Nostalgia can be a trap. Gazing back fondly at some half-remembered, possibly fictitious version of the past is a surefire way to feel dissatisfied with the present and fearful for the future. What might be more constructive than looking backwards, though, is looking around—at the people who seem to be thriving in other versions of the present. This is partly why the most recent World Happiness Report is such a hard pill for Americans to swallow. The annual report, conducted by Gallup World... Read this story
