Happiness Part I of III

The Announcement -

This Sunday (1/23) and the next (1/30) "Exploring Thought Provoking, 
Stimulating, and Challenging Questions" will delve into "Happiness".  Are you 
"Happy"?  Would more money make you happier?  How much more?  Is "Happiness" 
fleeting?  Does it come and go or can you just stay in it?  Why is it that what 
makes us "Happy" today can make us sad tomorrow?  How does pleasure fit in with 
"Happiness" and how does age fit in? What about gender?

It's a desire we all share - To lead a rich, fulfilling, and happy life.  We 
search for "Happiness".  It even has a history that can be summarized as follows 
- 

Happiness= Luck (Homeric)
Happiness=Virtue (Classical)
Happiness=Heaven (Medieval)
Happiness=Pleasure (Enlightenment)
Happiness=A Warm Puppy (Contemporary)

Some countries have developed a Gross National Happiness Index that is used to 
formulate policy.  Scientists, Clinicians, Sages, and Self-Help Gurus are all 
trying to help us find it.  It just may be in the Cook Room, 11:30 AM.

Your Hosts,

Bob Evans, Diane Mace Kinner, Mike Metcalf

Happiness Part 1 - Some Highlights

We approached "Happiness" by viewing the first half of Dr. Daniel Gilbert's documentary "Rethinking Happiness".  Dr. Gilbert is a Social Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Harvard University.  He is an author and has won numerous awards for his research and teaching.  Dr. Gilbert makes the point, early on, that the human life is an emotional roller coaster with "ups-and-downs".  He emphasized that, for the past few decades and on a global scale, science has brought its discipline to study these "ups-and-downs" so as to understand not only the psychological state we call "Happiness" but how it is attained and retained. 

We'll define "Happiness" as a psychological and emotional state characterized by a freedom from suffering, a contentment with a sense of well being, joy, prosperity, and pleasure. Science has found that 'Happy People" have better health, better relationships, better sex lives, better careers, and better just about everything else.  In addition, scientific studies have found that "Married People" are, on average, happier than other people.  Parents are no happier than non-parents and are often less happy.  Researchers have determined there are three basic sources of happiness: genetics including our temperament and personality (50%); life circumstances such as wealth and health (10%); and our own choices (40%).  Scientists believe each of us has a "Happiness Set Point".  This is a state of "Happiness" we naturally revert to over time after experiencing the inevitable "ups-and-downs" of life.  This "Set Point" is different for each individual.

Dr. Gilbert presented a series of "Case Studies".  The first was concerned with "Money and Happiness".  He chose John Falcon as his subject.  John was a struggling performance artist living in one of the poorest boroughs of NYC and one paycheck from homelessness when he won $45,000,000 in the New York Sate Lottery.  Needless to say, everything changed for John.  In the course of reviewing John's case, he said something that impacted and stayed with us - "Being happy takes work.  You have to work at it."   This reminded me of something I heard a rather wealthy person once say - "You know, the real benefit of having lots of money is that you can be miserable, comfortably."  Here's the bottom line on money:  Coming out of poverty, additional money increases "Happiness".  However, if you already have lots of money then more money will not make you any happier.  It makes a difference where one starts from.  Every dollar attained buys a little less "Happiness" than the preceding one.  In addition, money must be spent properly.  Studies of "Lottery Winners" reveals this generally means sharing the wealth with family, friends, and community.  Due to "Hedonic Adaptation", the buying of "Stuff" to increase "Happiness" just leads to the buying of more "Stuff" and, in the end, doesn't increase "Happiness".  

The next two case studies involved "Resilience".  This is the human capacity to withstand traumatic and stressful experiences.  People who are resilient draw on strengths in themselves, their relationships, and their communities to help them overcome adversity. Resilient people often find meaning even in times of trouble and gain confidence from overcoming adversity. In this way, resilience can contribute to a deeply satisfying life.  The lesson here is clear - "Never Give Up!".  The second case study about an Air Force Pilot shot down over North Vietnam and imprisoned, tortured, and finally released after seven years was most instructive.  This individual endured the ordeal and emerged whole.  Dr. Gilbert mentioned that studies involving imprisoned individuals from this era revealed that their imprisonment experiences were of such value to them that they would not trade them for relative peace.  It was their belief that what they learned about themselves, during the imprisoned experience, was invaluable and enhanced their remaining years.

Two other case studies were introduced and will be concluded in next week's program.  Their purpose was to illustrate the stress and anxiety impact upon "Happiness" and how to successfully manage it.  The first involves an individual experiencing unemployment and the second cancer.  

To conclude Part I, we watched an interview with "Dr. Phil" and an overview of the "Self Help Industry".  Dr. Phil is in the entertainment business.  He uses the therapist's couch to entertain a television audience.  His advice and assistance is valuable to those on his couch but must not be generalized.  Dr. Phil cautioned about generalizing his advice.  He said the viewing audience could take a point or two for discussion with their therapist but to get more than that out of his show would be too much.  The "Self Help Industry" focuses on arranging our thinking to improve our lives.  Dr. Gilbert pointed out that almost all of this advice (95%) is scientifically untested.  Some of the many books in this marketplace are good and others are quite bad.  It's a "Buyer-Beware" situation at the moment until science can catch up to it.  Despite this fact, approximately 75% of those who successfully change without professional help do so through "Self Help" and on their own.  It is a major pathway for human development and growth.