1. The traditional definition of well-being is outdated and needs a "silent transformation" to account for modern pressures on mental well-being from things like increased choice, complexity, and individualism. 2. Everyday life presents a "problem of choice" that can undermine sense of coherence and well-being through short-termism, selfishness, and lack of purpose from competing roles and priorities. 3. Individual decisions have small negative impacts, but these accumulate over many people and time into significant problems, so policies are needed to manage variety and enhance individual capacity for coherent living.

1. Silent transformation of well-beingTimo Hämäläinen, Ph.D., Dos.Glasgow Centre for Population Health Seminar Series, 13th April 2011, Glasgow

2. AgendaOurold definition of well-being is outdated (”silenttransformation”)”Problem of choice” in everyday lifePressures on Sense of coherence and mentalwell-beingAccumulatingimpacts of short-term and selfishdecisionsLaw of requisitevariety & well-beingPolicyimplicationsWell-being and economiccompetitivenessarenotcontradictoryVision of a sustainablewell-beingsociety12/04/2011

3. ICT REVOLUTIONGLOBALIZATION OF MARKETS AND BUSINESS ACTIVITIESSPECIALIZATION OF MARKETS & VALUE-ADDING ACTIVITIESINCREASING KNOWLEDGE INTEN-SITY & NETWORK COOPERATIONBig picture: historical transformationHERE WE ARE!SOCIO-INSTITUTIONAL ADJUSTMENT- Everyday life - Shared cognitive frames- values and norms- laws, regulations- policy regime- public sector organization12.4.20113Source: Freeman & Perez (1988)

4. Instrumental discourse dominates Economy(crisis, globalization, com-petitiveness, efficiency, productivity, growth)Welfare state(public finances, reorganizing services, social security, equality)Everyday well-being??(welfare?, subjective well-being?, happiness?, good life?)Adapted from: Habermas (1987, Vol. 2)Lähde: Habermas (1987, Vol. 2)4

5. Key drivers of well-beinghavechangedENVIRONMENT Natural environment

6. Infrastructure

7. Technologies

8. Organizations

9. Demographics

10. Culture (values & norms, activities)

11. Institutions (laws & regulations)

12. Politics

13. Economy

14. Labor markets

15. MediaSUBJECTIVE WELL-BEINGMENTAL COHERENCEComprehensibility of life- Manageability of lifeEVERYDAY ACTIVITIES AND ROLES- WorkerConsumer

16. Family member

17. Relative

18. Friend

19. Hobbyist

20. CitizenMEANINGFULNESS Exceeding self-interest

21. Serving others

22. Higher purposeMASLOWIAN NEEDS Self-actualization

23. Self- and social- esteem

24. Love and belonging

25. Security

26. Physiological needs (thirst, hunger,…)RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES - Income & wealth- Knowledge & skills - Physical & mentalhealth - Social capital - Information- Time- Politicalpower- Naturalresources

27. From deprivation to ”Problem of choice”Increased:resources & capabilities (income, wealth, health, info, knowledge)satisfaction of basic (material) needsfreedoms (deregulation & normlessness)personal & resource mobilitymarket supply & marketing pressurehurry (time remains fixed: 24/7)uncertainty due to transformation and complexity Growing: problems in decision making (due to uncertainty, information overload, spillovers, normlessness)individualism

28. selfishness (due to normlessness)

29. conformomity to market and peer pressures

30. short-termism and procrastination