globalbriefs
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work
together in building a healthier, stronger society that
works for all. February 2 is World Wetlands Day.
Happiness Index
Social Progress a New Standard of National Wealth
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is encouraging countries to join in a “great
revolution” in the way growth is tracked. Two Nobel economists recently com-
Starlight Traveler
pleted a report recommending a shift from measuring progress solely based on
Dreams of Sailing
a nation’s gross domestic product to accounting for the society’s well-being and
Through Space
sustainability. In effect, Sarkozy thinks that any government’s primary objective
The National Aeronautics and Space
should be the greatest happiness of its citizens.
Administration has announced that
According to a World Values Survey by the University of Michigan Institute
the Planetary Society, founded by
of Social Research, between 1981 and 2007, happiness and general life satis-
scientist and author Carl Sagan, is
faction has risen substantially in 40 of 52 countries tracked. Democratization
set to build and fly a series of solar-
and rising social tolerance are primarily responsible,
sail spacecraft, dubbed LightSails,
followed by economic growth. “The results clearly
first in orbit around Earth and then
show that the happiest societies are those that
into deeper space, in the next three
allow people the freedom to choose how to live
years. The beauty of LightSails is
their lives,” says survey director Ronald Ingle-
that they are powered by sunshine,
hart.
which carries both energy and
Rising happiness and well-being are most
momentum; unlike rocket fuel, this
notable in India, Ireland, Mexico, Puerto Rico
gentle force fires continuously.
and South Korea, with recent spikes in
Over time, a big enough sail,
ex-communist countries, as well as Ni-
perhaps a mile on each side, could
geria and Turkey. In 2007, Denmark
reach speeds of hundreds of thou-
ranked as the happiest nation,
sands of miles an hour, fast enough
with the United States 16th.
to traverse the solar system in five
years. Riding the beam from a pow-
erful laser, a sail could even make
the journey to another star system in
Family Solidarity
100 years, a human lifespan.
Dr. Louis Friedman, director of
America Sees Decline in Divorce Rate
the Planetary Society, a worldwide
“Many couples may be rediscovering the long-
organization of space enthusiasts,
standing sociological truth that marriage is one
says eventual passengers will likely
of society’s best social insurance plans,” says W.
be robots or human genomes en-
Bradford Wilcox, a sociology professor and direc-
coded on a chip, due to the need
tor of the National Marriage Project at the Univer-
to keep the craft light, like a giant
sity of Virginia. According to U.S. Census Bureau
cosmic kite. In principle, it could
data, the number of divorces among women,
tack like a sailboat. Japan is already
which had risen to 17.5 per 1,000 in 2007, fell 4
testing solar sails deployed from
percent in 2008.
satellites or rockets, although none
Some couples may be staying together only
are traveling anywhere yet.
temporarily, due to tightened resources and the support provided by a spouse
These are visions for the long
and extended family members; but others may be appreciating anew why they
haul, advises Freeman Dyson of
got married in the first place. The recession reminds them that marriage can be
the Institute for Advanced Study in
more than an emotional relationship, notes the report. It is also an economic
Princeton, New Jersey. He remarks:
partnership and social safety net.
“Think centuries or millennia, not
decades.”
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
12 Phoenix
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