IOC Practice

I think that like most people, doing what I like makes me happiest. Working on projects or building something that interests me without the stress of deadlines or work I don't want to do. I think that a national happiness index would be an interesting thing to try.the results however I don't think should affect national policy because people's definitions of happiness can be very different. Some people's happiness could even be the exact opposite of happiness for others. This could lead to conflict in terms of actual policy but it still would be an interesting study to do. I think that because of this there is also no one way to measure happiness. Happiness is relative to what makes you unhappy. Some persons definition of perfection could still be below the definition of someone else's unhappiness.

Kurt Vonnegut's article, I've Been Called A Luddite, talks about how he remembers  time before technology was involved in all that we do. He talks about the experience of getting an envelope and how it impacted his day. He explains all the experiences and people he met that would not have happened if he had just sent an email. He also opposes the instant gratification that technology and the modern world gives us. He want to experience having to go through the trouble of going to the post office and buying a single envelope even though he could by them in bulk faster. He calls this his ‘good time’ and enjoys the experience. I understand the mentality that it is sometimes better to step away from technology and do things the old fashioned way. Many people nowadays will delete social media for some time to take a break from all of the information and advertising and keeping up that they have to do. It is also true that some parts of the pre technology world where good for us and lead to live experienced that we don't have anymore. However, I do not think that the shunning of technology is beneficial to everyone and while it preserves some f the old ways and gives us a break from the stress of media, it also keeps us from the many benefits that modern technology has to offer.

The NY Times article, But Will It Make You Happy?, implies that buying large amounts of personal belongings does not necessarily make you happy. Buying products and consumer goods can make you happy but it is more important to think about how whatever object you are purchasing actually will affect your life. This also coincides with new economic trends that show that more people are saving money and making more educated decisions. It is also important to spend more on experiences you can get something out of instead of furniture or inanimate objects. “It’s better to go on a vacation than buy a new couch” is the basic argument of the article. This makes sense as you can gain skills and memories with a vacation that will last forever. This also relates to the idea of keeping up with the joneses. This theory says that many people see it as important to have the best or most current consumer products or cars and to keep up with or outpace people around you in the acquisition of new products. I agree with some of the article. I think it is important to focus on buying what makes you happy instead of what makes other people happy however, I don't necessarily think that this has to mean downsizing or getting rid of many of the things you own. It is ok to own many cars or a big house as long as you are buying those products for your happiness and not just because everyone else has them or they are what you can have because you have the money.

Image of what would make me happy

“Top 5 Biggest Car Collections In The World.” PakWheels Blog, 10 June 2015, www.pakwheels.com/blog/top-5-biggest-car-collections-in-the-world/.