In this episode, I talk to Isaac Prilleltensky about well-being and happiness. We start our discussion by highlighting the environment and community’s role in well-being instead of conceptualizing it as a purely individualistic construct. Isaac further elaborates on the dangers of mattering “too much” and why we need to balance personal and collective wellness. We also touch on the topics of fairness, social justice, humanistic psychology, and Isaac’s works as a humor writer. Bio Isaac Prilleltensky holds the inaugural Erwin and Barbara Mautner Chair in Community Well-Being at the University of Miami. He’s published 12 books and over 140 articles and chapters. His interests are in the promotion of well-being in individuals, organizations, and communities; and in the integration of wellness and fairness. His most recent book is How People Matter: Why It Affects Health, Happiness, Love, Work, and Society, co-authored with his wife, Dr. Ora Prilleltensky. Website: www.professorisaac.com/ Topics 00:01:10 Isaac’s definition of well-being 00:04:55 Predictors of well-being and happiness 00:06:58 The need to matter 00:09:48 Corrective justice to achieve equality 00:19:31 Me vs. We Culture 00:25:44 Fairness is a prerequisite for mattering 00:28:18 Risks of glorifying grit and resilience 00:32:16 Balancing liberty, fraternity, and equality for a self-actualized society 00:39:27 Democratize happiness 00:43:29 The right and responsibility to matter 00:51:27 Psychology and the status quo 00:53:44 Isaac as a humor writer: smarter through laughter 00:56:21 Fun for Wellness Subscribe to The Psychology Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/psychology-podcast-dr.-scott/id942777522 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-psychology-podcast-with-scott-barry-kaufman/the-psychology-podcast-with-dr-scott-barry-kaufman?refid=stpr See past episodes and join in the Discussion: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepsychologypodcast?ref=br_tf Twitter: https://twitter.com/psychpodcast #ThePsychologyPodcast