The rise of politicians talking about ‘happiness’ and ‘general well-being’ is a new European fad with similar initiatives also undertaken by Nicolas Sarkozy in France and Angela Merkel in Germany.
There is something irresistible about measuring things, especially when it comes to country comparisons and international rankings.
What a miserable place Australia must be if it finds itself behind a bankrupt economy and a country left ungovernable by the financial crisis.
Science requires measurement. But not all measurement is scientific.
© Dr Oliver Hartwich