Stumbling on Happiness
Happiness seems to be the most subjective feeling amongst every other that is encompassed under the word, “emotion”. Everyone has experienced it, everyone yearns for it, and everyone can’t get enough of it, but what is happiness? Are any of us really happy? Daniel Gilbert tackles this philosophical riddle head-on, by talking about the physical and psychological level of emotion, our perception on what is or isn’t happiness, and how happiness is a lot more distorted than one can realize. Gilbert gives the example of these conjoined twins, Lori and Reba. They claim they are perfectly content and happy, and wouldn’t want it any other way (Gilbert 1). This is one of the purest physical manifestations for subjective happiness. Gilbert poses the question, “If this was your life rather than theirs, how would you feel?” (Gilbert 1). He says the “moral” answer would be along the lines of, “Joyful, optimistic, playful”, but the real answer is, “Despondent, desperate, and depressed” (Gilbert 1), because no one in their right mind would want that, right? Further
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Gilbert talks about how sometimes we get ideas and how we cling onto them, eventually becoming disappointed after an unfavorable result. Gilbert talks about how most people, humans, have trouble imagining a different future, or a tomorrow. This leads to decisions based on current state and assumptions that the future will stay unchanged (Gilbert 24). He uses examples like a mother who would quit her job to raise a kid, under the assumption that raising said child will stay rewarding for the rest of her life (Gilbert 24). Or a teenager who gets a tattoo, thinking it will retain its trendiness for the rest of his life (Gilbert 24). All of this leads back to Gilbert’s original topic, perception. These split-second decisions made without any thorough thought, or frankly, any regard for the future, leads to