The Pursuit of Happiness with Meg Mott

250 years ago, a new nation was brought forth by a People who had the gall to think they could govern themselves. As long as each citizen worked to improve their character, the nation as a whole would stay free. The term of art for this personal improvement was the Pursuit of Happiness. To be a happy person was to be less reactive and more philosophical, less prone to domination and more interested in dialogue.

Sadly, few today understand what is meant by the Pursuit of Happiness. Instead of emotional intelligence, most Americans see happiness as a feeling, not a component of human flourishing. We’ll look at what the Pursuit of Happiness originally meant, which civic virtues were promoted in Vermont, and how we might promote more happiness in today’s politics.