Dr. Laurie Santos

Even if you're just feeling thankful for your morning coffee cup, right, it can make you feel like, wow, I really do have enough that I can start giving back. And that's really a path to the sort of pro-social actions that I think matter a lot for increasing social connection, doing nice things for others. but also doing things that kind of matter.

Even if you're just feeling thankful for your morning coffee cup, right, it can make you feel like, wow, I really do have enough that I can start giving back. And that's really a path to the sort of pro-social actions that I think matter a lot for increasing social connection, doing nice things for others. but also doing things that kind of matter.

So I think that mindset of gratitude is really important. And I think a third one, when we talked about technology and these kinds of things, you should think a little bit about your digital distraction. Things that often steal us from the stuff that really matters in life are often our phones, our technologies, right? We get stuck on that stuff.

So I think that mindset of gratitude is really important. And I think a third one, when we talked about technology and these kinds of things, you should think a little bit about your digital distraction. Things that often steal us from the stuff that really matters in life are often our phones, our technologies, right? We get stuck on that stuff.

So I think that mindset of gratitude is really important. And I think a third one, when we talked about technology and these kinds of things, you should think a little bit about your digital distraction. Things that often steal us from the stuff that really matters in life are often our phones, our technologies, right? We get stuck on that stuff.

So what can you do to find more of a mindset of presence, right? Maybe consider a digital detox or even simple things like when you're around other people, say putting your phones away and things like that. Those are just three quick hacks that I think are going to increase happiness, but also really particularly increase happiness via the sort of path of improving mattering.

So what can you do to find more of a mindset of presence, right? Maybe consider a digital detox or even simple things like when you're around other people, say putting your phones away and things like that. Those are just three quick hacks that I think are going to increase happiness, but also really particularly increase happiness via the sort of path of improving mattering.

So what can you do to find more of a mindset of presence, right? Maybe consider a digital detox or even simple things like when you're around other people, say putting your phones away and things like that. Those are just three quick hacks that I think are going to increase happiness, but also really particularly increase happiness via the sort of path of improving mattering.

Well, one interesting thing specifically with regards to the inequality type stuff is that if you look at happiness across different countries, what you find is that one of the predictors of whether or not a country will be happy is its level of social inequality.

Well, one interesting thing specifically with regards to the inequality type stuff is that if you look at happiness across different countries, what you find is that one of the predictors of whether or not a country will be happy is its level of social inequality.

Well, one interesting thing specifically with regards to the inequality type stuff is that if you look at happiness across different countries, what you find is that one of the predictors of whether or not a country will be happy is its level of social inequality.

So the United States, for example, is a very wealthy country, which would typically predict maybe a little bit more happiness, but we're also very unequal in our wealth. And that means that we're less happy than a country of similar wealth where it was distributed a little bit more evenly. So just being around inequality makes you feel less happy on average.

So the United States, for example, is a very wealthy country, which would typically predict maybe a little bit more happiness, but we're also very unequal in our wealth. And that means that we're less happy than a country of similar wealth where it was distributed a little bit more evenly. So just being around inequality makes you feel less happy on average.

So the United States, for example, is a very wealthy country, which would typically predict maybe a little bit more happiness, but we're also very unequal in our wealth. And that means that we're less happy than a country of similar wealth where it was distributed a little bit more evenly. So just being around inequality makes you feel less happy on average.

And so I think finding ways to fight that inequality and to fight a lot of what Emil talked about was these sort of political rifts, right? To not build up your sense of belonging by doing that, by hating the other group, but really finding these common paths. I think that's really essential too.

And so I think finding ways to fight that inequality and to fight a lot of what Emil talked about was these sort of political rifts, right? To not build up your sense of belonging by doing that, by hating the other group, but really finding these common paths. I think that's really essential too.

And so I think finding ways to fight that inequality and to fight a lot of what Emil talked about was these sort of political rifts, right? To not build up your sense of belonging by doing that, by hating the other group, but really finding these common paths. I think that's really essential too.

I mean, I think one of the limits of, one of the things that's limiting social connection today is it feels like identity groups are so fraught, right? I can't talk to somebody outside of my political party, or I wouldn't want to talk to somebody like that because they're different than me. And I think a lot of Emile's work was trying to figure out mechanisms to cross those lines, right?

I mean, I think one of the limits of, one of the things that's limiting social connection today is it feels like identity groups are so fraught, right? I can't talk to somebody outside of my political party, or I wouldn't want to talk to somebody like that because they're different than me. And I think a lot of Emile's work was trying to figure out mechanisms to cross those lines, right?

I mean, I think one of the limits of, one of the things that's limiting social connection today is it feels like identity groups are so fraught, right? I can't talk to somebody outside of my political party, or I wouldn't want to talk to somebody like that because they're different than me. And I think a lot of Emile's work was trying to figure out mechanisms to cross those lines, right?