Monday, January 5, 2015

What makes us happy?

Vanderbilt's Ted Fisher has the answer:


5 comments:

  1. Sounds like the beginning of anthropological thought cozily assimilating into Distributism's holistic economic doctrine.

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  2. I interpreted what Ted was saying is that making money (maximizing wealth) helps, but in addition, we have to find meaning in what we do. You are right that this probably doesn't belong in an econ blog supporting a textbook.

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  3. What Aristotle said in regards to living a fulfilled life I believe is what everyone wants. Everyone has a purpose in their life. What does actually people want out of their lives? What would you like to have in an ideal world? These questions will vary depending on the individual. A farmer might his children to take over the farm some day after he is no longer able, want enriched crops to provide for his family, and lastly to be successful so his family has something to pass down to their generation.

    Personally my purpose in life is to be successful, provide for my family, enjoy life, stay faithful, and never take anything for granted because it can be taken away in a split of a second (I might have a few more but I think these are the most important purposes). Nevertheless we do have our moments, and we have to try to remember to appreciate all the things we have in life even it is the tiny things.

    A little joy goes a long way toward making people happy, according to a newly-developed equation for happiness. So what's the solution to happiness? It's all about managing your expectations. The equation shows that people are happiest when things go better than expected, such as when study participants outperform their own expectations on a decision-making task. Looking forward to a lunch date with friends, finding a prime parking spot at work, having a typically cranky toddler tack an extra hour onto his or her nap … when life exceeds your expectations, it makes you happy, researchers report. On the flip side, if that lunch is poorly cooked, your work inbox is full of hectoring emails or your child wets the bed, the disappointment can quickly sour a good mood. However, in the real world, the study results don't mean the scientists recommend people go through life with lowered expectations.

    Ultimately, by using the equation to analyze the differences in how people react to events such as wins and losses in the brain game, the research might lead to a better understanding of mood disorders, the researchers said.

    Work Cited:
    Oskin, B. (2014) Happiness Equation Reveals Key to Cheery Life. Retrieved from: http://www.livescience.com/47195-happiness-equation-predicts-enjoyment-life.html

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  4. Adam Smith on happiness
    ---------------------------------------------------
    David Brown at the Financial Times website, reviews the recent book by Russ Robert, How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness. He comments “How can we reject the praise we do not deserve?” Here Smith invoked the impartial spectator. For “if we saw ourselves in the light in which others see us, or in which they would see us if they knew all, a reformation would generally be unavoidable.” Only by recognizing our flaws can we find wisdom. You will be noticed only by the “most studious and careful observer”, Smith warns, but you will not miss the attention.

    In the movie, The Pursuit of Happiness, one sees that what really makes Chris [a homeless father with his son who is looking for a job] is that despite the difficult situations he has to face while being homeless, he is a remarkable person that is able to find joy despite the bad situations he faces in real life. He picks himself up, over and over, and continues on.

    An investigation based at Emory University by Mr. Philip Reynolds says that there is a problem between the words “happy” and “happiness” in that they are being used in varied and interrelated senses. Formerly, “happy” meant being “fortunate” or “lucky”. “Happy” is a state, while “happiness” is a subjective state.

    Reynolds mentions that “if the declaration had any legal force”, then “to pursue happiness” meant “to live happily” and not “to search for happiness”. He thinks that the statement was intended to inspire “the notion of prosperity and personal well-being”, especially “a life of peace and enjoyment of the prosperity of the fruits of one's own labor”. The message probably suggested “freedom” for everyone, “the right to be fulfilled in one's own way”, and this included “civic virtue even the hope of post-mortem bliss”.

    Reynolds, David [11/27/2010], 'The Biblical definitions of the pursuit of happiness',http://www.huffingtonpost.com/philip-reynolds/the-pursuit-of-what_b_781092.html

    Brown, David, [Nov 23, 2014] 'How Adam Smith can change your life. An unexpected Guide to Human Nature',http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/25389abe-70a2-11e4-9129-00144feabdc0.html

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  5. The only thing that makes me happy is success and that too when it happens in a great business like Forex trading, it’s a really classic work to do and has great profits to be made, so that’s why I love to work here and thanks to OctaFX broker, I am able to do everything easily with their low spread of 0.2 pips, high leverage up to 1.500 and super smooth platform like cTrader and Mt4, it’s all heaven for me!

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