Program 04-02-22-B

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To The Best of Our Knowledge
from Wisconsin Public Radio

Here's the bad news. You can get the thing you most want - a BMW, the winning lottery ticket, and you still won't be any happier. The good news? You can survive the most devastating catastrophes and you'll be back on your feet in less time than you think. Next time on To the Best of Our Knowledge, the science of happiness. Also, a conversation with Mexican author Guillermo Arriaga on his screenplay "21 Grams," the accident that changed his life forever, and his quest for hope in the midst of death and despair. And, a history of the smile.

SEGMENT 1:

Dave Myers teaches psychology at Hope University. He tells Jim Fleming humans are terrible at predicting what will make them happy and seem to be much more resilient than they give themselves credit for. Also, Angus Trumble is Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the Yale Center for British Art, and is the author of A Brief History of the Smile. He tells Steve Paulson that the Julia Roberts-style toothy grin in a recent fashion that would have seemed improper centuries ago. People hid their teeth before good nutrition and dental hygiene became common.

SEGMENT 2:

Gregg Easterbrook tells Anne Strainchamps about The Progress Paradox, which is also the title of his book. It's the idea that Americans' lives have improved by every objective measure, but we don't feel any better off than our parents. Everyone seems to think that living well requires twice the income they have - no matter how much they earn.

SEGMENT 3:

Mexican writer Guillermo Arriaga is best known in the States for his screenplays. He wrote "Amores Perros" and the critically acclaimed "21 Grams." From his home in Mexico City, Arriaga tells Steve Paulson where the story idea for "21 Grams" came from, and why it was so interesting to have a religious man direct a film written by an atheist that deals with topics like the meaning of life and the afterlife. Also, Lorne Ladner is a psychologist, a practicing Buddhist and the author of The Lost Art of Compassion. He tells Jim Fleming that accepting the inevitability of one's own death leads a person to truly appreciate living while you can.

Cassette copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 04-02-22-B.

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Books:

• Guillermo Arriaga, 21 Grams (faber and faber)
  
• Gregg Easterbrook, The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse (Random House)
• Lorne Ladner, The Lost Art of Compassion (Harper Collins)
  
• Angus Trumble, A Brief History of the Smile (Basic Books)

Links:

• www.davidmyers.org

Music:

• -Shiny Happy People/ REM/ Out of Time/ Warner Bros.
• -If It Makes You Happy/ Sheryl Crow/ Sheryl Crow/ A M Records
• -When You're Smiling/ Louis Prima/ Capitol Collectors Series/ Capitol
• -Rockestra Theme/The Duane Eddy Anthology Disc 2/ Rhino -Arroyo/California Guitar Trio/ Pathways/DMG

Distribution dates:

week of 02/13/2005 - hour 2 week of 02/22/2004 - hour 2

Listen!

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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