The Science Of Happiness

Hogwash McFly writes "There's an interesting article over at The Times that attempts to answer the question 'So what do you have to do to find happiness?' by exploring the biology and psychology behind this highly sought-after emotion. This article opens up new insight into the common perceptions of what makes us happy, such as having more friends and more money. Detailed in the article is the idea that our early ancestors' struggles against adverse weather and predators have led us to instinctually focus on what is wrong or out of place in order to react with more efficiency, then going onto autopilot when things are going well."

Comments

happiness is overrated

[scenestar]

After having been chronically depressed for the past years i found out that happiness is just a balance of the right drugs.

Re:happiness is overrated

[RobinH]

Now, now... anti-depressants don't actually make you happy... they just make the depression subside a bit so you can get moving again and make yourself happy. Taking anti-depressants is like if you have a hole in your boat and you're sinking, the drugs are like pumping out the bilge. It doesn't fix the problem, but it will keep you afloat until you can get to a safe harbour and repair the damage.

But I'm sure you knew that already... :-)

Happiness is against human nature..

[brxndxn]

No matter where you are or what you acheive, one is never truly happy. To be happy is to be content.. and to be content is to lack the craving to better oneself. And to lack that craving is to lack a fundamental part of 'survival of the fittest.'

Yes.. It's human nature to be discontent.. and that separates some of us from the apes.

Re:Happiness is against human nature..

[BishonenAngstMagnet]

You can be truly happy without being fully happy. I am truly happy about many things in life. But I'm not fully happy, as there are aspects of my life (as with everyone else) that are not perfect.

Re:Happiness is against human nature..

[nathan s]

I'm not exactly sure that "bettering oneself" necessarily has any relation to "survival of the fittest" - many people's idea of "bettering" themselves have led them to early deaths, like some of the great explorers. In terms of sheer survival of the fittest, the person who doesn't stick his neck out too far and manages to safely pass on his genes to the next generation the most times is often [but not always] the fittest, and that has little to do with bettering himself.

Re:Happiness is against human nature..

[Citizen of Earth]

Homer: Mr. Burns, you're the richest man I know.
Mr. Burns: But I'd give it all up for a little more.

Twins

[mysqlrocks]

For happiness levels are probably genetic: identical twins are usually equally bubbly or grumpy.

This doesn't mean it's genetic. Twins most likely grew up together, right? Couldn't it have something to do with the environment/family instead of genes?

Religion?

[Programmerangel]

I'm surprised the article doesn't explore Religion and it's affect on people's happiness.

Re:Religion?

[Overdrive_SS]

Actually Christianity says there is no way to earn your way into heaven. Everyone has sinned and that sin has earned you eternal seperation from God. However, Christ came to earth, lived a perfect life, and then died in your place. He took the punishment instead of making you try to pay for it, which you can't. And now He offers forgiveness for those sins and a relationship with Him if you believe and ask. It is a free gift. You'll still have problems in life, but you'll always have God to take care of them and the hope that one day you'll be with Him forever in heaven.

As an aside, people have used all kinds of excuses to do horrible things and just because they tried to justify it by saying God said to do it, doesn't mean that God actually said to do it.

Re:Religion?

[Bastian]

I remember reading somewhere that Buddhism is the only major religion that has been positively correlated with happiness. Possibly it has something to do with Buddhism being the only major religion (that I can think of) whose sole stated purpose is to make people happier.

Re:Religion?

[glsunder]

Take a look at christianity without the blinders of organized religion on. Many of the teachings apply to happiness here on earth. Throw away the BS that others have added -- the rituals, the idea that people should suffer, that only bad people are poor, that only bad people are rich, that we should hate certain people, that the world is 6,000 years old, etc.

What you're left with is basically: forgive people, be kind others, don't dwell on the negative, and enjoy the good things you have. Every one of those increases happiness for both the individual and others around them. Christianity isn't as bad as christians make it.

Wanting what you have

[antiquark]

Happiness isn't having what you want, it's wanting what you have.

Re:Money

[dgatwood]

One of my coworkers told me about a quote (of unknown origin). It was something to the effect of "The expression that money can't buy happiness is a lie perpetuated by the rich to keep the poor from killing them."

I'm not sure that's entirely true, but I will say this: While money can't buy happiness, below a certain point, a lack thereof will assuredly buy misery.

Maslow's Pyramid

[Spy der Mann]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_Pyramid

Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Esteem, Actualization.

Fulfill these needs and you'll find happiness. (An interesting thought is that this view does not oppose christianity at all, they seem to fit very well)

A personal observation upon myself is that the darkest times of my life were the ones where none (or only one) of these needs were fulfilled. If I didn't believe in God, i would surely have killed myself - so maybe Maslow's pyramid could also be used as an indicator for potential suicides. Just a thought.

Re:Make up your mind people.

[benjamindees]

They had that meeting. Half of them decided to try for consistency and the other half decided to go for completeness. The completeness half is doing great, but makes absolutely no sense. And the consistency half gave up and became atheists.

Re:Slashdot MOTD

[Citizen of Earth]

"Men don't know what happiness is until they are married, but by then it's too late"

“Happiness isn't something you experience; it's something you remember.”—Oscar Levant