The Pursuit of Happiness

The Declaration of Independence states that our inalienable rights include “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Life and liberty are easy to understand, but that last phrase is less intuitive. How can people have a right to strive for happiness?
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Uniting to Fight Poverty: A TED Talk

How do we solve problems like poverty with so much political polarization?

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Welcome to the Pursuit

To pursue our happiness, to achieve our liberty, and indeed to find fulfillment in our lives, we must start with a moral consensus, a fundamental truth around which we all revolve. Think of an atom. The outer field of electrons is full of chaotic activity. Electrons are rapidly orbiting and moving in a constant buzz. What contains that chaos and gives it structure? The fact that the whole chaotic cloud orbits one central nucleus.

 

Denise Dunning unlocks girl power through Let Girls Lead

To help girls stay in school, women and girls in Malawi are taking a stand against child marriages. So far they have persuaded leaders in 22 villages to penalize men who try to marry a woman under age 21. One possible penalty? Taking away some of the man’s goats...

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The 10 happiest (and unhappiest) cities for workers

Employees looking for a little more cheer in their lives should consider moving to the U.S. West Coast, new research shows. California is home to three of the 10 happiest cities to work in, including San Jose, which tops the list. San Francisco and San Diego were also...

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What's New on The Pursuit of Happiness?

Words Matter: The Power of Speech in Changing Minds

Words are powerful, and, when used well, they can incite people to both good and evil. They give those in positions of power, well, power – and lots of it. And, thanks to the Bill of Rights, specifically the very first item on it, people can say almost anything with presumably no consequences. … Read More

The Problems With Seattle’s Minimum Wage Debate

Recently, a University of Washington study released on the impact of raising Seattle's minimum wage from $11 to $13 in 2016 showed some disturbing effects. It revealed that the number of minimum wage jobs declined and while lower-income workers were making higher wages they were employed fewer … Read More

The Real Cause of America’s Declining Labor Participation Rate? Boys and Their Joysticks

A wily and widespread addiction has caused a massive epidemic among young men — one so bad that they are no longer working. This addiction has a name: video games. That's right, video games have sapped America's male youth of its ability to be productive, to function eight hours a day at a job. … Read More

Is There Any Room for Diversity of Thought on New England College Campuses?

The quintessential image of an austere college campus usually involves students walking across the quad with colorful leaves falling in the background. Their backpacks are heavy with books, or maybe the students are carrying a particularly thick text as they try waving their hands, engaged in … Read More

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It is our moral duty to reclaim every American's right to pursue his or her own happiness. Are you in?

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