Some Dark Thoughts on Happiness - 1609 Words

Thoughts Of Happiness: A World Of Perspectives To begin the article the author Jennifer Senior gives a score out front on her test taking from the Authentic Happiness Inventory. The test designed by Chris Peterson to test ones level of happiness. She took the test at the Positive Psychology Center in the University of Pennsylvania. In a scale of 1 to 5, the author got a grade of 2.88 which she said was below average for her level. The score she received was below average for most components such as â€Å"age, education level, gender and occupation† (422). She also stated that her mark for her zip code was at fifty percent. She explained that according to psychologists, her happiness was probably caused by her job than any other†¦show more content†¦These results where back up by a poll that he had done. The findings also included that smarter people aren’t any happier. And that Hagens 4 attractive people are happier than those who are unattractive. Also, that the young are not happier then the elderly. She states that â€Å"human beings adapt quickly to their circumstances† (425). She then is following up by examples from tests given. Continuing on with examples of happiness, she finds little examples of raising children. She feels that this is odd, and it’s odder that she finds children don’t make parents any happier. Then more examples of happiness. The examples included those of location such as state you live in. Also the country and ethnicity. She also finds that no matter where you live, us as humans are always predicting what will make us happy. Then leading into the thoughts of human imagination. In this section there is an example of Seligman and his daughter. This leads into the thoughts on change. She raises the question of change, â€Å"can it be done by will†? (427). Here she engages in a discussion about Seligmanâ€℠¢s kids feelings about second marriage. In conclusion he tells her that he had no regrets on the divorce. It was at the time correct thing to do. Though he may have felt bad, but he wouldn’t have changed. The concept of feeling bad for something, but still not changing what you did was the final conclusion. As theShow MoreRelatedSome Dark Thoughts on Happiness Analysis2197 Words   |  9 PagesSenior discusses her research concerning positive psychology and whether or not happiness is teachable and highlights some of the darker sides of happiness. To start the article, Senior reveals her score on her test from the Authentic Happiness Inventory. The test designed by Chris Peterson of the positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. This test is intended to numerically score ones level of happiness. In a scale of 1 to 5, Jennifer got a grade of 2.88. This indicated she was belowRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Allegory Of The Cave And The Wachoskis The Matrix9 21 Words   |  4 Pagesthe dark. Besides in the movie, Neo found out that which the world, which he lived a long time was the in illusory world. Both of Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† and the Wachoskis’ The Matrix are involved in this principles; however, they are having some similarities and differences that between their changes and their worlds. In the allegory, the people who lived in the cave is restrained with the iron rope that face to the wall that what in their sight are only the shadow throng on the dark caveRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1134 Words   |  5 Pagesstrolled through the dark, dingy streets on my own. My clothes clung to my skin as the water soaked completely through leaving my limbs numb. Every so often a drop of rain would trickle down the back on my neck making my whole body tremble. The streets were completely deserted. It felt like I had been walking for ages, the cold had completely taken over my body to the point where I could not remember at time when I was warm. I had been walking around for hours, gathering my thoughts. I liked being aloneRead MoreHappiness - Synthesis Essay1281 Words   |  6 PagesMahatma Gandhi one defined happiness as â€Å"when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.† Barring any better definition of happiness from either posit ive psychologists, self-help gurus, or any other academic source, I tend to think this is a great summation of the definition of happiness. Gandhi doesn’t say anything about how these things make you feel, rather looks at it from a point of view of harmony between thoughts, expressions, and actions. Since one single accepted definitionRead More7 Ways to Find Happiness Instantly We all are lived in mind-numbing situation that few days going700 Words   |  3 Pages7 Ways to Find Happiness Instantly We all are lived in mind-numbing situation that few days going away stressful. Everybody may be facing his/her hard-hitting time because it is human sense. Feelings, emotions, reactions are the part of human nature. Spiritually harass is the main reasons behind your roughly behavior like, suffering from situation abuse or victimization, death of nearest person, irritate in a marriage, break the relationship like friendship or divorce, supplementary workload at yourRead MoreHappiness as the Ultimate End of Human Action Essay1220 Words   |  5 Pagesthe true meaning of happiness. This false interpretation of self-satisfaction is what many of us strive for today. We want an immediate ‘feel good’ fix, which we often tend to pay for later. We use pleasure, wealth, and honor as a means to identify those who are the happiest (Stumpf and Feiser 84). Greek Philosopher, Aristotle analyzed a fundamentally different nature of happiness. Every human action must have an end; an ultimate, self-sufficient end. He believed that happiness exclusively standsRead MoreEssay On The Danger Of Ignorance In House Of Dark Shadows743 Words   |  3 PagesDanger of Ignorance, states that â€Å"Ignorance is risky and dangerous. Ignorance can kill you! Lack of knowledge, stupidity and deception of yourself and others are all life denying and can destroy happiness and meaning in your life.† The theme of Danger of Ignorance perfectly fits the book, â€Å"House of Dark Shadows,† written by Robert Liparulo. This book focuses on a fifteen year old boy named Xander who moves to a small town called Pinedale, with his family. They find a big victorian house while theyRead MoreComparing Ursula K. Le Guin s The Ones Who Walk Away1223 Words   |  5 Pagesthe pain and suffering of a single child. Through these stories, the authors attempt to c onvey the following points: everyone desires happiness, not everyone will achieve happiness, and the happiness of some may depend on the unhappiness of others. People wish for a world free from famine, destitution, war, and oppression; A world without pain; A world of happiness - a utopia. In The ones who walk away from Omelas, the narrator describes the city of Omelas as just that. The inhabitants [do] withoutRead MoreThe Most Dangerous Game And Porphyrias Lover1258 Words   |  6 Pagessoon faces. He must play a game to decide his fate, will he survive or will he be the one to die a slow and painful death? Just like the short story, the poem â€Å"Porphyrias Lover† shows a plot of a man who can not live without his lover so he takes a dark turn to make his girl stay with him forever. Through their uses of descriptive details, Connell and Browning convey that darkness and evil can arise from love and joy. Richard Connell conveys a theme of darkness arising from love and joy throughRead MoreParis1378 Words   |  6 PagesHappiness By Huang Lu Xin Happiness  is a mental or emotional state of  well-being  characterized by positive or  pleasant  emotions ranging from contentment  to intense joy. A variety of  biological,  psychological and  religious and  philosophical  approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources. Various research groups, including  positive psychology, endeavor to apply the  scientific method  to answer questions about what happiness is, and how it might be attained. Its of