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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."

16 of 542 comments (clear)

  1. Happiness by CmdrTaco+(troll) · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is a successful FP.

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    I hope high gas prices are depriving your children, you fucking dumbass.
  2. 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
  3. 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.

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    --- 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.

      --
      picpix image polls. create - share - vote. fun!
    3. Re:Happiness is against human nature.. by AstrumPreliator · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes.. It's human nature to be discontent.. and that separates some of us from the apes.
       
      I always thought it was the fact that some of us don't fling poo at eachother that seperated us from the apes... I guess I was mistaken.
       
      ;)

  4. Religion? by Programmerangel · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

    1. Re:Religion? by IamLarryboy · · Score: 5, Funny

      A post on slashdot which accuratly portrays the gospel!!!! I do believe I have now seen everything.

  5. As The Beatles would say by ZakuSage · · Score: 5, Funny

    Happiness is a warm gun.

  6. Happiness is individualised perception by drijen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For many of my co-workers here in the bible belt, hapiness is letting their worries be "god's" worries. IF thats so for most religious people, i would cynically say that hapiness is letting someone else have repsonsibilty. The article seems to concretrate heavily on the religous "values".

    I look it a different way:

    When i die, i want to fly, sliding on my side at 100 MPH into the pearly gates, wearing a huge smile smile, yelling "WOW! What a ride!".

    I hate for my life to be dull and unispiring - that for me is happiness.

    I wonder if they did a case study on Adrenaline junkies, priests, and people like Linus Torvalds. Only then could i trust the science of happiness :(

  7. Can't be sure, since the article doesn't say... by nathan+s · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...but usually twin studies take this into account, including identical twins who were for one reason or another raised in different families (often as a result of adoption). Researchers are not all stupid; they tend to take these things into account when designing the study.

    --
    picpix image polls. create - share - vote. fun!
  8. Re:Eh, I gave up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Blarg, I was going to suggest a shotgun mouthwash but then I read your username and felt kind of bad.

  9. Monkeys too, you insensitive clod by bubbaD · · Score: 5, Funny
    I always thought it was the fact that some of us don't fling poo at eachother that seperated us from the apes...


    You must be new here!
  10. 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.

    --

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

  11. Re:Happiness versus Contentment by beesquee · · Score: 5, Interesting

    National Geographic had an article about measuring happiness in cultures using MRI's. They found out of all the people scanned Tibetan monks were by far the happiest people in the world despite living in subpoverty conditions. Make you think those buddhist's are onto something.

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    Things are not as they appear, nor are they otherwise
  12. 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