TheauthoroftheinternationalbestsellerHappinessmakesapassionatecaseforaltruism--andwhyweneeditnowmorethanever.InHappiness,MatthieuRicarddemonstratedthattruehappinessisnottiedtofleetingmomentsorsensations,butisanenduringstateofsoulrootedinmindfulnessandcompassionforothers.Nowheturnshislensfromthepersonaltotheglobal,witharousingargumentthataltruism--genuineconcernforthewell-beingofothers--couldbethesavinggraceofthe21stcentury.Itis,hebelieves,thevitalthreadthatcananswerthemainchallengesofourtime:theeconomyintheshortterm,lifesatisfactioninthemid-term,andenvironmentinthelongterm.Ricard’smessagehasbeentakenupbymajoreconomistsandthinkers,includingDennisSnower,AmartyaSen,JosephStiglitz,andGeorgeSoros.MatthieuRicardmakesarobustandpassionatecaseforcultivatingaltruisticloveandcompassionasthebestmeansforsimultaneouslybenefittingourselvesandoursociety.It’safreshoutlookonanardentstruggle--andonethatjustmightmaketheworldabetterplace.
