Choices... Happiness

My friend Federico Bolanos from Costa Rica sent me this link to a 21 min talk given by a guy named Dan Gilbert who wrote some book on happiness. He is a very energetic speaker who presents some really startling results from some studies done at Harvard with regards to happiness. I will try to boil it down here for you but you should really see this thing for your self http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/97

Humans are able to make up different futures based on our data in the present. This is one of the many things make us different than any other animal.

We also are able to be happy in two different ways: The natural one that comes externally (winning the lottery maybe) and a synthesized one that comes from within each of us (being truly happy with the situation we find ourselves in (survival through a tragedy maybe or just a general contentment with ones present situation no matter what).

There was a study done at harvard where a beginners photography class was set up and the students had to produce 12 pictures of things of meaning around campus. They were then told to pick 2 of their most favorite and were shown how to make postersized enlargements of the images. Then 1/2 were told that they had to choose one to keep but could only make their choice once. The other half had to also choose one to keep but could change their minds as many times as they needed over the next 4-5 days. The ones with the one time choice were always happy with their choice. The other group invariably were not happy with their final choice no matter how many times they changed their minds! A second class with different students was set up and this time the students were told before the class started that they could choose between choosing at the end or not being able to choose… and of course 66% chose to choose… choosing the path with which they would be least likely to be happy with the outcome.

Freedom is the friend of natural happiness because it allows you to choose. But the enemy of synthetic happiness.

I find this interesting. According to this study WE can CHOOSE to be happy about things. The source of this happiness comes from within (synthetic happiness). But if we let the source of our happiness primarily come from the outside (a natural happiness) and we are allowed to many choices then we don’t arrive at happiness as easily because… well maybe because we are letting the primary source of our happiness be outside of our control. …it has to be a surprise, something random, unexpected, external...

This reminded Britt how the Baha’i Writings are full of exhortations for us continually strive to be detached from the world and always push to be “content with His holy Will and Pleasure”.

Anyway, watch the video… I’d love to hear any comments anyone might have.

Here is part of Gilbert’s summary: When preferences drive us too fast we tend to overate the differences between the futures we can see in front of us… All of our longings and worries tend to be overblown because we have the capacity within us to manufacture the commodity we so desperately seek (happiness).