Every year, the UK’s Sunday Times publishes its famous Rich List, and this year’s came out on Sunday. Click here to find the names of those who are richer than most of us will ever dream of being – or in my case would ever want to be.
This year there’s an antidote to the Rich List: the Independent on Sunday published its Happy List. Here is their introduction:
The Wealth List, Power List, Influence List, Celebrity List… almost every week some publication or other is worshipping at the shrine of the wealthy and famous. Today, ‘The Sunday Times’ produces its famous Rich List, an entire magazine devoted to the moneyed. About time, then, we thought, that someone produced an antidote. So here it is: the Happy List, celebrating those Britons who have given back, enhanced the lives of others and realised that in an acquisitive society there’s a crying need for values other than mere materialism.
The 100 people whose brief profiles appear in the Happy List are indeed a joy. The list doesn’t just cover charity and philanthropy, but innovation and entertainment and everything in between. From fairly well-known names to more quietly-sung heroes, this list (whose only non-human inhabitant is TinkyWinky, the Telly Tubby…) will warm the cockles of your heart. Go on, take a look.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
oh, tess–this is so delightful and refreshing. a brief perusal of the “happy list” placed a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes…wouldn’t it be wonderful if this could become the world’s new standard of measurement rather than billions of dollars earned and number of scandals printed in magazines?!??!?
as always, i am inspired by what you choose to share with us. xoxoxoxoxo
I came over from those northern skies intrigued because you are a fellow Englisher and I mostly come across Americans in this blogworld.
What a great list, great idea, great people.
A wonderful, inspiring list. Thank you for sharing it. I’m a woman of modest means and even more modest talents but I picked a few possible future “professions” for myself when I enter the life-stage of semi-retirement from paid work.
Glad you all liked it, and Linnet, welcome and thanks for your comment.
What I found most inspiring is that all these people have actually made a positive difference, and it seems not so impossible to do so, reading what they have done and are. I was also glad to see that even a few of the wealthy bods are on there, extolling the virtues of philanthropy.
Beautiful list of real human beings – all seeming to desire happiness for “others” rather than themselves and of course, they’re the winners in spite of trying not to be! Thanks for the Happy List.