How to get happy
What makes Derek and Sissela Bok happy? Family tops the list. Sharing in each other’s work also ranks high. The former Harvard president and his wife, a current Harvard fellow, offered their perspectives on happiness, the impact it has on teaching, and their approaches to well-being in political and philosophical contexts, during a discussion on Tuesday (Sept. 28) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Howard Gardner, the Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education, moderated the discussion. The couple is well-schooled in the topic. Derek Bok recently penned “The Politics of Happiness: What Government Can Learn From the New Research on Well-Being,” while his wife Sissela is the author of “Exploring Happiness: From Aristotle to Brain Science.” In addition to family, the Boks said they revel in each other’s opinions and intuitions. Reviewing and editing each other’s work, sharing ideas and insights, and discussing books and articles is also rewarding, they agreed. Derek...