Happiness and the Hype
Posted on 22 Sep 2010 under Random
Lately, I’ve been reading up about “positive psychology” and the importance of positive emotions. Optimism, apparently, also promotes long-term happiness and gives you a longer, more fulfilling life. It makes you more efficient and more effective at whatever tasks you take up, thereby resulting in increased performance. Therefore, we are encouraged to try and be positive all the time.
But I’ve been internally struggling with this concept. I’ve always been a firm believer in “the balance of life”. I thinkevery “bad” thing is balance by something “good” and, more importantly, vice versa. Without darkness, would we learn to appreciate the light? Without sadness, would joy bring just as intense a smile to us? Nature, life itself, I think, balances everything out for a reason. The concept of ‘ying-yang’ sums it up beautifully. It’s more than just a feng shui artefact.
Also, there’s something beautiful about pain and sadness. I hate to see it going unappreciated. If not for the bleeding heart poets, we would be deprived of a number of heart-wrenching songs. If not for the pain of heartbreak, we might not have had a number of striking stories, dramas or movies. Also, don’t forget…it’s generally not our joys that bring us together so much as it is the hardships. We need our friends the most when we’re down and low. And that is precisely when bonds are generated, made stronger and strengthened to stand the test of time.
So all of this leaves me questioning…should we really aim to be happy all the time?
Interesting read.
I think we should aim to be happy. Whether or not we achieve happiness is another matter altogether. Well, I already know the answer to that part. We can’t be happy all the time, even if we try.
Now tell me: am I am optimist or a pessimist?
Insufficient data to reach undeniable conclusion.
From your writings, though, I would have to say that you’re generally an optimist.
Hehe… I’d have to agree with you.
So Gurdit, what do you think of the meme “I’m not a pessimist, I’m a realist”?
It’s like saying “I’m not a serial killer…I just kill one person a day”.
On a more serious note…pessimists, realists and cynics have a lot in common. I think on a spectrum ranging from pessimism to optimism, cynics are closer to pessimism than realists. Realists have a very broad range though, possibly overlapping with the cynics, in terms of optimism/pessimism.
Last semester i had a professional development’s presentation on happiness… there was only 1 quote in it, which seemed perfect.
“Happiness is like a butterfly You run after it, it keeps flying away, If you stand still it comes and sits on your shoulder”.
I think more than being sad we require to have less expectations to be happy. Balance of life is one thing, but it can’t be related the way that u will have equal amount of happy and sad moments.These 2 things are relative.
ps: can u pass on the “positive psychology” links, u mentioned ?
Miriam here. Just wanted to drop in and tell you that I agree with what you say here… It’s hard for me to make a good comment as I’m kind of new to this whole ‘blog thing’, but I guess I’m doing it alright? – Miriam