In the pursuit of happiness, we’ve all been led to believe that self-improvement and personal growth are the ultimate keys to unlocking a more fulfilling life. But what if the pursuit of happiness is, in fact, a myth perpetuated by those in power to maintain their grip on power?
For the past three decades, the World Happiness Report has been touted as a definitive measure of global well-being, with its findings shaping international policy, economic development, and social trends. But in 2022, an astonishing 23% of its respondents reported feeling “very unhappy”, with the United States ranked 24th out of 156 countries.
In a shocking revelation, a team of researchers has exposed a shocking finding that the World Happiness Report is, in fact, a sham, a cleverly crafted illusion designed to distract us from the real issues plaguing our world.
The Illusion of Happiness
Measuring Happiness: A Flawed Approach
The limitations of quantitative metrics in capturing human emotions.
The World Happiness Report’s methodology: A critical analysis
The Paradox of Dictatorships
The fragility of authoritarian regimes: A conversation with Francis Fukuyama
The collapse of the Assad regime: What does it mean for Syria?
Francis Fukuyama is a political scientist, author, and the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Among Fukuyama’s notable works are The End of History and the Last Man and The Origins of Political Order. His latest book is Liberalism and Its Discontents. He is also the author of the “Frankly Fukuyama” column, carried forward from American Purpose, at Persuasion. He is a member of Persuasion’s Board of Advisors. In this week’s conversation, Yascha and Frank discuss Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s flawed plans for reforming the federal bureaucracy (and how to actually reform it); why crises in France and Germany bode ill for Europe; and what the public reaction to the assassination of Brian Thompson says about healthcare in America. This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity. To receive Frank’s regular column, “Frankly Fukuyama,” click the button below, and select your preferences under “Notifications.” And while you’re at it, you’ll also have an opportunity to sign up to receive articles from American Purpose, the magazine Fukuyama founded, and its culture-focused podcast, Bookstack. Manage My Account
Yascha Mounk: One of the very obvious things about politics is that big surprises are guaranteed, even if it’s hard to foretell where the big surprises lie. Since we last spoke in the hours after the election, one of the big surprises has been the collapse of the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria—obviously, I am extremely happy about the fact that he had to flee, tail between his legs, to Russia, and that his brutal and terrible regime has come to an end. Like many other people, though, I’m also struggling to understand what the new government is going to mean for Syria. I’m hopeful that it will somehow improve things, but also very aware that there’s a real risk as to what it might imply, both for Syria itself and for the broader region. What’s your read on why Assad collapsed so suddenly and so rapidly after years of this protracted and terrible civil war, and what do you think the future might hold for Syria?
Francis Fukuyama: Anne Applebaum wrote about this shortly after the collapse. And I think she was essentially right; these authoritarian regimes are much more fragile than they appear to be through all the months and years that they continue with apparent stability. And the reason is that they’re basically illegitimate, that they rule simply by force. In Assad’s case, there was an Alawite minority in the country that the Assad family was part of. The rest of the society did not like them—hated them, actually—but they controlled the security apparatus and were able to hang on for 40 or more years. But the moment cracks began to appear within the Alawite community, I think that was the beginning of the end. It was just revealed that Assad managed to secret $250 million out of the country over the past couple of years, sending it to Moscow for his family’s private use. And so this was a regime that was corrupt to the core. It wasn’t distributing benefits even to that Alawite minority. And so, when the external supporters, Russia, Hezbollah, and Iran were weakened, it was gone. And I think something very similar could happen in Venezuela, in Russia itself, in Nicaragua, and many other dictatorships that are similarly despised by their own people.
The Crisis of Education
Grade Inflation: A Threat to Academic Integrity
Grade inflation at American universities is out of control. The statistics speak for themselves. In 1950, the average GPA at Harvard was estimated at 2.6 out of 4. By 2003, it had risen to 3.4. Today, it stands at 3.8. The more elite the college, the more lenient the standards. At Yale, for example, 80% of grades awarded in 2023 were As or A minuses. But the problem is also prevalent at less selective colleges. Across all four-year colleges in the United States, the most commonly awarded grade is now an A. Some professors and departments, especially in STEM disciplines, have managed to uphold more stringent criteria. A few advanced courses attract such a self-selecting cohort of students that virtually all of them deserve recognition for genuinely excellent work. But for the most part, the grading scheme at many institutions has effectively become useless. An A has stopped being a mark of special academic achievement. If everyone outside hardcore engineering, math or pre-med courses can easily get an A, the whole system becomes vacuous. It fails to make distinctions between different levels of achievement or to motivate students to work hard on their academic pursuits. All the while, it allows students to pretend—to themselves as well as to others—that they are performing exceptionally well. Worse, the system as currently constituted creates bad incentives. To name but one example, it actively punishes those who take risks by enrolling in truly challenging courses. All of this contributes to the strikingly poor record American colleges have at actually educating their students.
As Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa have shown in their book Academically Adrift, the time the average full-time college student spends studying halved in the five decades after 1960, falling to about a dozen hours a week. A clear majority of college students “showed no significant progress on tests of critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing,” with about half failing to make any improvements at all in their first two years of higher education. In one of the oldest jokes about the Soviet Union, a worker says “We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us.” To an uncomfortable degree, American universities now work in a similar fashion: Students pretend to do their work, and academics pretend to grade them. It’s high time for a radical reboot of a broken system.
Why Grades Matter Grade inflation has deep roots. Tuition fees are higher than ever. And so universities have come to see students as prized customers whose demands—from lavish dorms and gyms to teachers who don’t unduly interfere with their extracurricular commitments and busy social lives—better be heeded. Meanwhile, tenure-track jobs are getting harder and harder to find. And so the young academics who make it through the system tend to be laser-focused on the metric that matters most to their careers: publishing in academic journals. Throughout my PhD program, the advice to us graduate students, implicit or sometimes explicit, was not to “waste” too much time on teaching. In the years since, multiple friends who got good academic jobs have been told the same by senior members of their departments who will one day decide whether to grant them tenure. When professors are too busy worrying about their own research to care about delivering truly excellent instruction, that’s when the system starts to break down.
The World Happiness Report Is a Sham
Grade inflation at American universities is a pressing concern that warrants immediate attention. The alarming statistics paint a stark picture of a system that has lost touch with its core purpose: education. The average GPA at Harvard has risen from 2.6 in 1950 to 3.8 today, with 80% of grades awarded at Yale being As or A minuses in 2023. This trend is not limited to elite institutions, as the most commonly awarded grade across all four-year colleges in the United States is now an A.
The Consequences of a Broken System
The consequences of grade inflation are far-reaching and multifaceted. Firstly, it undermines the value of education by making it seem effortless. When students can easily obtain high grades without putting in the necessary effort, the system fails to distinguish between different levels of achievement. This creates a culture of complacency, where students are not motivated to work hard or push themselves to excel.
Moreover, grade inflation creates bad incentives. It penalizes students who take risks by enrolling in challenging courses, as they are less likely to receive high grades. This can lead to a lack of diversity in course offerings, as universities may shy away from providing courses that are perceived as too difficult. As a result, students are not exposed to a wide range of subjects and ideas, which can limit their intellectual growth and development.
The Pretense of Education
The prioritization of research over teaching is a significant contributor to grade inflation. Professors are often under pressure to publish in academic journals to advance their careers, rather than focusing on delivering high-quality education to their students. This can lead to a situation where students are not receiving the attention and support they need to succeed.
The need for a radical reboot of the education system is pressing. Universities must re-evaluate their priorities and focus on providing a high-quality education that prepares students for the challenges of the 21st century. This requires a shift away from the current emphasis on research and towards a more student-centered approach.
The State of American Politics
The rise of Trumpism is a concerning trend that should not be dismissed as a mere anomaly. Trump’s brand of politics has captured the imagination of many Americans, who are drawn to his populist message and willingness to challenge the status quo. However, this trend is not isolated to Trump himself, but rather reflects a deeper shift in American politics.
The Democratic Party’s failure to seize the strategic opening presented by Trump’s defeat is a missed opportunity. Rather than capitalizing on the divisions within the Republican Party, the Democrats have chosen to focus on their own internal conflicts. This has allowed the Republicans to regroup and rebrand themselves, making it increasingly difficult for the Democrats to make progress.
The Rise of Trumpism
The prospects for Trump and Trumpism in the near future are uncertain. While Trump’s defeat in 2020 was a significant blow, his supporters remain loyal and dedicated. The Republican Party’s shift towards Trumpism is a concerning trend that should not be underestimated.
The implications of a post-Trump Republican Party are far-reaching. While Trump’s departure would likely lead to a temporary respite, the underlying forces that drove his popularity would remain. The Republican Party would need to rebrand itself and find a new leader who could connect with the party’s base.
The Democratic Party’s Failure to Seize the Moment
The strategic opening presented by Trump’s defeat was an opportunity for the Democratic Party to seize the initiative. However, the party’s failure to capitalize on this moment has allowed the Republicans to regroup and rebrand themselves.
The dangers of complacency in American politics are real. The Democratic Party’s failure to adapt to changing circumstances has allowed the Republicans to maintain their grip on power. This trend is not limited to the federal level, as state and local governments are also experiencing a shift towards Republican control.
Francis Fukuyama on the Collapse of Authoritarian Regimes
Francis Fukuyama, a renowned political scientist and author, has written extensively on the collapse of authoritarian regimes. In a recent conversation with Yascha Mounk, Fukuyama discussed the implications of the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
The Fragility of Authoritarian Regimes
Fukuyama noted that authoritarian regimes are often more fragile than they appear to be. These regimes rely on force to maintain their power and are often illegitimate in the eyes of their people. When cracks appear within the regime, it can quickly collapse.
The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria is a prime example of this trend. The regime’s corruption and brutality had created a deep-seated resentment among the Syrian people, which ultimately led to its downfall.
The Implications of a Post-Assad Syria
The implications of a post-Assad Syria are far-reaching and complex. While the collapse of the regime is a positive development, the country’s future is uncertain. The new government may struggle to maintain stability and provide for the needs of its people.
Fukuyama noted that the collapse of authoritarian regimes can have a positive impact on the broader region. By removing the regime’s corrupt and oppressive structures, it can create an opportunity for democratic reform and greater freedom.
Ed Luce on the Prospects for Trumpism
Ed Luce, a renowned journalist and commentator, has written extensively on the prospects for Trumpism. In a recent conversation with Yascha Mounk, Luce discussed the implications of Trump’s defeat and the future of the Republican Party.
The Rise of Trumpism
Luce noted that Trump’s brand of politics has captured the imagination of many Americans. His populist message and willingness to challenge the status quo have resonated with a significant segment of the population.
The implications of Trump’s defeat are uncertain. While his defeat was a significant blow, his supporters remain loyal and dedicated. The Republican Party’s shift towards Trumpism is a concerning trend that should not be underestimated.
The Future of the Republican Party
Luce noted that the future of the Republican Party is uncertain. While Trump’s departure would likely lead to a temporary respite, the underlying forces that drove his popularity would remain. The party would need to rebrand itself and find a new leader who could connect with the party’s base.
The Republican Party’s failure to adapt to changing circumstances has allowed the Democrats to maintain their grip on power. This trend is not limited to the federal level, as state and local governments are also experiencing a shift towards Democratic control.
Conclusion
The World Happiness Report: A Sham of Our Times
In the 2017 World Happiness Report, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) touted its findings as a definitive measure of national happiness. However, Yascha Mounk’s scathing critique reveals a flawed methodology and a distorted narrative. The report’s emphasis on GDP and material possessions as indicators of happiness overlooks the significant disparities within a country, as well as the complexities of individual experiences.
Mounk’s argument is that the World Happiness Report perpetuates a “sham” that ignores the root causes of human unhappiness. By prioritizing aggregate numbers over nuanced understanding, the report creates a false narrative that happiness can be reduced to simplistic metrics. This approach also fails to account for the significant variations in happiness across different countries, cultures, and socioeconomic conditions. The report’s reliance on GDP as a proxy for happiness is particularly concerning, as it ignores the potential for inequality and economic instability.
The implications of Mounk’s critique are far-reaching. If we accept the World Happiness Report as a reliable indicator, we risk perpetuating a culture of superficiality and materialism. We may also overlook the potential for happiness to be fostered through meaningful engagement with our communities, our environment, and our values. Ultimately, Mounk’s argument is that we must move beyond a culture of measurement and toward a more nuanced understanding of what truly contributes to human flourishing.
As we navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world, it is time to reexamine the World Happiness Report and its limitations. We must prioritize a more holistic understanding of happiness, one that recognizes the intricate relationships between our economic, social, and environmental well-being. Only then can we create a more equitable and just society, where happiness is not just a fleeting feeling, but a foundation for a truly fulfilling life.