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The Science Of Happiness

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the next-stop-miranda dept.

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."

7 of 542 comments (clear)

  1. happiness is overrated by scenestar · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

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    perpetually dwelling in the -1 pits
  2. Happiness is against human nature.. by brxndxn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

    --
    --- We need more Ron Paul!
    1. Re:Happiness is against human nature.. by BishonenAngstMagnet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.

    2. Re:Happiness is against human nature.. by nathan+s · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.

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      picpix image polls. create - share - vote. fun!
  3. Religion? by Programmerangel · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

  4. Re:Money by dgatwood · · Score: 5, Insightful
    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.

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    Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  5. Re:Slashdot MOTD by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "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