Now here’s an interesting article…on the importance of fun!

Now here’s an interesting article…on the importance of fun!

I'm pretty passionate about happiness. 

And I'm pretty sure we'd all enjoy more happiness, and live better lives, if we gave more priority to … fun!

Which is why I was so pleased to read this fascinating article from Matt Wade of the SMH… 

Nations are ranked according to growth, income, competitiveness and happiness. Cities are compared for their liveability, innovation and cost of living.

But what about fun?

Wealth, longevity and education have traditionally been used to measure quality of life. But having money, well-equipped hospitals and good schools is no guarantee that you're having fun.

As assassinated US presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy once said, gross domestic product measures everything ''except that which makes life worthwhile''.

With this in mind, World Bank economist Branko Milanovic has proposed an international measure of ''funness.''

''There are all kinds of international indexes now,'' he says. ''So I think we should have one that explores fun.

''You may have a very high quality of life but still prefer to be in a place where you have more fun.''

So how can funness be measured? Milanovic suggests 10 indicators:

1. Generally wealthy, low poverty

2. Low inequality and small differences in social status

3. Nice weather

4. All kinds of tolerance and no discrimination

5. Frequent changes in government

6. Frequent intellectual scandals

7. Lots of restaurants and good nightlife (theatre, movies)

8. Very good broadband internet

9. Accessible alcohol, mild drugs and other light vices

10. Sight decadence floating in the air.

Milanovic is known internationally for his research on economic inequality and globalisation. His funness index ''started as a joke'' but it raises some interesting issues.

You can have all the right statistics but still be very boring.

''There are places in the world that are very pleasant and opulent, but each day you basically sit in your car and drive to work, sit at your desk, go home, watch a movie and go to bed,'' says Milanovic.

''That's not my definition of fun.''

…keep reading the full & original article HERE