Maximize Your Happiness

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I was going to ask you, actually, abut the role of of culture. I think so much of our culture pushes us in that direction toward a what i call optimizing,. which is the economist model of human behavior. The whole goal of life is to accumulate either money or happiness, or just, come on, multitas. What you have to multitaske, life acts for me, you dont mind.

John Stuart Mill's midlife crisis came at 20 when he realized that if he got what he desired he still wouldn't be happy. Art and poetry (and maybe love) saved the day for him. In this week's episode, philosopher Kieran Setiya of MIT talks about his book Midlife with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Setiya argues we can learn from Mill to help deal with the ennui to which so many midlifers succumb--along with regrets for roads not taken and wistfulness for what could have been. Setiya argues that a well-lived life needs fewer projects and more pursuits that don't have goals or endpoints. He explains why past mistakes can turn out to be good things and how lost chances can help us appreciate the richness of life.