The Happiness Agenda [electronic resource] : A Modern Obsession /
Burnett, S.author.
Explores why contemporary Anglo-American society is obsessed with happiness. Striving to be happy is now a morally imperative pursuit. Through the lens of novel social theory, this book explicates how this has transpired as consequence of a complex 'conspiracy of coordination' between political, organisational and psychological developments.
Description based upon print version of record.
Cover; Contents; Foreword; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Modern myths; Pursuing happiness; 1 The happy adventures of capital; The culture of capital: an overview; A reflexive complexity; The power of subjects and objects; (Too) fast subjects; The cultural circuits of happiness; 2 A happy policy; An ancient problem, and its modern fix; The utility of happiness; The utility of Utility; Historians repeat each other, history repeats itself; The political need for happiness; 3 Happiness loves company; Theoretical origins; A modern-day assumption; Happy workers?
Champions of the new human relations4 Positively happy; The Manhattan Project; Principles of positivity; Historical and conceptual origins; A mainstream counter-culture; 5 Happy days; Knowing happiness; The happy death of god; 6 Happiness needs practice; 7 Happy ever after?; References; Index
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Explores why contemporary Anglo-American society is obsessed with happiness. Striving to be happy is now a morally imperative pursuit. Through the lens of novel social theory, this book explicates how this has transpired as consequence of a complex 'conspiracy of coordination' between political, organisational and psychological developments.
Personnel management.
Leadership.
Behavioral economics.
Sociology.
Industrial psychology.
Human Resource Management.
Business Strategy/Leadership.
Behavioral/Experimental Economics.
Sociology, general.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology.