Theme: Materialism and Happiness

You are cordially invited to the next TEDxTheHague salon! Our June edition — themed Materialism and Happiness — is curated by TEDxTheHague regular Jing Ma. Jing writes:

"During college and after I thought I would be happy if I would find a well paying 9 to 5 job. So I worked my ass off for years to get that job and now I finally got it. With my first paycheck I spend a lot of money on random stuff, but I still wasn't happy. Then I realized that what really matters is what I had all along, friends and awesome people around me. What makes you happy?"

We'll explore this theme by watching and discussing the following videos:

Christian Jarrett: Why are we so attached to our things?
After witnessing the violent rage shown by babies whenever deprived of an item they considered their own, Jean Piaget — a founding father of child psychology — observed something profound about human nature: Our sense of ownership emerges incredibly early. But why do we become so attached to things? Christian Jarrett details the psychology of ownership.

Raj Raghunathan: Would winning the lottery make you happier?
Imagine winning a multi-million dollar lottery tomorrow. If you're like many of us, you'd be ecstatic, unable to believe your good luck. But would that joy still be there a few years later? Raj Raghunathan describes a phenomenon called hedonic adaptation, which may shed light on the answer.

Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness
What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone — but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

RSVP if you want to attend
We hope this theme will resonate with you, awaken your curiosity and make you decide to attend TEDxTheHague. To stimulate conversation, we admit up to 25 guests. If you want to be put on our final guest list, please RSVP. First-come, first-served!

We look forward to a stimulating evening filled with spirited conversation and new discoveries.

Don't miss it, till TEDx!

Bazaar of Ideas
Hoefkade 9
The Hague, Zuid-Holland, 2525 BN
Netherlands