The Happiness Hypothesis

Clinical psychologists say that there are two types of people that seek therapy: those that need tightening and those that need loosening. Most need loosening. We are wired to respond to threats faster — threats loom larger than opportunities (thanks, evolution). That’s also why we’re so critical of ourselves. And oftentimes, that’s why we stress ourselves out. Jonathan Haidt’s The Happiness Hypothesis start’s out with the image of a rider and an elephant representing the divided self. The rider is the controlled process and the elephant is the automatic process (similar to Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow). Haidt uses this metaphor throughout the book as he examines what modern science says about achieving happiness. The later chapters on virtue, religion and philosophy were interesting but what I took away some practical advice from the middle chapters centered around modern scientific research on happiness:

• The data is pretty clear, once basic needs are met money cannot buy much additional happiness. Experiences make you happier than material things. You would be happier and healthier if you took more time off and spent it with your family, friends, or even reduced your commuting time. Haidt calls this inconspicuous consumption.
• We all have an inflated opinion of ourselves in our “rose colored mirror”—we all believe we’re better than average. Each of us thinks we see the world directly as it really is. We further believe that facts as we see them are there for all to see. therefore others should agree with us. this is called naïve realism.
• Pleasure comes more from making progress towards goals than from achieving them (AKA the progress principle).
• “Letting off steam” makes people angrier not calmer. Instead look for deep insight by writing about your feelings.
• One should seek vital engagement — source of flow, joy, engagement, identity, effectance and relatedness you get from doing something you love.