ABSTRACT
New technologies might improve our well-being in many different ways, for example, by improving our health, our living and working conditions, and by making it possible to engage in interesting and enjoyable activities. It is worth noting, however, that there has been little or no increase in average happiness in industrially developed countries during the last 50 years (Argyle 2001 Layard 2005). This does not imply that technological developments are not beneficial, but it suggests that these benefits are often of a limited duration, for example, because we adapt rather quickly to external changes (Frederick and Loewenstein 1999).
