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| June 2002 |
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Is life getting better or worse?
Compared to earlier generations, most of us are richer, live longer,
have more cars and bigger houses. But are we happier? Does
greater economic growth necessarily mean greater quality of life? Progress and well-being is the subject of a public seminar later this
month to be lead by Richard Eckersley, an Australian whose work
concentrates on this question, and who is coming to Christchurch
to do some work with the City Council. The public meeting is at midday on 25 June, in the Arts Centre’s
Great Hall. Richard Eckersley is a fellow at the National Centre for
Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National
tter or worse? University in Canberra. His work covers many aspects of whether
life is getting better or worse, including looking at how progress is
measured, the relationship between economic growth and quality of
life and ecological sustainability, happiness and satisfaction, visions of
the future and youth suicide. At one time he was a ministerial consultant, a senior analyst with
the Australian Commission for the Future and science reporter for
The Sydney Morning Herald. Before settling into a career, Richard worked as a labourer and
professional fisherman, and travelled for two years through Africa,
Western and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and Asia. |