The Dissenter cover image

The Dissenter

#823 Owen Flanagan: Against Happiness

Aug 18, 2023
Philosopher Owen Flanagan discusses the limitations of the happiness agenda and criticizes positive psychology. The podcast explores different cultural interpretations and measures of happiness, societal norms' influence on expressing happiness, and the politics of prioritizing happiness over basic needs. It emphasizes understanding cultural norms while considering psychological predispositions.
01:29:14

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Promoting happiness as the ultimate goal for all humans is challenged, raising doubts about the sincerity of those advocating for the happiness agenda.
  • The concept of happiness is subjective and culturally diverse, making it difficult to measure and define universally.

Deep dives

The Critique of the Happiness Agenda

The podcast episode discusses a critique of the happiness agenda, a movement that promotes happiness as the ultimate goal in life. The critique focuses on three main claims of the happiness agenda: the belief that happiness is the ultimate goal for all humans, the claim that happiness can be measured, and the idea that promoting happiness should be the main function of government. The podcast highlights the limitations and criticisms of these claims, questioning whether people who promote the happiness agenda truly believe in it themselves. The concept of happiness is also explored, with the recognition that it can be a vague and subjective term, making it difficult to define universally. Additionally, the podcast raises concerns about the relevance of the happiness agenda in addressing the needs of oppressed and impoverished individuals who prioritize basic necessities and social justice over happiness.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode