Blogs

When I started to create this website I imagined that the world was looking for a solution to our current global problems of unhappiness, inequality and environmental degradation. This stuff was all happening because of the lack of a solution, a way of managing the world in a way that benefitted everybody and that everyone could get behind. It's since become apparent that the problem isn't the lack of a solution, but the lack of political will to implement it.

Donald Trump demonstrates - to those willing to listen to reason - why we should not listen to some opinions.

As a student of low self-esteem, I have been increasingly thinking about the link between narcissism, bullying and low self-esteem. Donald Trump offers us up a global example that we can all relate to.

In recent days the world has been amazed at Donald Trumps European vacation. The handshake bullying, the pushing and shoving, and the lack of understanding of basic facts. We like to think that we are better than that and sometimes try and get our own back making sniping remarks behind our hands. Yes, Prime Minister of Belgium, perhaps you'd like to share it with the rest of the class?

Narcissism has become a serious problem. Donald Trump isn't a problem because of what he does so much as what he is, which is a sociopathic narcissist. He has no moral compass, he lies as a first resort and he will force his opponents to fight battles again and again.

Millions around the world are protesting against Trump's latest dictats, but is protest an effective way to deal with The Donald - or are we faling into his trap? This is an excellent piece in the Washington Post which is heading in the direction of coming up with a strategy which will be effective against narcissism. Venezuala has been through this already and there are lessons to be learned. We need to pool our knowledge globally to find the best way forwards.

It looks like a complete disaster - someone with narcissistic personality disorder in the white house - but can we use a high profile narcissist such as Donald j Trump to demonstrate to the whole world how the mechanisms of narcissistic manipulation work, and more importantly how to deal with them.

Today's news that one in four young women in the UK is suffering from anxiety or depression should be a wake up call to us all. Figures were bad for all demographics, but particularly the young. Possible causes include social media, by which reporters mean,'the internet'. So, is the internet making is miserable and if so, what can we do about it?

During the Brexit campaign I was struck by Nigel Farage saying that losing a bit of GDP would be worth it if we were all a little happier. Aha, I thought, at last, a politician talking about happiness, maybe that's what this whole thing is about. Maybe this could be a new direction for UKIP now they have won their major argument. They could re-model themselves as a peoples happiness party.

Action for Happiness have just launched an evening course onhappiness, which sounds like a good idea and is endorsed by the Dalai Lama, but who is it going to help? People already interested in positive psychology might be interested but most of the people who could benefit will dismiss it as a concept without too much thought.

Market forces won't make us happy. They might do a lot of things, but planning for the common good isn't one of them.  If a company can make money doing something it is going to do it, even if it kills or injures millions of people. Even if the risk of a backlash is so great that it would destroy the company.

Take obesity, market forces push food comapnies to offer larger sizes and cut costs. This means bigger portions of less healthy food - and ultimately obesity. Here is "The Register" on this...