“Pursuing Happiness Instead of Chasing Growth” –- John de Graaf & Laura Musikanski

Our great religious traditions tell us that happiness is to be found in service, generosity, justice, compassion and human connection, but our economy often tells us we must forego those ideals in the pursuit of money and economic growth.  What if our purpose were the pursuit of happiness as Thomas Jefferson said it should be? Based on a model from the Buddhist nation of Bhutan, The Happiness Initiative draws on our deepest faith traditions and modern science to engage all Americans in a new dialogue about the meaning of progress and the good life. 

John de Graaf is the Executive Director of Take Back Your Time and co-director of  The Happiness Initiative.  He is a documentary filmmaker and the co-author of Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic and the soon-to-be-released WHAT'S THE ECONOMY FOR, ANYWAY?  Laura Musikanski is the Executive Director of Sustainable Seattle and co-director of The Happiness Initiative.  She has a degree in law, an MBA, and is a former corporate sustainability manager.   For a summary of The Happiness Initiative see http://www.sustainableseattle.org/sahi  Contact about the event, MELANIE RIECK  musicheals@comcast.net  (360) 319-3739