The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt
The happiness formula found in philosophical wisdom through the lens of psychological science.
- Happiness (H) = S (Biological happiness set point) + C (Life conditions) + V (Voluntary activities).
- Each person has a characteristic level of happiness that each is born with.
- It’s not a set point but a range.
- The challenge is to understand C and V in order to push H to the top of the range.
- The 2 biggest parts of C are love and pursuing the right goals.
- We are social creatures in a sense that we can’t be happy without having friends and secure attachments. To love well is to have good relationships with other people.
- The right goals are ones that produce states of flow and engagement.
- Once basic needs are met, money cannot buy additional happiness.
- According to the adaptation principle, we’re likely to adapt to what we set for ourselves. Luxuries and other goods adapt completely while some other “purchases” are less subject to:
- Spending more time with friends and family.
- Reducing commuting time even if it means living in smaller houses.
- Taking longer vacations even if it means earning less.
- Programming Ruby, building Basecamp, writing for Signal v Noise, taking pictures, and enjoying all the same avenues of learning and entertainment my already privileged lifestyle had afforded me for years in advance.
- According to the adaptation principle, we’re likely to adapt to what we set for ourselves. Luxuries and other goods adapt completely while some other “purchases” are less subject to:
- V are things that we choose to do, not that we have to, such as meditation, exercise, learning new things and so on.
- We can increase our happiness if we use your strengths, particularly in the service of strengthening connections such as helping friends, expressing gratitude to benefactors.
- According to the progress principle, pleasure comes more from making progress toward a goal than from achieving them. That said, we should take the initiative and perform gratifying activities regularly.
References:
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96884.The_Happiness_Hypothesis
- https://m.signalvnoise.com/the-day-i-became-a-millionaire/
Tagged: #book, #happiness, #meaning, #life, #wealth