The “pursuit of happiness” is one of America’s founding ideals. But what if chasing happiness is actually making us feel worse?

In honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence, Dr. Laurie travels to Independence Hall in Philadelphia to explore what Thomas Jefferson and the founders really meant by “the pursuit of happiness” — and how that idea has changed over time.

She speaks with historian Darrin McMahon and psychologist Iris Mauss about Americans’ unique relationship with happiness, why striving for it can sometimes backfire, and why the best path to a good life may involve focusing less on ourselves and more on other people.

For more content about the Declaration of Independence, and what we get wrong about it, check out the new Pushkin show, First America. Find First America wherever you get podcasts.

Experts Mentioned:

• Darrin McMahon, David W. Little Class of 1944 Professor of History at Dartmouth College
• Iris Mauss, Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and Director of the Emotion and Emotion Regulation Lab
• Lahnna Catalino, Associate Professor of Psychology at Scripps College
• Birgit Koopmann-Holm, Associate Professor of Psychology at Santa Clara College of Arts and Sciences

Resources Mentioned:

• “Declaration of Independence,” (1776)
• Happiness: A History, by Darrin McMahon (2006)
• A Dictionary of the English Language, by Samuel Johnson (1755)
• Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville (1835)
• “The Pursuit of Happiness: Pitfalls and Promises,” by Iris Mauss and Brett Ford
• “Can Seeking Happiness Make People Happy? Paradoxical Effects of Valuing Happiness,” by Iris Mauss and colleagues (Emotion, 2011)
• “Focusing on the Negative: Cultural Differences in Expressions of Sympathy,” by Birgit Koopmann-Holm and Jeanne Tsai (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014)
• “Prioritizing Positivity: An Effective Approach to Pursuing Happiness?,” by Lahnna Catalino, Sara Algoe, and Barbra Frederickson (Emotion, 2014)

Related Episodes:

• “Happiness Lessons From the Ancients: Aristotle”
• "How to Identify Your Negative Emotions"
• “Stop Endlessly Chasing the ‘Next Big Thing’ in 2023”

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We’ve all had moments we wish we could do over: the relationship we stayed in too long, the opportunity we didn’t take, the thing we said that we can’t unsay. Regret can feel awful. So it’s no surprise that “no regrets” has become a popular life motto. But what if regret isn't actually the enemy?

In this episode from The Happiness Lab archives, Dr. Laurie explores the surprising science of regret with authors Daniel Pink and Liz Fosslien. Together, they explain why our biggest regrets can reveal what we value most, help us make better decisions, and even point us toward a happier future.

If you've ever found yourself stuck replaying an old mistake, this episode offers a more productive way to look back.

Experts Mentioned:

• Daniel Pink, non-fiction author
• Liz Fosslien, author, illustrator, and expert in workplace culture and emotions
• Mollie West Duffy, author, illustrator, and expert in organizational development
• Augusten Burroughs, author and memoirist
• Bronnie Ware, author and palliative carer

Resources Mentioned:

• “Liz + Mollie”
• Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay, by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy (2022)
• Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, by Daniel Pink (2022)
• The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing, by Bronnie Ware (2011)
• “Making Up for Lost Opportunities: The Protective Role of Downward Social Comparisons for Coping With Regrets Across Adulthood,” by Isabelle Bauer and Carsten Wrosch (2011)

Related Episodes

• “How to Identify Your Negative Emotions”
• “How to Be Angry Better”
• “Why Nostalgia Ain't So Rosy”

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We hear a lot about rising rates of anxiety, depression, and fragility among kids today. But when Harvard researcher Alexis Redding uncovered a forgotten trove of interviews with college students from the 1970s, she found something surprising: their emotional struggles and developmental challenges sounded nearly identical to those of students today.

Dr. Laurie also talks with psychologist Adam Mastroianni about why our minds are so quick to believe that young people are getting worse over time. Together, they explore what we get wrong about “kids these days,” and how historical perspective can help us respond to young people with a little more compassion.

Experts Mentioned:

• Alexis Redding, developmental psychologist and Co-Chair of Higher Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
• William Perry, professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Adam Mastroianni, writer and social psychologist
• Nancy Hill, Charles Bigelow Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education

Resources Mentioned:

• Mental Health in College: What Research Tells Us About Supporting Students, by Alexis Redding (2026)
• Forms of Ethical and Intellectual Development in the College Years: A Scheme, by William Perry (1968)
• “The Illusion of Moral Decline” by Adam Mastroianni and Dan Gilbert (Nature, 2023)

Related Episodes:

• “How to Make America's Young People Happier Again”
• “What is Social Media Doing to Kids?”
• “How Smartphones Changed Childhood (And What to Do About It)”

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