New Year's wishes

It is customary to wish everyone happiness in the new year. But what is happiness all about?
Franciscans thought there is happiness in poverty. Sufis and Rastafarians seek happiness in illegal substances. John Lennon thought happiness is a warm gun. Clive Hamilton thinks some form of socialism delivers it. Bhutan measures it with their gross domestic happiness indicator, but other Buddhists think it’s all an illusion. But it must be real, why, there’s even a blog about the way bureaucrats can deliver it (http://happinesspolicy.com/).

I have to confess that I’m not entirely sure what this happiness stuff is about. Being a bit of a traditionalist, let me wish that in the new year your rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are used in their most efficient way.