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The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being by William Davies
acesarrows's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
A book with a very interesting premise, even a fascinating one. Yet, it was a bit dry, and comes across as very academic. I wasn't expecting quite that many chapters on Jeremy Bentham.
However, Davies' later chapters on Facebook, Twitter, social media and other ways we are being mined for our data was engaging and necessary reading.
A fascinating book on a timely and not well-examined modern phenomenon.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance reading copy.
A book with a very interesting premise, even a fascinating one. Yet, it was a bit dry, and comes across as very academic. I wasn't expecting quite that many chapters on Jeremy Bentham.
However, Davies' later chapters on Facebook, Twitter, social media and other ways we are being mined for our data was engaging and necessary reading.
A fascinating book on a timely and not well-examined modern phenomenon.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance reading copy.
voiceofpaul's review against another edition
2.0
As much as I wanted to like it, the book felt like it didn't know what it was. It was halfway between dense academic information and persuasive non-fiction but ended up with an incompatible hybrid of the two. It was too dense to be easily persuasive because I found myself getting lost in the academic section, but it also seemed to be trying to make an argument that it didn't quite flesh out.
The information was interesting but overall was difficult to get through.
The information was interesting but overall was difficult to get through.
bootman's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve been really interested in the criticisms of positive psychology and the idea that we’re all supposed to be pumped and motivated all the time. This book from William Davies is an excellent book showing how capitalist societies have pushed this happiness idea on us as a way to get us to produce more work and neglect social inequality. Davies argues that by creating a narrative that each of us is in control of our own happiness despite the conditions we live in, governments as well as the rich are able to keep the wool over our eyes. When you internalize that you’re the problem if you’re not happy, why would you fight for wealth equality and justice?
William Davies also covers topics such as the history of anti-depressants and different aspects of psychology that have influenced our cultures. The book had some parts that lost my attention, but I still really enjoyed it and think that more people should read it. When we realize that the world is sometimes screwed up and that might be why we’re not happy, we’re able to cut ourselves some slack, realize we’re not alone and make an effort to make change happen.
William Davies also covers topics such as the history of anti-depressants and different aspects of psychology that have influenced our cultures. The book had some parts that lost my attention, but I still really enjoyed it and think that more people should read it. When we realize that the world is sometimes screwed up and that might be why we’re not happy, we’re able to cut ourselves some slack, realize we’re not alone and make an effort to make change happen.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
3.0
Through exploring the pursuit of happiness via economics, sociology, psychology etc William Davies tries to present some of the more recent ideas of well-being as spurious. There is a degree of cynicism throughout the book but also a realisation that depression has a huge impact on society. By acknowledging depression as a true state of being and exploring the causes Davies wants to show that the roots of this go far deeper than just feelings. However as some point he notes that depression has a huge impact and that as a society we are close to understanding the triggers and therefore the potential cures. Despite not wanting to feel aligned with the positive psychology movement, all Davies does is actually give support to this premise.
A rather confused and confusing book, great on history and fact but less so on opinion.
A rather confused and confusing book, great on history and fact but less so on opinion.
msy's review against another edition
3.0
In the age of data breaches and news articles detailing how apps are constantly spying on us, the length to which government and marketing firms will go to to be able to determine the attitudes of their citizens or potential buyers is no surprise.
The information in this book shines a light on how much of what we are sold - ways to reduce stress, ways to combat depression, how to maximize happiness - are all products and services solving problems that weren't even named until fairly recently. One example from the book: the term stress existed only to describe physical forces acting upon metals, and was not applied to describe a force or state of the human psyche until early in the 20th century.
Reading this leads one to be mindful of the many artificial ways we are sold happiness. Hopefully it also leads to clairvoyance, for those who require it, on how to truly work towards that happiness that doesn't require buying a product/service or ingesting a pill.
The information in this book shines a light on how much of what we are sold - ways to reduce stress, ways to combat depression, how to maximize happiness - are all products and services solving problems that weren't even named until fairly recently. One example from the book: the term stress existed only to describe physical forces acting upon metals, and was not applied to describe a force or state of the human psyche until early in the 20th century.
Reading this leads one to be mindful of the many artificial ways we are sold happiness. Hopefully it also leads to clairvoyance, for those who require it, on how to truly work towards that happiness that doesn't require buying a product/service or ingesting a pill.