...People will spend most of their lives looking and waiting for happiness. We convince ourselves that the right career, the right life choices, and the right relationships will open the gates to happiness. Most people are misled, and they do not know what actually will bring them real happiness until they experience it first-hand. Happiness does not just happen with no work; you have to work towards it. It is something that has to be pursued on a constant level throughout our lives. After reading the articles on happiness, choices in life, and experienced well-being I have come to realize a few significant points that could point towards being happier and coming closer to actual happiness. Happiness can reached in a number of ways, and there are many steps that people can take to increase happiness in their own lives regardless of their background or the situations they find themselves in. In the first article we read named “The Smiling Professor”, Claudia Dreifus is interviewing a psychologist named Dan Gilbert. Dan Gilbert has spent his career studying the nature of human happiness. To many people Dan Gilbert is known as “Professor Happiness”. Throughout this interview Gilbert tends to refer to happiness as something that will happen to our future selves. When asked how predicting our feelings of future events could relate to understanding happiness Gilbert states “Because if we can’t predict how we’d react in the future, we can’t set realistic goals for ourselves or figure...
Words: 1286 - Pages: 6
...110-69 “Happiness” Happiness. When people think about what they want, it often has to do with improving their circumstances. It can be found in many different forms. Being happy can be by getting or buying objects that will better your lifestyle. A lot of people don’t know the opposite of happiness. Pleasure can be a feeling of being happy because of their connection between each other. The more happiness inside the happier you may be. The more you have the more you may be happy. When buying or receiving something’s you feel happy. I believe that money does not buy happiness. Happiness is a feeling we find within ourselves as human beings. I feel that money can make a person happy for that one moment but not for ta lifetime. I believe that everyone should take note in and learn about the importance of money and there happiness within it. If you are rich and wealthy you may think that you have it all but ask yourself, are you really happy with just the money you have in your wallet? Money can buy you a lot of things but it can never buy you happiness. What is the true opposite of happiness? The opposite of happiness is not sadness. Its emptiness. One is surrounding a loss and the other a celebration. I believe that these two experiences are related to one another. The feeling of emptiness is the opposite of true happiness. Happiness and sadness isn’t in any way less than happy. When feeling empty you discover true depression and that can take away your happiness. I believe...
Words: 500 - Pages: 2
...According to Webster dictionary the word Happiness in defined as Enjoying, displaying, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy. When people think of happiness, they think about having to joyous feeling inside. There are many types of happiness, which are expressed in many ways. Happiness isn’t something that you just get. It comes from your within your soul. The amount of happiness you feel can change many times a day, through numerous things that happen in our everyday life. Happiness according scientific studies comes from dopamine chemicals around the brain, which is a transmitter in the brain that controls the nervous system. These chemicals in the brain have the power to make us happy or sad. Happiness can mean many different things to many different people. Some happiness comes from peace and other happiness comes from your experiences or expectations of being fulfilled in life. Happiness is an emotion like being sad or angry. Some people feel happiness from the simplest things in life such as reading their favorite book; other people are more complex and they only see happiness as something only other people have. Some feel they will never be happy. You will only be as happy as you let yourself. Weather it means just laughing at a joke, or telling funny stories. People show there happiness in many ways, some people smile, laugh, giggle or their face just glows in pleasure and gratification, while others don’t show their happy emotions physically they...
Words: 495 - Pages: 2
...Happiness: a Human Disease -- An Examination of the Allegorical Theme of Existentialism in the Happy Man The short story, “The Happy Man” by Naguib Mahfouz, discusses the human condition, presenting existentialism as its central theme. Specifically, the story seeks to illustrate unhappiness of the common man and the effect it has on his life. It is an allegorical piece, in which the unnamed protagonist showcases the state of the human as unhappy; only scarcely finding joy. Indeed, the euphoric feeling the protagonist feels is contrary to what he usually feels and has adverse effects on his lifestyle. Mahfouz uses happiness to show that people are intrinsically unhappy as the protagonist ultimately seeks to remove his euphoria. He contrasts the initial feelings of joy with the concern that he feels later on. From the start, Mahfouz aims to demonstrate man's unfamiliarity with feelings of true happiness. “When he woke up,” he states, “He found himself happy. That was most strange compared with his habitual state of mind in the early morning.” This statement shows that the protagonist is too mired in the troubles of life, both present and past, to have ever experienced happiness. This occupation with troubles always floods his mind, from the start of the day to the end. Indeed, this is the way the common man operates – he awakens with troubles on his mind, and is too preoccupied with them to be happy. Just as the protagonist has no reason for happiness, people in the world are...
Words: 1469 - Pages: 6
...Happiness There can be many definitions of the word happiness. Happiness means different things. Many people are often in search of happiness. Some people cannot find it. While, some people seem to only get a glimpse of it, some find it however, they cannot know its value. The meaning of happiness’s everyone agrees that it may be the most important feeling a person can have and people strive to achieve for and reach to it. Everyone defines this magical term according to their own perspectives. Today happiness is observed in various ways. Each individual describes their inner feelings and emotions in some ways that you can’t compare with another and also with each other. The common definition of happiness is that it is a state of outstanding well-being and it is an intense emotion. Happiness actually means the inner state of well-being or an enjoyable or fulfilling experience as well. It gives you the green light to benefit from your highest happiness from love, success. What is love? Love is an intense feeling of deep affection. In his essay “The Happiness Factor?”, David Brooks states,” The daily activities most associated with happiness are sex, socializing after work and having dinner with others.” (Brooks 583). I agree with this quote because I am happy being with the guy I am with now. The reason I am happy with the guy I am with now it’s because we do different activities such as going out to eat, going to the movies, and shopping together. Love is like a drug and;...
Words: 656 - Pages: 3
...Nathan Dunn PSY 227 April 20th, 2011 Outside Assignment #4 What is happiness? What does it entail and can people learn it? The video seemed to shed some light on this topic with some interesting ideas. The first idea that came to my attention was this idea of hedonism versus altruism. The test subjects in the video tried both an act of hedonism and an act of altruism. The hedonistic act was performed first and varied from massages to dancing in a club. These acts were performed on the basis that they were believed to make the person feel good and be happy. The verbal results from these acts were initially positive. The participants returned with a great sense of happiness and had a great time with what they did. However this sense of happiness was greatly diminished compared to their second act, which involved an act of altruism. This act varied from helping picking up trash throughout the community to helping pack food at a food bank. The verbal results indicated that the altruistic act resonated happiness much longer than the act of hedonism. This was almost a unanimous feeling amongst the four participants. Personally this makes a lot of sense to me, as I come from a perspective that joy is a longer lasting and deeper feeling of happiness. Happiness, I believe, is something that you feel in the moment, while joy is a deeper feeling of satisfaction with one’s life and accomplishments concerning the important things in their life. What this study how found...
Words: 788 - Pages: 4
...Achieving Happiness Achieving Happiness Being “Happy” is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions raging from contentment to intense joy described on a dictionary. I often ask myself what makes me happy? Is it having fun? Is it being just happy stress free? Having a family? Maybe it is being rich, intelligent, and good looking? Or is it when you have good position on a job with a title such Manager, Supervisor, or maybe being the President of a major company or corporation? We all were happy and sad in life. We had lost lives, faith, hopes, and the list goes on and on. Each individual has different set of views when it comes to this issue of being happy because for me personally at this time of uncertainty; I would probably be happy if I achieve a goal or a dream such graduating from a university then hired for a job that guarantees a life safety. But, sometimes it difficult to figure out what we have to do in life to attain happiness. We would agree that the majority of people around the glove have a happy life, if not life would be a misery. Then why people commit suicide? I had known couple people in my family and friends that committed suicide. It is an experience you simply can’t forget as you feel their pain, anger and regrets when you hear their stories. But why they had to take their precious life? It is a question I ask myself on daily basis since I am not happy or satisfy with my current stage of life; however...
Words: 908 - Pages: 4
...Transcript Akeem Saunders Kaplan University HU300 Arts and Humanities Laurie Smart-Pottle 21st September, 2013 What Does Happiness Mean? The first person I choose to interview is Ms. J.Roker. She is between the ages of 30- 40 years-old and is a volunteer at the Exuma Land and Sea Park here in the Bahamas. She loves working for non-profit organizations especially those which gives back to the community and protects the environment. She has been a foreign volunteer for two years. Being enlisted in the military I am required to be deploy to various sub bases within and without the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Thus, my interview took place on Walderick Wells, a Cay located in the Exuma Land and Sea Park. I had known Ms. Roker, little under two weeks and was intrigue as to why she choose the Bahamas to work instead of America. Every morning she would open the park office and we would start a casual conservation. Her views on life were astounding and to see how her dog Grace interacts with her is just amazing. She always seemed very happy whenever I saw her and always was giving. When I think of what happiness looks like I always think of her. My second choice is Mr. D Bonaby. He is between the ages of 40-50 years and is an active member in the military. He has been deployed to the same sub base as me and he has been my superior for the past 10 years. He is a welder in the military and hopes to open his welding business when he retires from...
Words: 2118 - Pages: 9
...Definition Paper Happiness There is much talk about happiness in life. Movies, lectures, books, and seminars have been written explaining what it is to be ‘happy’ and ‘how you get there.’ As stated in the United States Constitution we are given “unalienable rights among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Happiness is something we as humans are entitled to and guaranteed as a right. Something so fundamental should be easy to come by, yet everywhere you turn there are signs and tips on how to be ‘A Happier person.’ Happiness, by definition is a state of being, not a destination. It is an essence that many people work so hard to define, capture and achieve, all the while jeopardizing the true state of being happy. For some, happiness is the sunshine on their face as they curl up in their favorite chair on the beach sipping a cold drink. For others it is a baby’s smile, or their first paycheck. As people go through their different stages of life they have different definitions of happiness and different means of being happy and achieving happiness. Happy is a state of mind and a temporary place, not an end goal or destination as many people feel happiness is. So many times people feel like if they could only lose those last 10 pounds, or get promoted, or watch their team win the Superbowl then is when they will be happy. Once happiness is achieved, then what? Do people move on to the next ‘happiness’ or are they just satisfied that happiness was achieved...
Words: 1030 - Pages: 5
...Happiness Happiness is something that seems to be the goal of every single human being on this planet. However, the opinion on how to achieve happiness greatly differs from one individual to another. Some seek wealth, some seek relationships, and some seek a daily life of routines. Whichever the reason one seem to think is the correct, it seems like the key to happiness is appreciating what you have and enjoying every day. Hugh Downs once said: “A happy person is not a person in a set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.” I find this to be very accurate. One of the common perceptions in the western civilization is that more resources equal a better, happier life. However I, coming from “the best world to live in” often find myself envying people with very little resources. After a while, one starts to realize that buying the newest cell phone on the market, buying designer clothes or even buying a brand new Rolls Royce is a very shallow and short lasting kind of happiness. It’s easy to start thinking that it might be better just living a simple life in a small African village. So is it possible to conclude that money does not equal happiness? Abraham Maslow created the “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs”, in which he presented five stages of basic needs that needed to be fulfilled in order to feel motivated, which can be transferred into the thinking of happiness. The five stages were 1.Physiological needs 2.Safety 3.Love/Belonging 4. Esteem 5.Self-actualization...
Words: 505 - Pages: 3
...TOPIC Happiness Abstract This paper talks about what happiness is in general. How happiness is perceived among people today in various countries, cultures and religions. “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” - Aristotle. Everyone has their own meaning to happiness in the way their emotions, goals and desires play out in their everyday lives. Some people may find happiness in music, friends and family gatherings. Others may find happiness in work, movies, sports and books. But, what truly makes a person happy? I will discuss how happiness can be found by individual people, cultures and the world as a whole. Every person in one way or another is on the journey to pursue their happiness and once they find it realize their whole life is focused on that one thing that makes them happy. It takes some longer to find what truly makes them happy than others and some never really find what makes them happy before their lives end. Some people may find happiness in the Arts such as paintings, music and theatre arts. These forms of art have drawn the attention of many over the years. Inspirational paintings are sold all over the world at expensive prices to willing buyers not only for the beauty but because the paintings give a sense of happiness and joy in one’s life and it also portraits something significant such as what the person desires (passionate about) when viewing the painting. One of such paintings is the Luncheon...
Words: 1597 - Pages: 7
...Happiness has always been a topic to study by the scientists, psychology and philosophers; however, there is not an agreement about what happiness is. Some branches of the psychology prefer to study the positive feelings that could make the human being feel happy, due to how wide could be the concept of happiness. Humans being has always wanted to discover the key to happiness, furthermore, which is the definitions that science gives to happiness? Otherwise, is happiness a feeling that could be reachable thanks to the things that the human being owned? And afterwards, does the happiness exist as long as the feelings and actions are in the right places? In the next paragraphs these questions are going to be answered. To begin the etymological...
Words: 1344 - Pages: 6
...responding “The pursuit of happiness” Eng101-AC17 September 25, 2015 Matthew F. Adams The Pursuit of Happiness Mark Kingwell is an author of the book In pursuit of happiness: Better living from Plato to Prozac (1998). The reading is about the happiness, and this is the philosophical question "what is happiness?” In general, he wants to show the reader how to identify, to pursuit happiness? But he shows happiness is an essentially contestable concept. By many ways, he tries to define the meaning of happiness by taking another author’s idea about happiness. Firstly, he chooses to explain by a New English Dictionary, for example, the famously unhelpful state of pleasurable content of mind, which results from success of the attainment of what is considered good. And the he called a universal definition of happiness “a mug’s game”- that is the game no one can win. He states that the search for the happiness is one of the chief source of unhappiness”. Base on the Psychological Science money, education, and family background are less important in determining one’s level of happiness than basic genetic. What is happiness? Happiness is really easy to answer someone if there happiness is simple. Or it might be a confusing answer. Henri de Montherlant said “happiness write white when it comes to literature or it’s just a banality of contentment”. The author knows that is an impossible answer but he wants to show that every people want to search for their happiness concept. Therefore, the...
Words: 811 - Pages: 4
...Happiness is it not what all men seek for? What we aim for in life, in pursuit of it? Just like a pirate needing his battleship to hunt for his lost treasure. Only that happiness is far greater than any old pirate treasure and to most it means everything. But what exactly does it mean? What does it mean to you? What does it make us feel? What exactly does it do to us? Based on the Merriam Webster’s collegiate dictionary the tenth edition, happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy, pleasurable or satisfying experience, a state of well-being and contentment. But is that all there is to happiness? In our society, happiness is taken lightly and they label it as a temporary enjoyment or pleasure. Some people think that a mere giggle is a sign of true happiness when it really is not but rather a sign of amusement or immediate satisfaction. To some, happiness just means not having a bad day. For others, it is being popular with a large social circle rather than having just someone to love and a few good friends. Some say they are absolutely happy because they are filthy rich, beautiful and have every material thing they ever wanted. I know that as young people that we are, who have yet to fully experience life, we probably believe that money will bring us happiness. While it is true that money can help you in your search, but money itself will not bring you happiness. It only fuels our daily lives...
Words: 772 - Pages: 4
...In the ancient world back, many philosophers such as Epicures and Stoics were trying to reach and achieve happiness in many different ways. In today's world, many people are trying to reach and achieve happiness via many ways that depend on the personal perspective of people. I am going to discuses about how to find the true happiness and about how people describe their inner conditions in many special ways. Although some people describe the word happiness according to their personal perspective, true happiness does not depend on things that are around because it is within everyone. The term happiness is a state of mind or the personal feelings characterized by pleasure, delight, love, contentment, enjoyment, joy, satisfaction and entertainment all together. People always want to achieve and find happiness in their life, so they can be happy. Some people have different ideas describing their inner feelings. Also, some people have unique ideas about how to find happiness. The first important point is that the term happiness can be described by an individual according to his or her personal perspective. What makes you happy and what makes me happy are different things. Individuals depict their inner emotions in a different way that you cannot compare with each other, so there might be a lot of definitions. For example, some people think that when they move to another house, things will be better, some people think that when they have enough money, everything will be astonishing...
Words: 498 - Pages: 2
