Happiness. It is not measurable, profitable, nor tradable. Yet, above all else in the world, it is what people seek. They want to have happiness, and want to know they have a lot of it. But happiness, like air or water, is a hard thing to grasp in one’s hand. It is intangible. Happiness plays an important and necessary role in the lives of people around the world. Perhaps the most curious and interesting phrase ever put into a public document is the „Pursuit of Happiness“. In America, happiness has been engrained in our brains since Thomas Jefferson penned these famous words in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. Since then, people from all over the world have been engaged in that act: pursuing happiness. But what exactly is true happiness? Is it just a feeling? Why do so many people seek happiness, what are the sources? Are we born with it already? What makes us happy and what doesn’t? Does it make sense to effort happiness at all? If yes, how can it be obtained? These are the topics I will cover within the scope of this study paper below.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Happiness. It is not measurable, profitable, nor tradable.
Yet, above all else in the world, it is what people seek. They want to have happiness, and want to know they have a lot of it. But happiness, like air or water, is a hard thing to grasp in one’s hand. It is intangible.
Happiness plays an important and necessary role in the lives of people around the world.
Perhaps the most curious and interesting phrase ever put into a public document is the „Pursuit of Happiness“.
In America, happiness has been engrained in our brains since Thomas Jefferson penned these famous words in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are LIFE, LIBERTY and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS” (Jefferson).
Since then, people from all over the world have been engaged in that act: pursuing happiness.
But what exactly is true happiness ? Is it just a feeling? Why do so many people seek happiness, what are the sources? Are we born with it already? What makes us happy and what doesn’t? Does it make sense to effort happiness at all? If yes, how can it be obtained?
These are the topics I will cover within the scope of this study paper below.
Some definitions of happiness :
“Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.”
(Wikipedia)
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
(Mahatma Gandhi)
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”
(Aristotle)
“Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”
(Denis Waitley)
“Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.”
(Margaret Lee Runbeck)
Based on those definitions you can say that, happiness is subjective. Each of us has our own individual experience of happiness. There is no “the only correct, official definition of happiness.”
Why do so many people seek happiness and what are the sources?
Studies have found that happiness actually improves other aspects of our lives. Happiness is good for our health, ’cause happy people are less likely to get sick and they live longer, besides they cope better with stress and trauma.
Happiness is good for our relationships, ’cause happy people are more likely to get married, have more friends and are more socially engaged. Furthermore, happy people make more money, are more productive at work, more creative and more generous.
Are we born with happiness? Researchers have explored three basic sources of happiness: genetics, including temperament and personality; life circumstances, such as wealth and health; and our own choices. Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, in her book “The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want”, analyzed studies and reports that 50% of our happiness is set by our genes, 10% by life circumstances beyond our control, and 40% by our own actions and choices. So while there are strong influences on our happiness –genetics and temperament and, to some extend, life circumstances – there are actions and choices we can make with the other 40% to cultivate positive emotions daily and greater happiness over our lifetime.
What makes us happy and what doesn’t?
Most of us have a mental list of what would make us happier. Our culture celebrates the pursuit of money, fame, good looks, material possessions, health, love and power. Yet we’re often disappointed—even when we do get what we want. Research confirms that some of the things we think will make us happy don’t, because we’re looking in the wrong places.
Well of course having enough income to meet basic needs and live above the poverty level is very important to happiness, but beyond that, research suggests that more wealth does not translate to greater happiness! - In fact, a study by Kahneman found that Americans’ happiness rose with their income only until they’d made roughly $75,000; after that, their happiness plateaued. And research by Richard Easterlin has found that in the long run, countries don’t become happier as they become wealthier. Perhaps that’s why, in general, people who prioritize material things over other values are much less happy, and comparing ourselves with people who have more is a particular source of unhappiness. That comes because humans are very good at adapting to changing circumstances. We have a “set point” of happiness that is partly determined by genetics. When something good happens to us, we’ll be happier for a while, but then adapt to our new situation and return to our set point. For example, getting a huge raise is a cause for celebration. But mostly your lifestyle adjust to the higher income and your expectations for what you need, and your goals for what you want, change. Researchers call this ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances the “hedonic treadmill”.
So if it isn’t material wealth that achieves happiness, then what can? Well, as social scientists gather more and more data about happiness and well-being, we can see who tends to be happier: People with strong ties to family and friends; People who are optimistic, have high self-esteem, and are extroverted; and married people- whether the couples are parents or not. Based on researchers like Michael McCullough, Robert Emmons, Lyubomirsky, and others the best you can do to boost happiness is ... -to build relationships, because we need people in whom we can confide and who’ll support us when we’re down. - to give thanks, because people who keep “gratitude journals” feel more optimism and greater satisfaction with their lives. – to practice kindness, because when we do nice things for others, our brains light up in area associated with pleasure and reward. – to give up grudges, because when we forgive those who have wronged us, we feel better about ourselves, experience more positive emotions, and feel closer to others. – to get physical, because regular physical activity increases happiness and self-esteem, reduces anxiety and stress, and can even lift symptoms of depression. – to get rest, because lower sleep is linked to lower happiness. – to pay attention , because people who practice mindfulness —the moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and external circumstances—not only have stronger immune systems but are more likely to be happy and enjoy greater life satisfaction, and they are less likely to be hostile or anxious.
And moreover I think goals can! People need to have a sense of purpose in their life, because they often have a feeling of satisfaction about them. They sense they were put on this planet for a reason. To each person, this purpose can be different. Maybe they were meant to teach. Maybe they were meant to be a mother, to learn, help other people or become famous. Having progress in life, a feeling of forward motion, can make people feel happy.
During my research for this study paper I discovered Aristotle’s “The Nicomachean Ethics” where he presents a theory of happiness that is still relevant today, over 2,300 years later. The key questions Aristotle seeks to answer in these lectures is “What is the ultimate purpose of human existence?” and “What is that end or goal for which we should direct all of our activities?”
In my opinion Aristotle is one of the greatest thinkers in the history of western science and philosophy, medicine and theatre.
Aristotles definition of Happiness: “Happiness depends on ourselves“.
More than anybody else, Aristotle enshrines happiness as a central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. As a result he devotes more space to the topic of happiness than any thinker prior to the modern era.
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- Josefine Rother (Autor:in), 2015, Pursuit of happiness. Diverse Views of the Meaning of Happiness, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/383690
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