What is my legitimacy to write such a book?

I did a PhD in Happiness Studies with a mentor who is one of the world’s greatest researchers on the subject – and for me the greatest. I have written 5 published scientific articles in this context:

• How to optimise the relationship between public spending and happiness
• The indicator of a happy, long and sustainable life
• What is in the name? Content analysis of questionnaires on perceived quality of one’s work life
• The Work Day Reconstrution Method: an adaptation of the Day Reconstruction Method to the work setting
• Difference in mood at work and home. An additional indicator of job satisfaction
  

My doctoral thesis is titled ‘Innovation in Measuring Well-being’ and is available by clicking here. The thesis consists of 5 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals, which are framed in the doctoral thesis by an introduction and a discussion.

I have also written several books on happiness related to different topics. These books are written in French:

• ‘Bonheur et économie. Le capitalisme est-il soluble dans la recherche du bonheur’ (‘Happiness and economics. Is capitalism soluble in the search for happiness?’)
• ‘La psychologie positive ou l’étude scientifique du meilleur de nous-même’ (‘Positive psychology or the scientific study of the best of ourselves’)
• ‘Bonheur et politiques publiques. Une approche scientifique et un bout de programme pour l’élection présidentielle de 2012’ (‘Happiness and public policies. A scientific approach and a piece of programme for the 2012 presidential election’)
• ‘La finance du bonheur’ (‘The finance of happiness’)
• ‘Bonheur et performance en entreprise. Les clés du succès’ (Happiness and performance in firms. The keys to success’)
  

The writing of scientific articles and books represents more than 10,000 hours of work. In addition, I have studied psychology among other academic studies, worked with psychologists, psychiatrists and coaches and undergone psychoanalytic psychotherapy for several years.

I am a negative utilitarianist person. This means that I think it is more important to reduce suffering than to increase happiness. It also means that I have sacrificed personal happiness in my life in the hope that this sacrifice will allow some unhappy people to be less unhappy.

Renaud Gaucher