Share
Human Happiness and the Pursuit of Maximization: Is More Always Better?
Brockmann, Hilke ; Delhey, Jan (Author)
·
Springer
· Hardcover
Human Happiness and the Pursuit of Maximization: Is More Always Better? - Brockmann, Hilke ; Delhey, Jan
Choose the list to add your product or create one New List
✓ Product added successfully to the Wishlist.
Go to My Wishlists
Origin: U.S.A.
(Import costs included in the price)
It will be shipped from our warehouse between
Friday, August 09 and
Wednesday, August 21.
You will receive it anywhere in United Kingdom between 1 and 3 business days after shipment.
Synopsis "Human Happiness and the Pursuit of Maximization: Is More Always Better?"
This book tests the critical potential of happiness research to evaluate contemporary high-performance societies. These societies, defined as affluent capitalist societies, emphasize competition and success both institutionally and culturally. Growing affluence improves life in many ways, for a large number of people. We lead longer, safer, and more comfortable lives than previous generations. But we also live faster, and are competition-toughened, like top athletes. As a result, we suspect limits and detect downsides of our high-speed lives. The ubiquitous maximization principle opens up a systematic gateway to the pleasures and pains of contemporary life. Using happiness as a reference point, this book explores the philosophical and empirical limits of the maximization rule. It considers the answer to questions such as: Precisely, why did the idea of (economic) maximization gain so much ground in our Western way of thinking? When, and in which life domains, does maximization work, when does it fail? When do qualities and when do quantities matter? Does maximization yield a different (un)happiness dividend in different species, cultures, and societies?
