Interview with Paul Frijters, Professor of Wellbeing Economics

In a fascinating YouTube video titled “Interview with Paul Frijters, Professor of Wellbeing Economics,” Professor Frijters discusses a range of topics related to well-being economics. He shares insights into his journey in the wellbeing literature, the impact of COVID-19 and lockdowns on wellbeing, the power dynamics during the pandemic, the rediscovery of civil society, and the significance of diversity and experimentation. Throughout the interview, Professor Frijters emphasizes the importance of warm social relationships as the key driver of well-being and emphasizes the need to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future through a comprehensive understanding of the whole system. Despite facing backlash for his studies against the mainstream narrative, he remains optimistic about the future and the potential for robust debate to keep society sharp.

Introduction

The “Interview with Paul Frijters, Professor of Wellbeing Economics” features an in-depth conversation with Professor Frijters, an expert in wellbeing economics. Throughout the interview, Professor Frijters shares his knowledge and insights into various aspects of well-being and the impact of COVID-19 on society.

Getting into the Well-being Literature

Professor Frijters explains how he became interested in well-being literature during his Ph.D. studies. He came across the concept of life satisfaction, which seeks to capture individuals’ overall satisfaction with life. Frijters introduces the concept of “Welby,” a unit of life satisfaction on a 0-10 scale. He emphasizes the significance of warm social relationships as the main driver of well-being and highlights the importance of good social connections for a happy life.

Impact of COVID-19

The interviewer asks Professor Frijters about the impact of COVID-19 and how he, as an expert in well-being economics, approached the pandemic. Frijters explains that he used existing literature on life satisfaction to predict the effects of social isolation, school closures, and travel restrictions. Through data analysis, he estimated the infection fatality rate (IFR) to be around 0.2% and emphasized that the majority of deaths occurred among individuals over 80 years old with comorbidities. Frijters also highlighted the cost of isolation, estimating a decline of 5-10% in people’s well-being, equating to millions experiencing a decrease in their overall satisfaction.

Collateral Damage from Lockdowns

Professor Frijters discusses the collateral damage caused by lockdown restrictions. He points out that the number of deaths resulting from a few weeks of lockdowns would outweigh the entire budget allocated to tackle the pandemic. Frijters criticizes the disregard for data exhibited by authorities and some academics and emphasizes the need to engage with those who recognize the detrimental effects of such measures. Drawing from his expertise in whole system understanding, Frijters aims to contribute to preventing similar situations from occurring in the future.

Vilification and Ostracism

This section focuses on the vilification experienced by those with different ideas and opinions. Professor Frijters shares personal experiences of being looked down upon for being different during a bicycle trip through Europe, particularly behind the Iron Curtain. He discusses the vulnerability of populations and the increase in opiate overdoses during the COVID era, highlighting how the consequences outweigh the fatalities from the illness itself. The interviewer asks about Professor Frijters’ book and his recommendations for the future, to which he reflects on being part of an intellectual community that supports open debate and how he has been fortunate to avoid the ostracism faced by others.

Well-being Economists’ Response

In this section, Professor Frijters discusses the response of well-being economists in the UK to the pandemic. He highlights how they recognized the damage inflicted on people’s well-being and how his personal experience with grief enabled him to identify crowd behavior. Frijters describes the formation of factions based on fear, resulting in significant fractures within society and immense sadness, particularly for those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 or drug overdose.

Importance of Human Connection

Professor Frijters explores the negative impact of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns on socialization and human connection, especially among the younger generation. He emphasizes the importance of socializing and connecting as a species and expresses concern about the lack of normal play and humanism in today’s world. Despite the difficulties faced during the pandemic, Frijters finds solace in personal interactions with loved ones and cherishes the opportunities for international travel whenever possible. The interview concludes with a discussion on finding avenues for maintaining sanity in a world grappling with pandemic-induced restrictions.

Power Grab by Elites

Professor Frijters shares his thoughts on the power grab by elites under the guise of the pandemic. He acknowledges the challenge of restoring power to the people but remains optimistic about the rebirth of civil society. Frijters highlights the emergence of local communities taking care of each other through small clinics, schools, and households. He also mentions his use of social media to formulate and process ideas, which led him to release his own book on Amazon. The interviewer agrees and cites Professor Frijters as an example of the rebirth of civil society in America, which has a long-standing tradition in that regard.

Rediscovery of Civil Society

Professor Frijters discusses the silver lining of the current situation, which he sees as the rediscovery of civil society. He points out that the state’s negligence has led to the merging of the corporate, political, and media worlds into a single group. However, this has sparked a renewed interest in local communities and diversity, resulting in a kind of Renaissance. Frijters also highlights the mainstream’s “dumbing down” and lack of critical thinking due to the stifling effects of cancel culture. He emphasizes the importance of robust debate and the need to challenge one another to maintain sharpness, which he feels has been lost in the mainstream.

Different Countries’ Responses

In this section, Professor Frijters discusses the flaws in the parliamentary system and examines how different countries have responded to the pandemic. He argues that countries with a relaxed attitude towards science and a commitment to diversity will be stronger in the long run. Frijters encourages countries to adopt good examples and follow suit, citing Florida as a place that has benefited from following such examples, evidenced by an influx of people. He further explains that freedom prevailed not only because people desired it but also because it works better from an evolutionary standpoint. Regions that have incorporated institutions like the separation of power and independent media have demonstrated evolutionary fitness.

Importance of Diversity

Diversity and experimentation take center stage in this section. Professor Frijters emphasizes the significance of diversity in opinion and cites the United States as an example of a country with tribalism and polarization but also federalism, which allows for experimentation and learning from different states. He points out that various countries have responded differently to the pandemic, highlighting the benefits of experimentation for observation and learning. Frijters expresses concern that cancel culture and closed-mindedness may persist even after governments adopt more sensible approaches to COVID-19.

Challenges in Europe

Professor Frijters delves into the current state of Europe, drawing comparisons to the Middle Ages dominated by autocratic regimes, top corporations, and ministries of propaganda. He introduces the concept of a new “Enlightenment movement” driven by local civil groups resisting the prevailing narrative and working towards a more resilient society. Frijters argues that the focus should shift from irrelevant numbers and cases to shaping the society of the future and addressing the challenges posed by modern technology. He also shares his experience of being ostracized for publishing a study that contradicted the mainstream narrative, highlighting the personal and professional costs he faced.

Conclusion

The interview with Paul Frijters, Professor of Wellbeing Economics, sheds light on a wide range of topics related to well-being, COVID-19, civil society, and the power dynamics during the pandemic. Professor Frijters emphasizes the importance of warm social relationships for overall well-being and urges society to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future. Despite facing challenges and backlash, he remains optimistic about the potential for robust debate and the opportunity to keep society sharp.

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