THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS --- FINDING MODERN TRUTH IN ANCIENT WISDOM
by Jonathan Haidt. Basic Books/Perseus Books Group, 2006
    INTRODUCTION --- Too much wisdom (pix-xiii)

        [1] First step of story = Account of how the human mind works

        [2] Second step of story = Account of our social lives --- two truths:

          (1) The "Golden Rule" = Reciprocity is the most important relationship tool for getting along with others

          (2) We humans are all by nature HYPOCRITES = This is why it is so hard for us to follow the Golden Rule faithfully (or consistently)

            Recent psychological research has uncovered the mental mechanisms that make us so good at seeing the slightest "speck in our neighbor's eye," and so bad at seeing the "log in our own" (phrases taken from the Christian Holy Bible). If you know what your mind is up to, and why you so easily see the world through a distorting lens of good and evil, you can take steps to reduce your self-righteousness. You can thereby reduce the frequency of conflicts with others who are equally convinced of their righteousness. (pxi)

        [3] At this point in the story, we can ask: Where does happiness come from? There are several different "happiness hypothesess."

          1. Happiness comes from getting what you want, but we all know (and research confirms) that such happiness is short-lived;

          2. Happiness comes from within (a more promising hypothesis) and cannot be obtained by making the world conform to your desires.

            This idea was widespread in the ancient world: Buddha in India and the Stoic philosophers in ancient Greece and Rome all counseled people to break their emotional attachments to people and events, which are always unpredictable and uncontrollable, and to cultivate instead an attitude of acceptance.

            This ancient idea deserves respect, and it is certainly true that changing your mind is usually a more effective response to frustration than is changing the world.

            However, this second version of the happiness hypothesis is wrong. Recent research shows that there are some things worth striving for since there are external conditions of life that can make you lastingly happier. One of the conditions is "relatedness" or the bonds we form, and need to form, with others.

            Also research shows where love come from; why passionate love always cools; and what kind of love is "true love."

            In summary, the happiness hypothesis derived from Buddha and the Greek Stoics should be amended to state that: "Happiness comes from within and it comes from without!"

            In other words, we need the guidance of both ancient wisdom and modern science to get the balance right.

        [4] The third step in this story about "flourishing" is to look at the conditions of human growth and development. Many things that don't kill you as you grow up can damage you for life. Recent research on "post-traumatic growth" reveals when and why people grow from adversity, and what you can do to prepare yourself for trauma, or to cope with it after you experience it.

        [5] The conclusion of the story is the Question of Meaning: Why do some people find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in life, but others do not?

          (1) What is the basis of the culturally widespread idea that there is a "vertical, spiritual dimension" of human existence? Whether it is called nobility, virtue, or divinity, and whether or not God exists, people simply do perceive sacredness, holiness, or some ineffable goodness in others, and in nature.

          New research by the author deals with the moral emotions of disgust, elevation, and awe and explains how this "vertical dimension" works, and why it is so important for understanding religious fundamentalism, the political culture wars, and the human quest for meaning.

          Also, both scientific research and ancient ideas taken together can explain what people mean when they ask the question: What is the meaning of life?

      1) The divided self (p1-22)

        [1]First division --- Mind vs. Body (p5-6)

        [2] Second division --- Left vs. Right (p6-9)

        [3] Third division --- New vs. Old (p9-13)

          Early scientific findings about the roles of the "limbic system" and the "frontal cortex" show that the limbic system underlies many of our basic animal instincts and that the "frontal cortex" plays an important role in suppressing or inhibiting behavioral impulses. (p11)

        [4] Fourth division --- Controlled vs. Automatic (p13-17)

        [5] Failures of self control (p17-19)

        [6] Mental intrusions (p19-20)

        [7] The difficulty of winning an argument (p20-22)

      2) Changing your mind (p23-44)

        [1] Introduction --- the ancient philosophical edict at the center of pop psychology: (p23-26)

            "Nothing is miserable unless you think it so; and nothing brings happiness unless you are content with it." (p25)

        [2] The "Like-O-Meter" (p26-28)

        [3] Negativity bias (p28-29)

        [4] Cortical lottery (p31-34)

        [5] How to change your mind (p35-44)

          (1) Meditation (p35-36)

          (2) Cognitive therapy (p37-39)

          (3) Prozac (p39-44)

          Life is what we deem it, and our lives are the creations of our minds. But these claims are not helpful until augmented by a theory of the "Divided Self" (such as the rider and the elephant) and an understanding of "negativity bias" and "affective style."

          Once you know why change is so hard, you can drop the brute force method and take a more psychologically sophisticated approach to self-improvement. (p43)

      3) Reciprocity with a vengeance (p45-58)

        [1] Introduction --- the Godfather idea of "reciprocity" (p45-47)

        [2] Ultrasociality (p47-49)

        [3] You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours (p49-52)

        [4] You stab his back, I'll stab yours (p52-55)

        [5] Use the Star Wars "Force," Luke! (p55-58)

      4) The faults of others (p59-80)

        [1] Introduction --- We are all hypocrites (p59-60)

        [2] Keeping up appearances (p60-63)

        [3] Find your inner lawyer (p63-66)

        [4] The "Rose-Colored" mirror (p66-69)

        [5] I'm right, you are biased (p69-71)

        [3] The myth of pure evil (p73-76)

        [4] Finding the "Great Way" (p76-80)

      5) The pursuit of happiness (p81-106)

        [1] Introduction --- Money and power cannot buy happiness according to a king in Jerusalem, as reported in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament (p81-82)

        [2] The "Progress Principle" (p82-84)

        [3] The "Adaptation Principle" (p84-86)

        [4] An early "Happiness Hypothesis" (p87-90)

        [5] The "Happiness Formula" (p90-94

          One of the most important ideas in "Positive Psychology" is called the "Happiness Formula" by its creators: (p91-92)

          H=S+C +V

          The above "Happpiness Formula" states that the level of happiness that you actually experience ("H") is determined by your biological "Set Point" ("S") plus the conditions of your life ("C") plus the voluntary activities ("V") you do for the benefit of others. (p91-92)

            (1) Noise --- it is worth striving to remove sources of "noise," especially noise that is variable or intermittent, in your life (p92)

            (2) Commuting --- it is worth striving to improve your commute to work (p92)

            (3) Lack of Control --- Changing an institution's environment to increase the sense of control among its workers, students, patients, or other users was one of the most effective possible ways to increase their sense of engagement, energy, and happiness. (p92-93)

            (4) Shame --- Being freed from the burden of feeling self-conscious every day about their body shape may lead to a lasting increase in self-confidence and well-being, whether it's breast enlargement or reduction, for example (p93-94)

            (5) Relationships --- Good relationships make people happy and happy people enjoy more and better relationships than unhappy people; whereas conflicts in relationships is one of the surest ways to reduce your happiness (p94)

            (6) Finding flow --- "Flow" is the state of total immersion in a task that is challenging yet closely matched to one's abilities; it feels like effortless movement; and is sometimes called “Being in the Zone” in sports and nutrition. (p95-96)

            A fundamental distinction between PLEASURES and GRATIFICATIONS has been proposed (p96-97)

        [6] Finding flow (p94-98)

        [7] Misguided pursuits (p98-102)

        [8] The "Happiness Hypothesis" reconsidered (p102-106)

      6) Love and attachments (p107-134)

      7) The uses of adversity (p135-154)

      8) The felicity of virtue (p155-180)

      9) Divinity with or without God (p181-212)

      10) Happiness comes from between (p113-240)

      11) Conclusion --- on balance (p241-243)

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (p245-246)

    NOTES (p247-263)

    REFERENCES (265-289)

    INDEX (p291-297)

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Jonathan Haidt is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. His research examines the emotional basis of morality and the ways that morality varies across cultures, including the cultures of "liberals" and "conservatives." Co-editor of the book, Flourishing --- Positive Psychology and the Life Well-Lived. Visit: www.happinesshypothesis.com for more information.

    Return to: Feelings Category Abstracts
    Return to Happy Book List: List of Happiness and Satisfaction Book Outlines