Not Happy At Work? Blame The 'Happiness Engineer'

"Despite the sobering economic shocks of recent years, the Fun at Work movement seems irrepressible. Major companies boast of employing Chief Fun Officers or Happiness Engineers; corporations call upon a burgeoning industry of happiness consultants, who'll construct a Gross Happiness Index for your workplace, then advise you on ways to boost it. (Each week, Warby Parker asks "everyone to tell their happiness rating on a scale of zero to 10," Mr. Blumenthal explained.)

Countless self-help bloggers offer tips for generating cheer among the cubicles ("Buy donuts for everyone"; "Hang movie posters on your walls, with employees' faces replacing those of the real movie stars"). It's all shudderingly reminiscent of David Brent, Ricky Gervais's wince-inducing character from the British version of "The Office"; or of the owner of the nuclear power plant in "The Simpsons" who considers distracting attention from the risk of lethal meltdowns by holding Funny Hat Days."* Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian, Desi Doyen (Green News Report) and comedian Lee Camp (Moment of Clarity) break it down on The Young Turks.

*Read more here from Oliver Burkeman / NY Times:

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