In the new science of happiness, researchers have found that those driven by intrinsic motivations–  doing what they love, spending time with people they like, helping others, are much happier than those driven by extrinsic motivations– what we glibly call “success” here in the Free Market — wealth, status and fame.

Stated more directly, to paraphrase those interviewed by Roko Belic, director of Genghis Blues (a great documentary) and the 2011 Happy:  losers who hang out together, and value each other, are happier than winners driven to compete who have no good relationships.

Rocket science, yo.  Psychology 101, yo.  

But, of course, there’s no money to be made in happiness.  So it’s common sense that we who seek to maximize profit and drive the economy would present the world as a zero-sum competition where a few will win and everyone else LOSES.  The fear of losing?  BINGO!  Now we’re talking a trillion dollar industry.

Have a very nice day!