At this, genetic, level, Dr Fredrickson and Dr Cole report, the two forms of happiness could hardly be more different. In volunteers who scored strongly for hedonic well-being and weakly for eudaimonic well-being inflammation-causing genes were 20% more active than average, and genes associated with the production of virus-attacking antibodies 20% less active. In contrast, in those who were the other way round, genes associated with the production of interferons (proteins that support communication during immune-system responses) were 10% more active and antibody genes 30% more active. Eudaimonic pleasure thus looks as though it is good for the health, while hedonic pleasure is bad.
Well, I'm not surprised at all. The happiest people I know are the ones who enjoy life as it is, embracing what they can reach with glad and not psyching about the rest.
It's just a matter of fact that when many people all strive to be the same thing (the richest, the most famous, the most skilled) many are bound to get frustrated. It's also a fact that pleasure simply have diminish returns. Pleasure just burnt out. So people tends to experience those horrible states of tedium and depression over time because it's difficult to keep finding more and more exciting things to do.
My generation really concerns me in this regard (i'm from the late 1980's). It seems people live by pleasure so intensely and so early those days that life feels totally empty by the 20 or 30, specially when other pressing matters appears (such as family and marriage).
Damn, i know so many people that is complete unhappy about their family and marriage life, all because their happiness standards are unbelievable out of reach (such as party hard every day, worship a celebrity to death, meet tons of partners). They end up feeling guilty about their own unhappiness and blame it on conservative society who does allow then to live the life they dream of, when they don't realize that society is far from the only reason that keep their wishes and lifestyle impossible to realize.
I just want to put my head on the sand and cry when I see the level of ignorance on people when they say 'I can't be happy because I don't have money to be happy and to have money i have to work, which defeats my happiness to begin with'.
Anyway, that was just my rant. I think we evolved socially a lot during the post-war and we have several conquests to be proud of, such as the advances made against oppression of homosexuals and other minorities, the massive reduction of poverty, etc... But I think we are about to face a era of untold depression in the future. When scarcity raise (it's bound to raise), we will be forced into a life of lower consume. If people keep the hedonistic desire as ruler of their lives, they crush, very very hardly and it's going to be ugly.
I'm usually happy taking things as they come. I have simple tastes, a day at the movies, walk outside, staring at the night sky. I find taking time to enjoy and appreciate the little things helps quite a bit. I don't try to actively reach for such impossible things, like the party hard everyday, but if I have the opportunity to try something great like a cruise ill go for it.
But I think most of the time people are unhappy because their reach exceeds their grasp (I think that's right), setting unrealistic expectations. When you take the time to appreciate the little enjoyments in life it makes the great seem significant. Also being helpful has a hand in it.
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Economist Article on a study
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudaimonia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism
Thoughts?
Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
Individualities may form communities, but it is institutions alone that can create a nation.
Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.
It's just a matter of fact that when many people all strive to be the same thing (the richest, the most famous, the most skilled) many are bound to get frustrated. It's also a fact that pleasure simply have diminish returns. Pleasure just burnt out. So people tends to experience those horrible states of tedium and depression over time because it's difficult to keep finding more and more exciting things to do.
My generation really concerns me in this regard (i'm from the late 1980's). It seems people live by pleasure so intensely and so early those days that life feels totally empty by the 20 or 30, specially when other pressing matters appears (such as family and marriage).
Damn, i know so many people that is complete unhappy about their family and marriage life, all because their happiness standards are unbelievable out of reach (such as party hard every day, worship a celebrity to death, meet tons of partners). They end up feeling guilty about their own unhappiness and blame it on conservative society who does allow then to live the life they dream of, when they don't realize that society is far from the only reason that keep their wishes and lifestyle impossible to realize.
I just want to put my head on the sand and cry when I see the level of ignorance on people when they say 'I can't be happy because I don't have money to be happy and to have money i have to work, which defeats my happiness to begin with'.
Anyway, that was just my rant. I think we evolved socially a lot during the post-war and we have several conquests to be proud of, such as the advances made against oppression of homosexuals and other minorities, the massive reduction of poverty, etc... But I think we are about to face a era of untold depression in the future. When scarcity raise (it's bound to raise), we will be forced into a life of lower consume. If people keep the hedonistic desire as ruler of their lives, they crush, very very hardly and it's going to be ugly.
BGU Control
R Aggro
Standard - For Fun
BG Auras
That being said, if the medical benefits discussed are true, I guess that's a rational reason to avoid hedonism. But damn, it's so much fun amirite
Thanks to Xenphire @ Inkfox for the amazing new sig
“Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by slight ligaments
are we bound to prosperity and ruin.”
― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
But I think most of the time people are unhappy because their reach exceeds their grasp (I think that's right), setting unrealistic expectations. When you take the time to appreciate the little enjoyments in life it makes the great seem significant. Also being helpful has a hand in it.