the consumption benefit approaches zero as income rises, happiness profiles over „Since time in developed countries are flat.” Andrew Clark, Paul Frijters, Michael Shields, Relative Income, Happiness, and Utility: An Explanation for the Easterlin Paradox and Other Puzzles, in: Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 46 No. 1, March 2008, p. 137 So the insights of happiness research will lead to a turn away from materialism because materialism simply doesn`t lead to happiness - in the contrary. "The more materialistic values are at the center of our lives, the more our quality of life is diminished." Tim Kasser, The high price of materialism, Cambridge/ Massachusetts, 2002, p. 14. So pursuing materialism as a goal is simple not reasonable or economical because we don`t use our time in an efficient way to get what we really want. But worldwide we have to talk about the distribution of income and wealth. The OECD Better Life Index and the new UN Sustainable Development Goals 2015 - 2030 taking this into account. We should not forget the subject of economics: "Economics is a science which studies as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses." Lionel Robbins, , London 1932, p. . And to Ben Bernanke again: "The ultimate goal of Economics is, of course, to understand what constitutes well-being and how it can be increased / improved." On the one hand: Taking in account that the ultimate goal ("end") of Economics is to increase happiness (utility) going away from (not using our "scarce means (time)" for) materialism is efficient. On the other hand: This shift in goals contributes/ helps us strongly to protect our planet from getting destroyed and to preserve it for future generations. what ultimately matters is the well-being of citizens.“ „But OECD, HOW`S LIFE - Measuring Well-Being, Paris 2011, p. 16
„Since the consumption benefit approaches zero as income rises, happiness profiles over time in developed countries are flat.” Andrew Clark, Paul Frijters, Michael Shields, Relative Income, Happiness, and Utility: An Explanation for the Easterlin Paradox and Other Puzzles, in: Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 46 No. 1, March 2008, p. 137 So the insights of happiness research will lead to a turn away from materialism because materialism simply doesn`t lead to happiness - in the contrary. "The more materialistic values are at the center of our lives, the more our quality of life is diminished." Tim Kasser, The high price of materialism, Cambridge/ Massachusetts, 2002, p. 14. So pursuing materialism as a goal is simple not reasonable or economical because we don`t use our time in an efficient way to get what we really want. But worldwide we have to talk about the distribution of income and wealth. The OECD Better Life Index and the new UN Sustainable Development Goals 2015 - 2030 taking this into account. We should not forget the subject of economics: "Economics is a science which studies as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses." Lionel Robbins, , London 1932, p. . And to Ben Bernanke again: "The ultimate goal of Economics is, of course, to understand what constitutes well-being and how it can be increased / improved." On the one hand: Taking in account that the ultimate goal ("end") of Economics is to increase happiness (utility) going away from (not using our "scarce means (time)" for) materialism is efficient. On the other hand: This shift in goals contributes/ helps us strongly to protect our planet from getting destroyed and to preserve it for future generations. „But what ultimately matters is the well-being of citizens.“ OECD, HOW`S LIFE - Measuring Well-Being, Paris 2011, p. 16
0_New_Thinking_in_Economics_Introduction.docx