Dr. Bill von Hippel

There was a zillion diseases that just killed us when we were young. Women died in childbirth at rates way skyrocketing compared to today. So it's not just looking back at our togethers, but even looking back recently, our lives are so much better, but we're not any happier. If anything, I think we're maybe a little less happy.

There was a zillion diseases that just killed us when we were young. Women died in childbirth at rates way skyrocketing compared to today. So it's not just looking back at our togethers, but even looking back recently, our lives are so much better, but we're not any happier. If anything, I think we're maybe a little less happy.

Look, I think it's multi-causal. Whenever you get a big effect like that, like if you take those data seriously that I told you about the Hadza, they're basically twice as happy as we are. Now, that's such a big effect. It has to be multi-cause. There has to be a lot going on there. And, of course, these changes happen over generations. They don't happen overnight.

Look, I think it's multi-causal. Whenever you get a big effect like that, like if you take those data seriously that I told you about the Hadza, they're basically twice as happy as we are. Now, that's such a big effect. It has to be multi-cause. There has to be a lot going on there. And, of course, these changes happen over generations. They don't happen overnight.

If they happened overnight, I think it would be super obvious to us what had gone wrong. But I think what it returns us to is this problem that we were talking about before, about autonomy and connection. And so let's take city living as a for example. Remember earlier I said that cities are about 5,000 years old. So human beings have been moving to cities for 5,000 years.

If they happened overnight, I think it would be super obvious to us what had gone wrong. But I think what it returns us to is this problem that we were talking about before, about autonomy and connection. And so let's take city living as a for example. Remember earlier I said that cities are about 5,000 years old. So human beings have been moving to cities for 5,000 years.

By 1960, you had one people out of every three living in cities in the world. And by 2007 was the year we crossed over. 50% of humanity now lives in the city. So people have been voting with their feet for a long time, but by long time I mean a hundred and so years, en masse moving to cities. Now, there's lots of reasons for it. We can talk about it. But one of the costs is happiness.

By 1960, you had one people out of every three living in cities in the world. And by 2007 was the year we crossed over. 50% of humanity now lives in the city. So people have been voting with their feet for a long time, but by long time I mean a hundred and so years, en masse moving to cities. Now, there's lots of reasons for it. We can talk about it. But one of the costs is happiness.

If you look at happiness and you divide people up by where they live in cities, communities over a quarter million, or in the country, communities less than 2,500 people, they're happier in the country than they are in the city. which is a remarkable fact, in part because they're also poorer in the country.

If you look at happiness and you divide people up by where they live in cities, communities over a quarter million, or in the country, communities less than 2,500 people, they're happier in the country than they are in the city. which is a remarkable fact, in part because they're also poorer in the country.

People who live in cities in the United States, for example, are about 25% wealthier than people who live in the country. Some of that gets burned on expensive city living, but far from all of it. And so you're literally poorer in the country, but happier.

People who live in cities in the United States, for example, are about 25% wealthier than people who live in the country. Some of that gets burned on expensive city living, but far from all of it. And so you're literally poorer in the country, but happier.

Yeah. Which is remarkable because there's so many opportunities in cities. People have been voting with their feet for over 100 years and arguably for 5,000 years, moving to cities, and yet it's making them less happy. And so in my mind, this is another symptom of the same exact problem we've been talking about, which is cities are all about autonomy. Cities are about opportunity.

Yeah. Which is remarkable because there's so many opportunities in cities. People have been voting with their feet for over 100 years and arguably for 5,000 years, moving to cities, and yet it's making them less happy. And so in my mind, this is another symptom of the same exact problem we've been talking about, which is cities are all about autonomy. Cities are about opportunity.

If I go to a city, I can get any kind of education I want. I can have any kind of job that I want. And so people are drawn to cities. And in fact, I'll make more money. The data are very clear. But I'm going to pay a price. And people don't even realize the price they're paying. What is the price that we pay? We become more isolated. Yeah, bizarrely, we become more isolated.

If I go to a city, I can get any kind of education I want. I can have any kind of job that I want. And so people are drawn to cities. And in fact, I'll make more money. The data are very clear. But I'm going to pay a price. And people don't even realize the price they're paying. What is the price that we pay? We become more isolated. Yeah, bizarrely, we become more isolated.

Because in the city, you've got 1,000 people right next to you, right? You're cheek by jowl with your neighbor. You're in an apartment building, and there's somebody on your left, somebody on your right, somebody above you, somebody below you. But what are your chances you even know that person? So if you ask people, there's a couple ways you can ask the question.

Because in the city, you've got 1,000 people right next to you, right? You're cheek by jowl with your neighbor. You're in an apartment building, and there's somebody on your left, somebody on your right, somebody above you, somebody below you. But what are your chances you even know that person? So if you ask people, there's a couple ways you can ask the question.

If you say, do you know someone well enough that you trust them with your house keys? You're more likely to give that answer a yes in the country than you are in the city. Even though in the country, probably your nearest neighbor is a long way down the road, whereas in the city, your nearest neighbor is five feet away. That person five feet away, in principle, you ought to be good buddies with.

If you say, do you know someone well enough that you trust them with your house keys? You're more likely to give that answer a yes in the country than you are in the city. Even though in the country, probably your nearest neighbor is a long way down the road, whereas in the city, your nearest neighbor is five feet away. That person five feet away, in principle, you ought to be good buddies with.