The Conversation - 17 - Laura Musikanski

Laura Musikanski is the co-founder of the Happiness Initiative and the former Executive Director of Sustainable Seattle. We spoke about her efforts to encourage governments and citizens to rethink gross domestic product as a measure of progress. In lieu of viewing progress in strictly material terms, Larua is advocating a future in which policy decisions are guided by a model of happiness quantification adapted from Bhutan. Laura's conversation has several points of resonance with Cameron Whitten, both because of her focus on social justice and her prioritizing collaborative conversation over specific methods of reform. Her methods of measuring and promoting happiness make an interesting complement (juxtaposition?) to the neuroscience and behavioral economics of Colin Camerer.