUSE
IT'S A SPRING BREAK AT SAC STATE
ON OUR CAMPUS, WE HAVE THE
HAPPEN TO STAY ON OUR EVENT A
WEEK BEFORE, AND THEN I HAVE A
BUNCH OF PHOTOS THAT I BELIEVE
SHARED WITH YOU. I WILL BE HAPPY
TO SHARE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE. BUT
STILL YOU AFTER AFTER THIS, AND
THIS POSITION WAS CREATED BY
RICKY SING. FOUR YEARS AGO, HE
HAD A AND HE BELIEVED THAT
HAPPINESS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES
AND WELL BEING OF PEOPLE, AND IT
CONFERS BENEFITS. AND AS A
PROFESSOR, I'VE BEEN TEACHING
COURSES ON, UH, PSYCHOLOGY OF
HAPPINESS, AND WE HAVE BEEN
PROMOTING HAPPINESS ON OUR
CAMPUS VIA EDUCATIONAL EVENTS,
AND I ALSO HAVE BEEN OFFERING
WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, TALKS TO
DIFFERENT UNITS GROUPS
ASSOCIATIONS IN CALIFORNIA
RANGING FROM SAN DIEGO, UH, THE
JUDGES ASSOCIATION TO GIRL
SCOUTS IN CALIFORNIA. SO THAT
HAS BEEN IN A NUTSHELL. THE
PURPOSE OF THIS PARTICULAR JOB
AND I WAS GIVEN A FEW SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS HERE AND I
WILL GO OVER THOSE IF THAT'S OK.
UH, THE FIRST QUESTION WAS, UH,
WHY SHOULD THE LEGISLATOR
CONCERN ITSELF WITH HAPPINESS?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING
HAPPY? I THINK THE LEGISLATOR
SHOULD CONCERN ITSELF WITH
HAPPINESS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE
CONVINCING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
SHOWING THAT HAPPINESS CONFERS A
VARIETY OF BENEFITS IN DIFFERENT
LIFE DOMAINS. IT IS GOOD FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL AND GOOD FOR THE
SOCIETY, AND WE DO HAVE
EXPERIMENTAL AND LONGITUDINAL
STUDIES, COLLECTIVELY
HIGHLIGHTING THE FOLLOWING
FINDINGS FIRST HAPPY PEOPLE LIVE
LONGER. THEY ARE LIVING 4 TO 10
YEARS LONGER THAN UNHAPPY PEOPLE
HAPPY PEOPLE ARE HEALTHIER. THEY
ARE LESS LIKELY TO CATCH A COLD
EVEN WHEN INJECTED WITH A COLD
VIRUS IN IN AN EXPERIMENTAL
SETTING, SO THIS MEANS REDUCED
HEALTH COSTS COSTS FOR THE HAPPY
PEOPLE AND HAPPY PEOPLE, UH,
ALSO HAVE A STRONGER IMMUNE
SYSTEM. FUNCTIONING HAPPY.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO MORE CREATIVE AT
WORK. THEY ARE MORE IN A WAY
THEY COMPARED TO LESS APPS, AND
THEN THEY ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL AT
WORK. THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO
SECURE A SECOND INTERVIEW. WHEN
THEY APPLY FOR A POSITION THEY
ARE MORE LIKELY COMPARED TO
THEIR PEERS TO MAKE AT LEAST
$10,000 MORE IN INCOME ACROSS
THE LIFES SP HAPPY PEOPLE ARE
ALSO LIKELY TO BE MORE
ALTRUISTIC. THEY ARE LIKELY TO
HAVE BETTER SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR
THE SOCIETY. I BELIEVE, UH AND
THEN FOR QUALIFYING CALIFORNIA
PERHAPS THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO
VOLUNTEERS. THEY ARE MORE LIKELY
TO DONATE TO CHARITIES. THEY ARE
EVEN MORE LIKELY TO DONATE THEIR
KIDNEYS. YOU KNOW, UH, SO THIS
IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE AND IT ALSO
I BELIEVE THIS IS VERY RELEVANT
FOR OUR MAJOR, YOU KNOW, GLOBAL
CONCERNS HAPPY PEOPLE ARE NOT
SELFISH AND THAT THEY ARE MORE
ACTIVE IN TAKING ACTION TOWARDS
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES. THEY ARE SENSITIVE
TOWARDS THOSE AND THEY ARE MORE
LIKELY TO TAKE ACTION. COMPARED
TO LESS OF PEOPLE SO OVERALL
HAPPINESS IS GOOD FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL AND GOOD FOR THE
SOCIETY. SO THESE ARE THE
OVERALL BENEFITS. AND I BELIEVE
THE NEXT QUESTION. UH UH, THAT I
WAS GIVEN WAS ASKING. IS THERE
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC POLICY
SOLUTIONS ON HAPPINESS? IF SO,
WHAT ARE THEY? I AM NOT A PUBLIC
POLICY SCHOLAR. BUT BASED ON MY
KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD, I'VE
BEEN, UH, DOING RESEARCH ON
HAPPINESS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE
PAST TWO, MORE THAN TWO DECADES.
I CAN MAKE A FEW SUGGESTIONS IF
I MAY AND THIS IS RELEVANT TO
WHAT? UH, PROFESSOR BALDASSARRE
HIGHLIGHTED AS WELL. FIRST OF
ALL, I THINK IT WOULD BE
WONDERFUL TO INVEST IN MENTAL
HEALTH AND MENTAL WELL BEING AND
IN CALIFORNIA. WHETHER IS THE
AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH RESOURCES
, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES OR
OFFERING A RELATED INTERVENTIONS
ON OUR CAMPUS. WE ARE TRYING TO
SPREAD THE WORD THAT HAPPINESS
IS NOT A LUXURY. IT'S A
NECESSITY IN OUR LIVES IT
MATTERS. IT MAKES SUB POTENTIAL
DIFFERENCES IN OUR LIVES, AND WE
NEED TO SPREAD THIS WORD, UH TO
PEOPLE AND THEN RAISING
AWARENESS COULD BE A FIRST MAJOR
STEP IN THIS IN THIS PARTICULAR
PURSUIT AND THEN TO SAY RELATED
TO THIS THING, I BELIEVE, UH,
STARTING VERY EARLY IS A GOOD
IDEA WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS
PERHAPS WE CAN, UH, INCLUDE WELL
BEING AND RELATED COURSES, NOT
ONLY HAPPINESS BUT ALSO POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY RELATED CONCEPTS SUCH
AS FLOURISHING, SUCH AS
RESILIENCE INTO SCHOOL
CURRICULUM. AND THEN I KNOW
SOME, UH SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY
DOING THIS, BUT IT WOULD BE
WONDERFUL IN CALIFORNIA IF WE
SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY, OFFERING COURSES ON
WELL BEING AND HAPPINESS EARLY
IN LIFE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE A
COURSE ON HAPPINESS, YOU LEARN
NOT ONLY WHAT IT IS AND WHAT
MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY. BUT YOU ALSO
LEARN THE WAYS TO CULTIVATE
HAPPINESS IN YOUR LIFE. YOU
LEARN THAT IT IS WITHIN YOUR
REACH TO ACHIEVE HAPPINESS IN IN
YOUR PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. AND
IN RELATED TO THIS, FOR INSTANCE
, SAC STATE THANKS TO RICKY SING
AT THE DONNER FOR MY POSITION IS
ONE OF THE HANDFUL IN THE ENTIRE
NATION, OFFERING A COURSE OF
PSYCHOLOGY OF HAPPINESS. SO
INVESTING IN CURRICULUM AND
EDUCATION COULD BE THE SECOND
PERHAPS, UH, PUBLIC POLICY AND
ANOTHER ONE THAT I LIKE TO
HIGHLIGHT IN THE LIGHT OF THE
FINDINGS BY DR BALDASSARRE IS,
UH, HE HIGHLIGHTED THAT,
ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT
GENERAL SURVEY IN CALIFORNIA,
THE UNHAPPIEST GROUP IN IN OUR
STATE IS, UH, THE EMERGING YOUNG
ADULTS 18 TO 35 YEAR OLDS AND
ALSO LOW INCOME PEOPLE. NOW,
WITH THIS INFORMATION GIVEN TO
US WHAT I TO SHARE WITH YOU IS
THAT THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE
RIGHT NOW LINKING NATURE
CONNECTEDNESS TO INDIVIDUAL
HAPPINESS. PEOPLE ARE HAPPIER
WHEN THEY SPEND MORE TIME IN
NATURE, UH, WITHIN GREEN SPACES
WHEN THEY GO FOR A HIKE WHEN
THEY GO FOR KAYAKING, AND IN
CALIFORNIA, OUR STATE IS VERY
LUCKY. IN THAT SENSE. WE HAVE
FANTASTIC PARKS AND THEN LOTS OF
OPPORTUNITIES. HOWEVER COST MAY
BE AN ISSUE. I DISCUSS THIS
EVERY SEMESTER WITH MY STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW WHAT CAN THE PUBLIC,
YOU KNOW? UH UH. PUBLIC IS A
PUBLIC POLICY. WHAT CAN WE DO TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, LEISURE
ACTIVITIES ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE
TO EVERYONE. PERHAPS WE CAN
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FREE DAYS
. WE SHOULD HAVE LIMITED PERHAPS
TO JUST FOURTH OF JULY, BUT
MAYBE HAVE IT MORE FREQUENTLY,
IF POSSIBLE, TO, UH, EMERGING
ADULTS, YOUNG ADULTS, BUT YOU
SHOULD HAVE REST TO DOUBLE FIRST
TO ANY AGE GROUP BECAUSE BEING
IN TOUCH WITH NATURE AND LEISURE
ACTIVITIES ARE RELIABLE MARKERS
AND CONTRIBUTORS TO HAPPEN IS
THAT CALIFORNIA IS A GREAT PLACE
. I PERSONALLY STRUGGLE TAKING
MY SON TO MULTIPLE PARKS. HE
WANTS TO GO TO THESE PARKS. BUT
YOU KNOW, PAYING $200 TO $205 A
YEAR. I MEAN, WHAT AM III? I
CAN'T EVEN AFFORD IT. I CANNOT
EVEN EVEN IMAGINE INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE TRYING TO GO BY WITH
WITH WITH WITH WITH LESS WITH
LOW INCOME GROUP I'M REFERRING
TO, SO I THINK THIS COULD BE A
GOOD POLICY TO KEEP IN MIND TO
MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE AND THEN
AND AVAILABLE TO LARGE SEGMENTS
OF THE POPULATION IN IN
CALIFORNIA. OVERALL I BELIEVE
HAPPINESS IS A NECESSITY IN OUR
LIVES. IT CONFERS TONS OF
BENEFITS, AND IT MATTERS AND I
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE
CALIFORNIA WE HAVE A HEARING ON
THIS AND I'M AGAIN. DELIGHTED TO
BE HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR, UH,
FOR YOUR REMARKS AND
PRESENTATION. UM MISS CREASON
BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT WHEN SHE
SAID THAT, UM AND I'VE READ THIS
A LOT IN IN THE PAST AND ALL MY
ALL THE READING I'VE DONE. UM
WHEN YOU SAID, UM, MONEY DOESN'T
BUY YOU HAPPINESS, BUT YOU NEED
A CERTAIN LEVEL OF, UH, AM
AMERICAN. A CERTAIN UH UH UH,
LEVEL OF SUBSISTENCE. UM AS
SOMEBODY WHO SPENDS A LOT OF
TIME ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. WE
KNOW I WAS SERVED ON THE U èC
BOARD OF REGENTS, THE CAL STATE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES. I KNOW, UM
COUCH SURFING AND THE LEVEL OF
POVERTY AMONG OUR THAT OUR
STUDENTS FACE IS ONE OF THE
REALLY UNSPOKEN THINGS IN OUR
STATE THAT WE JUST DON'T TALK
ABOUT. AND I ALSO THINK THAT
THOSE ARE VERY SHORT TERM. UM
PROBLEMS, HOPEFULLY SHORT TERM
AND IN THE LONG TERM, THERE'S
ALSO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
THAT. UM IN THE CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW MUCH AM I GONNA OWE
AFTER FOUR YEARS TO GET OUT OF
HERE? UM CAN YOU SPEAK TO BOTH
OF THOSE? THE SORT OF THE SHORT
TERM CONCERNS CONCERNS THAT A
LOT OF STUDENTS HAVE, UM, AND
ALSO SORT OF THE LONG TERM, UH,
CONCERNS THAT COLLEGE IS GREAT.
IT'S FANTASTIC, BUT YOU CAN RACK
UP A LOT OF DEBT. AND WHAT IS
WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR UH, FOR
SOMEONE'S PSYCHE, BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE SEEN IN THIS
COUNTRY AN EFFORT AROUND DEBT
RELIEF FOR STUDENTS AND THOSE
TYPES OF THINGS. I'M JUST
CURIOUS IF WE ARE DOING THE
RIGHT THING. AH WELL, THAT'S
THAT. THAT'S A GREAT POINT. AND
THEN I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY
SPECIFIC, UH, DATA, UH, FROM A
SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE, BUT WHAT
I CAN'T COMMENT BASED ON MY
INTERACTIONS WITH STUDENTS IN
THE PAST 20 YEARS IS, IS THAT,
UH, THEY DO STRUGGLE WITH THE
THAT THEY ACCUMULATE, YOU KNOW,
AS THEY PURSUE, YOU KNOW, UH,
DAY OF EDU'S. IT'S THOSE ARE THE
LUCKY ONES. UH IF THEY FINISH IN
FOUR YEARS, USUALLY IT TAKES
THEM AT LEAST YOU KNOW, FIVE OR
EVEN EVEN A SIX YEARS TO
COMPLETE THEIR DEGREES AND
DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES, SO THEY
ACCUMULATE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT
OF DEBT, AND THEN THEY GO TO M
PROGRAMS OR A P HÌ Dð PROGRAM.
IT MEANS IN AN ADDITIONAL DEBT.
THIS IS CERTAINLY GOING TO MAKE
A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE OVERALL
WELL BEING, THEY'RE LIKELY TO
STRUGGLE AND FEEL DISTRESS.
UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE NÓ MATTER
HOW HARD THEY TRY, THEY ARE
STILL GOING TO BE IN DEBT. YOU
KNOW, 15 YEARS AFTER THEY START
A JOB SO THAT RELIEF POLICIES
COULD BE, UH, A USEFUL WAY TO
ADDRESS A MAJOR CONCERN. YOU
KNOW, COLLEGE STUDENTS?
CERTAINLY. YEAH. I HAVE AN EASY
QUESTION FOR YOU, UH, YOU
MENTIONED THE SO HOW HOW OLD IS
YOUR SON? AND WHEN DID YOU START
TAKING YOUR SON TO PARKS GOING
TO TURN NINE IN TWO MONTHS. AND
THEN I'VE BEEN TAKING HIM TO
FOLSOM LAKE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, A
BUNCH OF OTHER, YOU KNOW, PARKS
AROUND SO YEAH, AND THEN UH, HE
HE'S INTO KAYAKING THING. YEAH
SO IT'S I. I LIKE THAT. AND THEN
SO IT WOULD BE LIKE HIKING AND
OTHER THINGS. SO YEAH. GOOD.
FANTASTIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR SECOND PANEL.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR
PANELISTS, UH, VIRTUAL AND
OTHERWISE, UH, AND IN PERSON FOR
THEIR INSIGHTFUL PRESENTATIONS,
THIS IS EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE
HEARING AND ONE THAT I KNOW THAT
WILL SHAPE OUR CONVERSATIONS.
UH, MOVING FORWARD. WE WILL NOW
MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION
OF OUR HEARING. FOR THOSE IN THE
AUDIENCE. PLEASE STEP UP TO THE
MICROPHONE, WHICH IS SOMEWHERE
SO IN THE MIDDLE THERE, UH,
PLEASE STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE
. IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE
COMMENT. EACH PERSON HAS TWO
MINUTES. PLEASE BE SURE TO SHARE
YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION.
IF ANY. HØI. GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYONE. UM GOOD AFTERNOON, MR
CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
DISTINGUISHED PANELISTS. UM,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONVENING
THIS COMMITTEE TODAY AND OPENING
UP THIS DISCUSSION. UM MY NAME
IS ALEXIS FOLEY AND I JUST
WANTED TO REPRESENT MEMBER OF
THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC. AND, UM I
BELIEVE AS HUMANS. IT IS IN OUR
NATURE TO BE HAPPY, SO TO
EXPERIENCE JOY OR SAD TO
EXPERIENCE SORROW. AND THAT
NAVIGATING THIS NATURE CAN BE A
REALLY UNIQUE LEARNING CURVE.
UM, FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US
, AND THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF
US HAVE AN IMPACT ON EACH OTHER
ALONG THE WAY. UM, WE'VE HEARD
SO MANY GREAT EXAMPLES FROM
PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM TODAY. UM I
BELIEVE THAT HAPPINESS IS A
FACTOR THAT CAN HELP RAISE OUR
QUALITY OF LIFE AND COLLECTIVE
CONSCIOUSNESS. UM I BELIEVE THAT
GOVERNMENTS ARE RULINGS OF
COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS. AND SO
THAT'S WHY I'M SO EXCITED TO
HAVE THIS. UM, SEE THIS
DISCUSSION UNFOLD. UM SO AND I
ALSO BELIEVE THAT A HAPPINESS
COULD BE MAYBE ONE OF THESE
UNDERLYING ROOT PROBLEMS TO A
LOT OF THE OTHER, BIGGER
PROBLEMS AND ISSUES THAT WE SEE.
SO I THINK THE IMPACTS OF
HAPPINESS ON ON A STAFF LEVEL
LEADERSHIP LEVEL, BUT EVEN UM,
ON THE UNHOUSED LEVEL ARE
EQUALLY IMPORTANT ACROSS THE
BOARD. I UM PROBABLY RUNNING
SHORT ON TIME. BUT I DID WANT
TO, UM UM, MAYBE GIVE SOME
EXAMPLES OR SPEAK WITH ANYONE
AFTERWARD ABOUT DATA DRIVEN
EXAMPLES THAT, UM TO, UH, DATA
DRIVEN BENEFITS TO PRIORITIZE
HAPPINESS AND POLICY MAKING. UM,
SOME EXAMPLES OF REALLY LOW COST
WAYS TO CULTIVATE HAPPINESS, UM,
IN THE WORKPLACE OR JUST IN
LIFE. AND THEN THREE REASONS WHY
SOCIETY SHOULD PRIORITIZE
HAPPINESS. UM MAYBE A COUPLE
EXAMPLES. IF THE LINE ISN'T TOO
LONG BEHIND ME, IF THAT'S OK,
SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, SO
JUST ADD DIFFERENT THAN BENEFITS
OF PRIORITIZING HAPPINESS IN
POLITICS. POLICY MAKING COULD
INCLUDE INCREASED ECONOMIC
PRODUCTIVITY, UM, REDUCING
HEALTH CARE COSTS AND INCREASING
SOCIAL COHESION THAT WOULD
RELATE TO REDUCING CRIME RATES.
UM, MAYBE SOME LOW COST EXAMPLES
FOR CREATING SPACE TO CULTIVATE
HAPPINESS. UM TO CRE REALLY
CREATE THAT SPACE. UM THERE ARE
SOME TOOLS OUT THERE. MAYBE
THREE. THREE OPTIONS. UM BUT
MINDFULNESS OR JOURNALING CAN
HELP REDUCE STRESS, SO THAT
WOULD BE HELPFUL. UM ONE OF OUR
PANELISTS SPOKE ABOUT IT, BUT
MODERN, INNOVATIVE, LIKE WORK,
LIFE BALANCE TACTICS, UM AND
BUILDING THAT INTO THE WORKPLACE
AND WORKDAY. AND UM ALL OF THIS
CAN BENEFIT IMPROVED STRATEGIC
PLANNING AND ALSO DECISION
MAKING FOR ALL OF US, UM AND
IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL
EFFECTIVENESS. SO MAYBE JUST
REALLY QUICK. UM WHY SHOULD SAY
ART SOCIETY PRIORITIZE HAPPINESS
I WOULD, AND I THINK CALIFORNIA
WOULD BE REALLY GOOD LEADERS IN
THIS AREA. UM, IT PROMOTES GOOD
GOVERNANCE. UM IT CAN FOSTER
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY,
AND IT CAN NURTURE WELLNESS AND
GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH. SO I JUST
WANTED TO LEAVE WITH THAT. AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. MS FOLEY NEXT I HAD A
QUESTION. I'M LYNN FROM
CALMATTERS, UM A LOT OF THE THEY
WERE SAYING, LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW,
ECONOMY AND A LOT OF MONEY
DOESN'T REALLY, UM, HAVE A HUGE
EFFECT. I MEAN THAT THERE'S SOME
NEEDED BASIS FOR, UM FOR
SUBSTANCE AND TO HAVE PEOPLE
HAVE ECONOMIC STABILITY. UM, MY
QUESTION, UM, FOR LEGISLATORS IS
REALLY WITH, UM, THE BUDGET
DEFICIT THESE IF WHATEVER POLICY
THAT COMES OUT IF IT REQUIRES
MORE MONEY, LIKE, HOW WOULD YOU
KIND OF RECONCILE? UM THIS
CALIFORNIA FACING THIS HUGE
BUDGET DEFICIT AND SOME OF THESE
POLICIES THAT MIGHT COME OUT OF
THIS, UM, HEARING THAT WILL
REQUIRE MORE MONEY. UM, CAN YOU
GIVE SOME INSIGHT ON THAT? YEAH.
QUESTIONS FOR ME. UM SO HOW DO I
RECONCILE THE DEFICIT WITH SOME.
UH, WITH POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO
ADDRESSING HEALTH. THE GOOD
QUESTION. I MEAN, I. I AND I
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS
IN IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS
THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
LEADING UP TO HERE. I DIDN'T. I
DON'T WANT TO PREJUDICE THE
OUTCOMES OF THESE HEARINGS. UM,
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN HEARING
FROM THE EXPERTS ON WHAT THEY
THINK ARE ARE THE BEST, UH,
SOLUTIONS. YES I THINK, UH,
WE'VE HEARD BOTH TODAY AND IN MY
OTHER READINGS, WE KNOW THAT, UM
AND SORT OF UNS. UH SPARE TIME
AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE
INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. IT'S NOT
NECESSARILY A GOVERNMENT
DIRECTIVE. UM BUT SOMETHING THAT
CAN BE BUILT INTO THE WORK DAY
BY A PRIVATE EMPLOYERS OR BY
EMPLOYERS. UH A PUBLIC EMPLOYERS
. UH, AS WELL, UM, WHEN WE DO
TALK ABOUT, UM THE WORLD
HAPPINESS INDEX, FOR EXAMPLE, I
THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT A
LOT OF THE COUNTRIES UH, THAT
RATE HIGHLY, UH OR THE NORDIC
COUNTRIES, UH, THAT HAVE A
STRONG SOCIAL SAFETY NET
PROGRAMS. UM SO I MEAN FOR ME,
ULTIMATELY, UM AND JUST PRETTY
MUCH JIVES WITH MY POLITICAL
IDEOLOGY. I MEAN, I DO THINK WE
NEED A STRONG SAFETY AND I THINK
WE NEED GOOD SCHOOLS. I THINK WE
NEED. UH UH UH. UH HEALTHCARE.
UM THAT STUFF COSTS MONEY. IT
REALLY DOES. UM AND, UH, SO,
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION
IN TERMS OF, UH, THAT BALANCE
AND HOW WE GET THERE, BUT I, I
DO THINK, UH, MAKING SURE THAT
WE ACHIEVE THOSE ACHIEVE THOSE
DIRECTIVES IS ULTIMATELY IN LINE
WITH THE DATA IN TERMS OF HOW WE
ACHIEVE HAPPINESS. THANK YOU.
OTHER QUESTIONS. GREAT. UH THIS
CONCLUDES OUR HEARING ON THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON HAPPINESS
AND PUBLIC POLICY OUTCOMES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US
TODAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE
DISCUSSIONS ON THIS TOPIC. THANK
YOU.
IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE. THANK
YOU. CHAIR APPRECIATE YOU
ANYTIME, ANYTIME. THANK YOU.
YEAH, I KNOW. OK? I HAVE MORE.
THANK YOU. YEAH. I YES. UH HUH.
I I'M PICKING UP WHAT YOU'RE
PUTTING DOWN. ALL RIGHT. HOLLER
IF I COULD BE HELPFUL. I'M
AROUND. OK? YEAH. YEAH, I YEAH.
I DON IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
RIGHT NOW. I DON'T WHEN I'M
AROUND.
I DON'T THANK YOU SO MUCH. BOTH
YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THEY HAD TO.