The Happiness Agenda: A misconception

It is extremely a la mode to talk about the happiness agenda. From my own point of view the subjective experience of happiness is a laudable goal. But, there is a misconception that the goal is to make people not focus on negative emotions or indeed negative outcomes. This is untrue. Imagine a 10 point scale (zero subjectively unhappy and 10 ecstatically happy). The goal is not to achieve a 10 but merely to increase subjective well being to 10 but, to focus on increasing in increments. I like Professor Seligmans expression that we might make the miserable less miserable. This is a subjective process that can have huge benefits to many individuals. So lets move away from a 'happy clappy' North American idea of happiness to something which encourages a focus on the individual seeking greater subjective wellbeing