Comments on: Is Happier Always Better? Socially Yes, Financially No http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes.php Understand your mind with the science of psychology - Mon, 04 May 2009 10:30:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nickel http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes.php/comment-page-1#comment-21551 Nickel Tue, 06 May 2008 10:24:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes-financially-no.php#comment-21551 Dr. Christopher K. Hsee are doing great in the field of happiness researching, hope you can introduce some of his study in the future.<br /><br />http://faculty.chicagogsb.edu/christopher.hsee/vita/index.htm<br /><br />anyway, I really appreciate your brilliant work on this website, keep it up, bro! Dr. Christopher K. Hsee are doing great in the field of happiness researching, hope you can introduce some of his study in the future.

http://faculty.chicagogsb.edu/christopher.hsee/vita/index.htm

anyway, I really appreciate your brilliant work on this website, keep it up, bro!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes.php/comment-page-1#comment-21002 Anonymous Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:29:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes-financially-no.php#comment-21002 It seems objective to say that it is better to not be happy 100% of the time. It depends on what you value in life. If you believe that one should always strive to increase knowledge or wealth or that everyone has some purpose, then being unsatisfied at times will ensure that that person will continue to make changes (unless of course that person is so unsatisfied that they fall into debilitating depression). If you believe that nothing matters other that how you feel, then being completely and utterly happy all the time is the ultimate goal. It seems that it is up to each person to decide what value happiness holds for them. It seems objective to say that it is better to not be happy 100% of the time. It depends on what you value in life. If you believe that one should always strive to increase knowledge or wealth or that everyone has some purpose, then being unsatisfied at times will ensure that that person will continue to make changes (unless of course that person is so unsatisfied that they fall into debilitating depression). If you believe that nothing matters other that how you feel, then being completely and utterly happy all the time is the ultimate goal. It seems that it is up to each person to decide what value happiness holds for them.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes.php/comment-page-1#comment-20906 Anonymous Sat, 15 Dec 2007 02:14:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes-financially-no.php#comment-20906 Very interesting. I'm still contemplating whether being 100% happy 24/7 is "a good thing." It's an extremely complex issue. <br /><br />Who's "happier"? The Buddhist monk who is happy 24/7 (at least according to brain scans and the monk's own words) or the filthy rich CEO who claims to be the happiest man alive? Very interesting. I'm still contemplating whether being 100% happy 24/7 is "a good thing." It's an extremely complex issue.

Who's "happier"? The Buddhist monk who is happy 24/7 (at least according to brain scans and the monk's own words) or the filthy rich CEO who claims to be the happiest man alive?

]]> By: Mike Lawrence (http://memetic.ca) http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes.php/comment-page-1#comment-20904 Mike Lawrence (http://memetic.ca) Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:56:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes-financially-no.php#comment-20904 It seems I misused the term 'anxiolytic' in my comment above where I intended the term 'anxiety-provoking'. It seems I misused the term 'anxiolytic' in my comment above where I intended the term 'anxiety-provoking'.

]]> By: Mike Lawrence (http://memetic.ca) http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes.php/comment-page-1#comment-20903 Mike Lawrence (http://memetic.ca) Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:47:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes-financially-no.php#comment-20903 "It also challenges the idea that more happiness is always better."<br /><br />Granted, in the abstract one may be able to specify value sets that do not prioritize happiness, but in the real world we're humans who have evolved to develop value sets whose ultimate end* is happiness. Therefore, to argue that <i>for humans</i> more happiness isn't always better is simply absurd. The proper interpretation of the noted research is that beyond a certain point, the consumerist/competitive striving for wealth is actively detrimental to what we want the most (happiness). It's also interesting that there's a non-monotonic relationship between happiness and education, though this also may not be news as historical and personal anecdotes abound regarding the isolating and often anxiolytic effects of increased knowledge.<br /><br /><br /><i>* -> Of course happiness is not the ultimate end from a gene's-eye-view, but happiness is one of the more potent carrots that genes use to lead their hosts to do their bidding. </i> "It also challenges the idea that more happiness is always better."

Granted, in the abstract one may be able to specify value sets that do not prioritize happiness, but in the real world we're humans who have evolved to develop value sets whose ultimate end* is happiness. Therefore, to argue that for humans more happiness isn't always better is simply absurd. The proper interpretation of the noted research is that beyond a certain point, the consumerist/competitive striving for wealth is actively detrimental to what we want the most (happiness). It's also interesting that there's a non-monotonic relationship between happiness and education, though this also may not be news as historical and personal anecdotes abound regarding the isolating and often anxiolytic effects of increased knowledge.

* -> Of course happiness is not the ultimate end from a gene's-eye-view, but happiness is one of the more potent carrots that genes use to lead their hosts to do their bidding.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes.php/comment-page-1#comment-20902 Anonymous Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:27:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2007/12/is-happier-always-better-socially-yes-financially-no.php#comment-20902 Sometimes I feel happy for no reason. I call up my wife, a hospital administrator, and tell her. She tells me the reason I am so happy is that I don't have her job. I have a goverment job with little or no stress. Perhaps that is why I am happy. Sometimes I feel happy for no reason. I call up my wife, a hospital administrator, and tell her. She tells me the reason I am so happy is that I don't have her job. I have a goverment job with little or no stress. Perhaps that is why I am happy.

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