Gu Gyo-jun et al.: What Makes Us Happy

What makes us happy? The Easterlin Paradox raises the question of why objective life conditions, such as income, do not influence the subjective evaluation of life—expressed as happiness—as much as we expect. To find an answer to the question posed by Easterlin over 40 years ago, this study explains the process of achieving happiness and its effects by focusing on the two natures of happiness (hedonic vs. eudaimonic) distinguished by Greek philosophy. Unlike eudaimonic happiness, the effects of hedonic happiness are short-term and easily fade; therefore, even with the same income, the level of happiness can vary depending on which of the two natures of happiness a society allocates more resources to. The most important source of eudaimonic happiness is the "life capacity" proposed by Sen. Capacity refers to the ability to freely pursue the actions or states that an individual values, and through this process, individuals become able to realize their values and potential. Therefore, the level of capacity in a society can be said to play the role of a significant moderating variable in creating a society that is either happier or less happy, even with the same income. This study proved these assumptions, derived from a theoretical review, through an empirical analysis of income and happiness and inequality and happiness targeting OECD countries, as well as a case analysis comparing Finland and Japan.

Korean title: 무엇이 우리를 행복하게 하는가

Korean author: 구교준 외

Korean publisher: 집문당

ISBN-13: 9788930317771