Conclusion
This analysis reveals a paradox in the way we define subjective
well-being based on individualist perceptions of satisfaction and
happiness. One to achieve greater well-being has to pursue higher levels
of wealth and education but in a highly conformist manner in a society
where inequalities and injustices are growing fast. The assumptions
behind the mainstream notions of subjective well-being are ideologically
informed confirming the criticisms of authors like William Davis (the
author of The Happiness Industry ) who argued that the metrics of
well-being are “systematically disconnected from meaning and
community”. Moral and communal elements are needed to be included in
our definition of wellbeing to adjust the measurements for the paradox.
People with lower moral and aspirational wellbeing should be graded with
lower degrees of total well-being.