Philosophy Happiness is overrated!

[Second Summer]

I've been reading an article in Philosophy Now (#100) titled On Happiness by Siobhan Lyons. Here are a couple of quotes:

Happiness is beneficial for the body, but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind. -- Marcel Proust

In fact, as intelligence goes up, happiness often goes down. -- Lisa Simpson

We are living in an era in which the Happiness Industry invades and permeates society and every unpleasant aspect of life is frowned upon, and dismissed as an unnecessary social ill. Rather than learning to cope with or contemplate certain aspects of life -- fear, sadness, loneliness and boredom -- we avoid them, gradually removing our ability to tolerate even the most mundane of the difficult aspects of life. This was the thrust of Dr Russ Harris's book The Happiness Trap (2008), in which he argued that the growing influence of happiness ideologies and institutions has created a generation of people unable to cope with or even understand the dynamics of grief, suffering and despair. We have therefore elevated the ideal of happiness to the extent that our capacity for self-growth is stunted -- ironically so, given the gamut of self-help books readily available.

She also quotes from another article in The Sydney Morning Herald, titled Are we caught in a happy trap? by Jill Stark (June 16, 2013):

A growing number of psychologists and social researchers now believe that the ''feel-good, think positive'' mindset of the modern self-help industry has backfired, creating a culture where uncomfortable emotions are seen as abnormal. And they warn that the concurrent rise of the self-esteem movement - encouraging parents to shower their children with praise - may be creating a generation of emotionally fragile narcissists.

After this, Lyons goes on to discuss the relationship between happiness and intellectual development, and between art and unrequited love, and more. Quite an interesting piece. At the end, I felt uplifted and almost relieved that I've had probably more than my fair share of unhappiness in my life.

Do you agree that there is too much focus on happiness?

Do you think the pursuit of happiness is stunting our intellectual development? Is it a waste of time?

Do you think a happy artist is incapable of creating great art?

Any other thoughts on the subject?

 

[IamJen]

"Happiness is overrated"...words every wife longs to hear.

 

[Clueless Git]

Any other thoughts on the subject?

One ...

Buddha is said to have described the pursuit of 'worldly' happiness as being akin to a leper scratching his/her itch.

Not having any itches to scratch is the trick was his point.

 

[thefadedone]

Happiness is beneficial for the body, but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind. -- Marcel Proust

It is also grief that can destroy the mind.

A growing number of psychologists and social researchers now believe that the ''feel-good, think positive'' mindset of the modern self-help industry has backfired, creating a culture where uncomfortable emotions are seen as abnormal. And they warn that the concurrent rise of the self-esteem movement - encouraging parents to shower their children with praise - may be creating a generation of emotionally fragile narcissists.

I think spoiling your children with material possessions and showering them with money will more likely turn them into emotionally fragile narcissists rather then constantly praising them. Look at all these reality shows about rich kids. A lot of them are narcissistic brats, not because they have emotionally supportive parents, but because they have financially supportive parents.

Do you agree that there is too much focus on happiness?

Do you think the pursuit of happiness is stunting our intellectual development? Is it a waste of time?

Nope to both of those questions. Happiness makes life worth living.

 

[SummerRain]

Personally... I don't think there's enough focus on happiness. In the UK anyway, there's a big focus on being successful, and a very small focus on being happy. For example: If I think about how many times people have said commented/asked about well my degree choice will affect my future career/earnings/position, compared to how many people have commented/asked on whether I enjoy it.... well the former is vastly bigger than the latter. In fact, only people from my course really focus on whether I enjoy my course. But family, friends and strangers alike will talk about it's career potential.

Again, personally, as somebody whose struggled with depression and anxiety for 10 years, I feel like happiness is something I have to work harder at than most people. So maybe I'm not in a good position to judge (but then again, depression and anxiety affect 1/10 people at some point). But I feel like society and people don't really value happiness as a goal, or something to work towards. Aiming for happiness is, I think, perceived as as naive. Aiming for money and success is perceived as mature and practical.

I don't think that grief/unhappiness has developed my mind... I do think that learning to overcome unhappiness and deal with stress is important. But so too is learning to calm yourself, learning to enjoy the moment, learning to be comfortable with yourself and your situation and happy with your life and yourself. Some of those things come naturally to people, some people not so much, and I think societies focus on success is pretty detrimental to learning to be comfortable with yourself and happy with yourself - because success is about being better, aiming higher, than what you already have I guess.

 

[Moll Flanders]

It's not a natural state to be happy all the time and I think some people have grandiose expectations of what their lives should be like, perfect career/relationship/kids etc... Materialism can cause depression and stress too. I think advertising encourages people to feel like they are not good enough without so and so product and this causes dissatisfaction. Materialism: a system that eats us from the inside out | George Monbiot | Comment is free | The Guardian

Simple things make me feel happy or content, walking the dogs, eating a nice meal, looking at a sunset, or maybe I'm just dull.

I think spoiling your children with material possessions and showering them with money will more likely turn them into emotionally fragile narcissists rather then constantly praising them.

Yes, I don't think it is good for kids or adults to have too much as they become entitled, it's damaging to have too little as well obviously.

 

[Ann Chovie]

Simple things make me feel happy or content, walking the dogs, eating a nice meal, looking at a sunset, or maybe I'm just dull.

I do not think you are just dull but actually just ..right!

Happiness is all about the small stuff. Looking round and appreciating what you already have not what you have not.

Is about the simple things . The road trip in the sun, the walk on the beach with your kids, the snuggle with your partner in front of the TV. It is about the smiles and the laughter.

People striving for the 'big happiness' discount this and miss so much . Happiness is people not things.

If you always think you are on a journey to your ultimate 'happiness' you will whinge and sulk through the other stuff on your way which could make you happy too.

Sorry it sounds naff but it is what I feel

 

[beancounter]

While I agree that "keeping up with the Joneses" can result in stress and unhappiness, I don't think that there is a universal definition of hapiness. Just like the "meaning of life", happiness is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Second Summer]

Back in the day, people had different goals in their lives. Living a virtuous life would help ensure you ended up in Heaven, and not the other place, in the afterlife. Once you were dead, happiness would then be guaranteed for eternity.

I guess at least the non-believers amongst us now want to have their reward here on Earth since they don't believe in the afterlife.