The Progress Paradox

InThe Progress Paradox, Gregg Easterbrook draws upon three decades of wide-ranging research and thinking to make the persuasive assertion that almost all aspects of Western life have vastly improved in the past centuryand yet today, most men and women feel less happy than in previous generations. Detailing the emerging science of "positive psychology," which seeks to understand what causes a person's sense of well-being, Easterbrook offers an alternative to our culture of crisis and complaint. He makes a compelling case that optimism, gratitude, and acts of forgiveness not only make modern life more fulfilling but are actually in our self-interest. An affirming and constructive way of seeing life anew,The Progress Paradoxwill change the way you think about your place in the worldand about our collective ability to make it better.

Gregg Easterbrook is a senior editor of The New Republic.