Subject of Happiness

There was a time when the subject of happiness was the business of philosophers, as part of their discussion of what makes for the good life. Then, much later, psychologists and sociologists got in on the act, and now, it seems, so has the government. I understand that governments should have the welfare and well-being of those it governs at heart from the purely practical point of view of keeping people quiet, at home enjoying their gadgets and comfort, rather than on the streets rioting. But surely it's not something you can legislate for. Today there are numerous journals on the topic and it is even included in the curriculum at some universities and colleges. Surveys are done, statistics compiled, graphs drawn, yet all they seem to "prove" is what most people have conduced themselves from personal experience. An obvious example would be that having a lot of money doesn't necessarily make you happy. We all wish to be happy and have ideas about what it is we think would make us so. But we also know or suspect that it's not that easy. Most of us learn that it is a by-product of something else, usually being totally absorbed or involved in some task or pastime, and can only be reached that way. These activities, of course, must be worthwhile in themselves.