In the informative article, “Happiness on the Brain, the Neuroscience of Happiness” author Kevin Corcoran begins his attempt to explain what happiness truly is by first identifying how it relates to the brain. Corcoran acknowledges the fact that recent scientific findings have allowed doctors to “rewire our brains…there are ways the neuroplasticity of our brains can serve to increase our level of happiness.” The author uses this information to suggest that humans have a deep-seated desire to be happy. He further proves his point by explaining how this quest for happiness has become a modern trend. Nonethless, Corcoran recognizes the fault in this pursuit saying, “It seems the more we desire happiness, pursue it, and consmue products we hope will help us to …show more content…
In both responding to this issue and concluding, Corcoran says that dispositional happiness is an attitude of “openess, wakefulness, affirmation, and receptivity to the world. He says that, “Dispositionally happy people embrace and savor life, they welcome new experiences, are imaginitive, exuberant, resilient… unlikely to have their positive emotional setting permanently altered by life’s…setbacks and dissapointments.” In my opinion, the author misses the point by implying that this mentality can be the answer to ultimate happiness. The problem lies in the author’s own words, describing this component of happiness as being an “emotional default setting”. It seems to me like dispositionally happy people are just really good at ignoring the purpose of life and placing their emotional state of mind above what really matters because they are too afraid of the risk of “setbacks and dissapointments”, that are sometimes a negative result of pursuing things above. I agree more closely to Aristotle’s view of happiness that seems to embrace possible persecution and setbacks as a small price to pay in achieving
In his article "In Pursuit of Happiness: Better Living from Plato to Prozac," Mark Kingwell describes how there has been many debates on the meaning of happiness for many years yet still a singular, justifiable definition eludes society. The pursuit to define and understand happiness has invited several debates, questions, arguments, and suggestions alike. In 1996, a hand full of genetic and behavioral studies suggest evidence that one’s achievable degree of happiness is genetically decided, with evidences showing that no achievement will change your happiness, you are either happy or you’re not. Some studies demonstrated a correlation between dopamine levels in the brain and expressions of personal satisfaction, while others indicated that
Unruly Happiness In Mark Kingwell’s excerpt, “In Pursuit of Happiness,” he presents information illustrating the challenge of defining happiness. Kingwell utilizes evidence and support from philosophers, authors, and scientists to supply readers with various perspectives on the pursuit of happiness. By the end of the excerpt, Kingwell provides information about happiness, unhappiness, and concludes with his own thoughts about the failing hunt for the definition of happiness, but he never truly expresses his personal opinion about what he believes is the definition of happiness. Many strive to define happiness, but no one has described it sufficiently.
The idea expressed in paragraph 7 is saying that the concept of happiness involves moving forward or backwards. However, the spaces where we move have the ability to change very quickly from one specific set to another. This means that now in days, there are tons of factors such as the internet, social media, religions, and drugs, which influences our idea of what we consider
Then the passage goes on to talk about what happiness is and how science cannot be used to define it. The routes to happiness are to increase positive emotion, the pursuit of ‘gratification’, and giving life meaning. It also talks about finding flow like Csikszentmihalyi talks about in his story, which is what I use to find out what gives me happiness. Next, the passage talks about Interventions to Nurture Happiness. We have designed and used interventions for each of the three routes to happiness.
It is the goal everyone seeks some secret key to, expecting an external force to magically unlock eternal joy. However, no secret key to joy exists. While material things provide temporary pleasure or sorrow, nothing in the world can ‘grant’ continual elation. Instead happiness comes from a positive mentality, where a person appreciates their blessings and strives to overcome their challenges. The true thinkers, like Lincoln, realize that only they hold the power over their happiness.
In the article “Happiness” by Michael Crichton, he writes a refreshing article on happiness. Crichton argues that happiness is not a mystery, and everyone experiences it. One of main points in the article is that happiness isn’t an illusion; it is a real thing that everybody experiences, even if you haven’t noticed. He states that happiness occurs when we are not paying attention, and that is why it seems mysterious. The author asserts that buying things won’t make you happy.
The essay “Burden of a happy childhood” published in The New York Times explores the potential downfall that appears in a happy, joy-filled childhood. Studies have shown that factors such as childhood happiness play an important role for the future of the individual. Chronic health problems, especially mental illness, self-reported health, and happiness are flawed indicators of overall well being ( Eckersley, 2010). The author explains how the presence of a happy childhood sometimes leads to a disappointing and depressing adulthood. The focus of the article is the author’s assertion that joyful adolescent years only provide a cavity of disappointment as adults seek to find a lifestyle similar to when they were younger.
People miss the fact that happiness comes from within. In an attempt to find joy – we must also be cautious about over excessive desire to acquire material objects and wealth. There is a delicate balance that must be reached between the pursuit of happiness, satisfaction, and contentment. While there are many conditions that fulfill ones emotional wellbeing, happiness and how we acquired it, depends upon the
I believe that pursuing happiness as a goal has detrimental effects. As a society, we tend to believe that we need to be full of joy at all times, but that isn't realistic - life happens. By attempting to be cheery all the time, you will never be genuinely content. You will always be searching for more and won't be satisfied with what you have, creating a permanent cycle of gloom rather than bliss.
The essay “Burden of a happy childhood” published in The New York Times explores the potential downfall that appears in a happy, joy-filled childhood. Although there is no conclusive evidence that can prove the deficiency of happy adolescent years, the author explains how the presence of a happy childhood sometimes leads to a disappointing and depressing adulthood. Studies have shown that factors, such as childhood happiness, play an important role for the future of the individual. Chronic health problems especially mental illness, self reported health and happiness are flawed indicators of overall well being( Eckersley, 2010, p.1). The focus of the article is the author’s assertion that joyful adolescent years only provide a cavity of disappointment
I as well use to believe that having my mind fixed on others happiness brought me happiness; until i discovered that i was happy for them but not happy of my own. John states that “ the only chance is to treat, not happiness, but some end external to it, as the purpose of life” I don’t agree with this assertion. I think we should treat happiness in order to receive it .
Happiness results from a boost by the neurochemical produced by the human brain that makes all the things we do in life felt good and felt happy when we achieved them. Neurochemicals carry out message from one nerve to another. Each of the neurotransmitters has the message receiver, which may
Aristotle states you achieve happiness in many sorts of ways such as carpenters building a home, or an architect designing a building. Happiness relates to virtue because in order to be happy one must live a virtuous life by living in accordance to the given mean such as studying for a test although there is a party that night. Within Book II he explains how there are certain conditions which must be met in order for actions to be virtuous such as actions done knowingly, chosen for their own sake, they arise from a steady state of the soul, and they arise from a steady state of the character itself. For example one can not only make a courageous act thinking “s/he” will benefit from the action, they must do it because it will make them feel happy.
It is clear that a highly meaningful life may not always include a great deal of day-to-day happiness.” From https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-happy-life-may-not-be-a-meaningful-life/ Paragraph 5, first sentence, also from the same site paragraph 7: third and fourth sentences. “Feeling good most of the time might help us feel happier, but it doesn’t necessarily bring a sense of purpose to our lives.” https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-happy-life-may-not-be-a-meaningful-life/ 3rd paragraph 7th
The definition of happiness incorporates different aspects of religion, science, and philosophy. To me, being happy means that someone has discovered who they truly are and what they believe in. A study on the Jewish