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pioneers parrot
- FB Fan -
18 Posts |
 Posted - 09/28/2007 : 15:33:56
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Now that researchers have concluded unequivocally that all Mexican food served in America and Canada is secretly spiked with human body odor, and that whoever eats said "food" is a dog, they, the researchers, are again examining the subject of... cue the tweeting birds... happiness.
It would seem that some assert that every little shit gotta find a salt lick. Hmmm... But what other bits of a life and identity make someone happy? Is happiness wrought by a large number of positive social relationships, a large number of small pleasures in one's day, a small number of displeasures, mating satisfaction, job satisfaction? Does leading the lifestyle of the "healthy, wealthy, and wise" bring happiness?
Some psychologists look at how societies live and consider evolutionary components. Some wonder if TV makes us happy. Some look at something called "subjective well-being" or SBM, which is basically a scholarly term for how folks evaluate their lives. Some like their women as they like their food: fast and full of gas. Hell, I once dated a girl who enjoyed eating vegetables, fish, and chicken. She hated beef, junk food, and fast food. What gives? All this health food... I accused her of being a closet Canadian, but the accent didn't match, and she knew nothing of the lure of the Labrador wild, or hid it very well. Adaptability, temperament? Do these things bear the fruit of happiness? In any event, that girl's tastebuds were calibrated to keep her body looking dynamite, and this, I argue, helped her stay happy (me as well).
Anyway, the Swiss seem happy (Diener, 2000), and this Diener fellow proposed developing a national SBM Index in America to identify indicators of subjective well-being, track them over time, and eventually help people understand the circumstances and balancing acts that we typically need to maintain in our lives in order to enjoy happiness.
So, are you happy? And how did you achieve your happiness? Were you unhappy before? Any anecdotal or empirical accounts would be welcome. If topless photos of Black Francis please you, feel free to share (the sentiment, not the photos). If you believe that lots of little pleasures sprinkled throughout your day help you to stay happy, where do you find these pleasures? If hurting happy people makes you happy, how do you go about it?
Reference
Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and
a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist, 55, 34-43.
Baby, don't say I never cited you nuthin...
Polly want a cheeto? Damn straight I say, my good man! Why, squawk, I say. |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2007 : 02:56:13
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I have been having bread pudding a lot lately, and yes, it makes me happy.
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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Happiness = Bread Pudding, and here's the science
