What A Day – "Quantifying Happiness In 2026"

Podcast by Crooked Media | Host: Jane Coaston | Air Date: Dec 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores why Americans are reporting lower happiness, the science behind measuring and improving well-being, and what individuals and society can do to reverse the trend. Jane Coaston speaks with Michael Plant, founder and director of the Happier Lives Institute, to unpack why happiness has declined, what makes people happy, and specific recommendations for boosting happiness as we enter 2026.

Main Interview: The State and Science of Happiness

Guest: Michael Plant — Founder/Director, Happier Lives Institute

1. Defining Happiness

• [02:00–02:10] Jane expresses skepticism about happiness research, asking what happiness means scientifically.
  • Michael: "Happiness is feeling good overall. In the science of well-being, there are quite a few different measures of happiness. The standard one is life satisfaction—how do you feel about your life overall? ... Then there's a kind of experiential measure, how good or bad you feel."
    (02:10)

2. Measuring Something So Abstract

• [02:38–03:12]
  • Michael: "Researching happiness is much easier than people think. If you want to find how happy someone is, you just ask them, 'how happy are you? 0 to 10.' It's the sort of solution hiding in plain sight. ... We often try and work out how people's lives are going by looking in their wallets and then telling them how their lives are."
    (02:43)
• Emphasizes shortcomings in relying solely on GDP and income as proxies for social well-being.

3. The Political & Economic Context of Unhappiness

• [03:12–04:38]
  • Jane reiterates U.S. economic and political turmoil.
  • Michael: "America has been getting steadily less happy since records began... I would be bold enough to say that probably part of the reason that you have your current president is because happiness has been going down."
  • He cites World Happiness Report findings:

    "When people are dissatisfied with their lives, they're more likely to vote for populist presidents. If you have low trust in other people, you're more likely to vote for right wing populists. If you have high trust but are dissatisfied, you're more likely to vote for left wing populists." (03:55)

  • Dissatisfaction fuels desire for political change, rather than maintaining the status quo.

4. Moving Beyond Material Measures

• [04:38–05:51]
  • Jane asks how societies like the U.S. and UK might shift away from material measures.
  • Michael: "In the U.S. Declaration of Independence, 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness'... Thomas Jefferson said in 1810 that human happiness and the care of life are the only legitimate objects of good government. ... We should get back to happiness. We got sidetracked in the 20th century focusing on GDP. ... Most of the world's wealthiest countries, with I think the exception of America, measure well-being as part of their national statistics."
  • Measuring well-being is crucial: "If you don't measure it, you can't capture it and you won't make it a priority." (05:23)

5. What Makes People Happy?

• [05:51–06:37]
  • Michael: "It's things like having good mental and physical health, having a job, having a job you enjoy, being in a relationship, exercise, friendship... Income has a surprisingly low effect in happiness research compared to things like mental health."
  • Happiness research captures human aspects missed by economic metrics.

6. Beyond Essentials—What Boosts Happiness?

• [06:37–07:59]
  • Michael: "Then your attitude is going to play quite a big role. Do you find things to be grateful for? Do you connect with others? Do you live a life which you feel is meaningful?"
  • He challenges contemporary self-help that focuses solely on ignoring others:

    "Our lives are happier if we feel useful to other people. And if we feel connected, we feel part of something larger than ourselves." (07:14)

  • Suggests volunteering, political participation, or work that feels impactful.
  • Material upgrades like salary and cars bring only temporary happiness.

7. Are Some People Naturally Happier?

• [07:59–08:55]
  • Jane: "Are there some people who are naturally happy or naturally unhappy?"
  • Michael: "You have differences in personality traits... there is some heritability to your happiness, but you can change how you think about life. So yeah, some people get an unfair start in terms of how happy they are, and the rest of us have to work at it."

8. Advice Heading Into 2026

• [08:55–10:43]
  • Jane: What would Michael say to people struggling with happiness going into 2026?
  • Michael:
    • "If you're seriously unhappy, you might want to go and talk to a doctor. Mental health is very serious."
    • For most, suggest realistic and enjoyable goals:

      "If you aren't a marathon runner, then don't say to yourself, 'I'm now going to run a marathon,' because you'll just end up being disappointed. ... Maybe you want to go dancing, making clay pots, or drawing art, but ideally something that allows you to connect with other people and do something useful." (09:29–10:17)

    • Calls out rising social isolation in the U.S.:

      "Ask a colleague out for lunch, try and talk to other people, think about how you can interact with people on a daily basis, and I think you will find that that makes you happier and that helps other people as well." (10:23)

  • Jane (to Michael): "It made me really happy actually for you to join me, so thank you." (10:43)

Notable Quotes

• Michael Plant:

  • "If you want to find how happy someone is, you just ask them, 'how happy are you? 0 to 10.' It's the sort of solution hiding in plain sight." (02:43)
  • "Income has a surprisingly low effect in happiness research compared to things like mental health." (06:14)
  • "Our lives are happier if we feel useful to other people. And if we feel connected, we feel part of something larger than ourselves." (07:14)
  • "Some people get an unfair start in terms of how happy they are, and the rest of us have to work at it." (08:39)
  • "Ask a colleague out for lunch, try and talk to other people ... I think you will find that that makes you happier and that helps other people as well." (10:23)

• Jane Coaston:

  • "What do we do about it? And I mean that. What can we do as individuals and as a society to be happier besides flipping the House and Senate? Believe me, I got there before you did." (00:58–01:15)

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Opening, context setting | Jane lays out current U.S. malaise, introduces topic | 00:02–01:59 | | Defining happiness | Michael explains measures, limitations of GDP as a happiness measure | 02:00–03:12 | | Political, economic impact | How declining happiness shapes politics, populism | 03:12–04:38 | | Non-material metrics | History of happiness in U.S. policy, argument for renewed focus | 04:38–05:51 | | Sources of happiness | What really makes people happy | 05:51–06:37 | | Meaning and connection | Importance of purpose, connection; meaning vs. material upgrades | 06:37–07:59 | | Nature vs. nurture in happiness | Inherited happiness, individual agency | 07:59–08:55 | | Practical advice for 2026 | Michael’s tips for realistic, social happiness improvements | 08:55–10:43 |

Tone and Memorable Moments

• Jane's sardonic wit is present throughout (ex: "What can we do... besides flipping the House and Senate?").
• Michael’s warmth and optimism, balanced with scientific nuance and practicality.
• Mutual rapport:
  • Jane, after the interview: "It made me really happy actually for you to join me, so thank you." (10:43)

Summary of Key Insights and Takeaways

• Happiness is measureable through self-reporting—ask people directly.
• Material measures like GDP matter less than expected; social connection, meaningful work, and good health play major roles in well-being.
• Declining happiness correlates with political dissatisfaction and volatility; widespread malaise often fuels populism, on both left and right.
• Policies and societies benefit from tracking and prioritizing happiness, not just economic growth.
• Attitude, purpose, and social bonds boost happiness beyond material comfort.
• Some of happiness is genetic, but there’s significant room for agency.
• For those feeling isolated or struggling: Seek professional help if necessary, but also focus on small, achievable goals—especially those that involve social connection or new activities.

This summary provides a comprehensive guide to the episode’s content, tone, and main takeaways, making it accessible and informative for those who haven’t listened.