For me, the red flags that this is a BS study are: 1) They're comparing countries like India and, say, Denmark (Source: Indian here). In India, about 60% of th

For me, the red flags that this is a BS study are: 1) They're comparing countries like India and, say, Denmark (Source: Indian here). In India, about 60% of the population shits on the streets, and injured (lame) cows and dogs hobble around in middle of the roads in cities (where they get food and water from is a mystery). In India there are hundreds of cities with over a million people in them, and with not a single public toilet maintained by the city government. I have a cousin who is a lawyer in a big, supposedly "modern" city (Gurgaon). I once went to the courthouse with him. There was 2 inches of standing water every where in the building. You simply cannot compare India and, say, Denmark. 2) The reference point effect. Kahneman talks about this extensively. If the local police are constantly harassing me so that they can be bribed (India), and one less policeman harasses me to be bribed, my well-being is considerably more "bolstered" than if I'm living in, say, Denmark, and instead of 0% sustainable electricity being fed into my home, I now have 10% sustainable electricity being fed into my home. 3) Boston Consulting is going to fund studies (and shape outcomes) that make bureaucrats in rich countries go, "hmmm... maybe we should hire them to 'bolster' our well-being". Sorry for being so cynical. But consultants are not exactly neutral parties in my opinion.