The Geography of Bliss

English people are more reserved; they are critical of pushy Americans. Instead of seeking happiness, English people seek to get by. Nevertheless, England has more recently had policy planning based on the science of happiness.

At University College London, Weiner visits the skeleton of Jeremy Bentham who developed the utilitarian philosophy: the idea that the government should promote policies which deliver the most happiness for the greatest number of people. In his calculus, one can subtract the unpleasant from the pleasant to find the level of happiness for a person or a country.

England has a tradition of unhappiness; and the town of Slough, in particular, has a reputation as a very unhappy place. Six happiness experts on a television show in the town of Slough attempt to change the psychology of the area. The experts measure the happiness of Slough residents compared to that of other English people. Residents then perform activities to increase happiness, such as tai chi or hugging. 12 weeks later, the Slough residents have increased their happiness by 33%, above even the top-scoring countries.

When Weiner calls Richard Stevens, a happiness expert from the television show, Stevens responds rudely, unlike his happy presence on the show.