But what exactly is happiness? And how do we come about attaining a lasting state of happiness? With these questions swimming around in my mind, I channelled my inner Sherlock Holmes for some old fashioned sleuthing.
Defining Happiness
While happiness may be a single term, it is quite an elusive concept. From Aristippus in the ancient world to Robert Nozick in contemporary times, philosophers over the centuries have struggled to come to a consensus on the definition and source of happiness. As far as I could work out, philosophers who write and theorise about happiness typically split the term into two senses.
Firstly, happiness is simply a state of mind. This kind of short-term happiness is characterised by a range of positive emotions that we feel when we are momentarily content or full of joy.
Secondly, happiness can refer to a life of wellbeing or flourishing. In this sense, long-term happiness is more than just an emotion; rather, it concerns what benefits a person, makes them better off and serves in their best interests for the long run.
With this definition under my belt, I went to the people. I began casually asking friends and family what happiness was to them. The answers I received varied from “I’m just glad to be alive after last night,” to “Whiskey and titties, what more could you need?” Some answers came from a deeper place: “Happiness is leading a healthy and peaceful life, loving and trusting that you’re loved,” and “Doing something of a higher purpose and finding meaning in who you are.”
These answers roused my razor-sharp skills of deduction, leading me to believe happiness is a very subjective and personal concept; no wonder philosophers struggle to see eye to eye. Nevertheless, I began to see the difference between short-term and long-term happiness. For instance, “whiskey and titties” would definitely be considered a form of short-term happiness. They will provide fleeting feelings of enjoyment and pleasure. Short-term happiness such as this seems to be all around us; for me it comes in the form of ice cream and watching West Wing reruns. These things are easy and comfortable, give me joy and make life more pleasant right away.
On the other hand, “doing something of a higher purpose and finding meaning in who you are,” sounds a lot more like long-term happiness. This answer corresponds with acting in your own best interests for meaningful and
lasting happiness.
So, which is more important?
Well, that depends on who you ask.
For the ancient philosopher Aristippus of Cyrene the goal of life was to seek external happiness – enter a philosophy of happiness called “hedonism.” Aristippus is considered the founder of hedonism, a school of thought that promotes a single and universal aim for all people: pleasure, pleasure and more pleasure. Hedonists believe pleasure is the only intrinsic good while pain is the only intrinsic bad. Aristippus taught that we should not postpone available pleasure for the sake of future pleasures. In our time, hedonism takes form in pop philosophy movements: “Y.O.L.O” or “Life’s short.” This line of thinking is usually used to justify the pursuit of immediate and gratifying pleasure, for example, “Exam tomorrow? Drink tonight … YOLO.” This line of thinking focuses on gaining immediate short-term happiness: right now is all that matters.
Now, if you were to ask Aristotle, he would give you a somewhat different answer. He is in agreement with Aristippus about happiness as the ultimate goal of life; however, Aristotle believes happiness consists of the fulfilment of our human capacities. He taught that meaningful happiness is not something that can be gained or lost in a few hours, rather it is a long-term achievement measured by how well you have lived up to your full potential as a human being. Aristotle looks at happiness broadly, as the enrichment of human life over the course of a lifetime. For example, that person proclaiming Y.O.L.O. and drinking the night before an exam may be getting what he wants and enjoying his social and inebriated night out but he would not, in Aristotelian philosophy, be counted as doing well or leading a happy life.
Modern-day society seems to be predominated by the pursuit of instant gratification. Everyone seems to prefer quick, instant pleasure or relief. This can be seen in our love of fast food: why take the time to cook a meal when you can pop over to Fatty Lane and grab a Big Mac combo? Seeking instant pleasure can be an important factor in boosting mood and sentiment by making you feel joy and contentment, albeit temporarily. And, anyway, if our lives are made of individual moments, won’t we be happier in the long run if we continue enjoying ourselves in the now? Aristippus would certainly agree.
However, contemporary philosopher Robert Nozick certainly does not. Nozick refutes hedonism in his book Anarchy, State and Utopia, by means of a thought experiment he calls “The Experience Machine.” Think along the lines of The Matrix: a machine that simulates reality. However, instead of subduing the human population, Nozick’s machine gives you the opportunity to think and feel unending hedonistic pleasure: writing a great book, making friends, watching an entertaining movie, anything you want for the rest of your life. Obviously there is no such machine but Nozick tells us to imagine (hence “thought experiment”) that “superduper neuropsychologists” could indeed stimulate your brain in such a way. Your body would still exist, but it would be destined to float around in a tank with electrodes sticking out of your head. Nozick asks his readers if they would plug into the machine, pre-programming all their life experiences to maximise pleasure. Would you?
Nozick argues that if experiencing pleasure is all that matters in life then everyone would plug into the machine and have no reasons not to. But, since we do have reasons not to plug into the machine, hedonistic pleasure is therefore proven not to be the ultimate form of happiness. In case you didn’t come up with any reasons not to plug into the machine, Nozick gives you several: humans want to do certain things, not just have the experience of doing them; plugging in limits us to a man-made reality and therefore puts limits on what we can make; and, most obviously, we want to be a certain sort of person, not an indeterminate blob floating around in a tank (unless you’re into that kind of thing).
Another problem with only pursuing short-term happiness with a strict Y.O.L.O. attitude is that it can come at a great cost for a chance at future happiness. Some forms of short-term happiness are harmless in the long run, like spending your night off in bed with a bowl of ice cream and West Wing reruns. It may not contribute to any lofty life goals but, at the same time, it does not jeopardise your future in any concrete way.
However, there are examples of immediate but intense moments of happiness that can conflict with any future possibility of pleasure or enjoyment. At the most extreme, we can call on the example of Ervin McKinness. The rapper uploaded this tweet, “Drunk af going 120 drifting corners #FuckIt YOLO” only minutes before skidding out of control, crashing his car and killing not only himself but four others. This momentary pleasure led directly to death and removed all future chances of pleasure for McKinness. While this is an extreme and rather stupid course of action, it is nonetheless a valid example showing the dangers of pursuing short-term happiness at the expense of a chance at long-term happiness.
Striking a balance
Temporary and lasting happiness do not have to be in opposition; rather, a balance could and should be struck between the two. With this thought in mind, I felt my Sherlock Holmes senses tingling; I must be close to the truth!
Often the lesser good promises immediate pleasure and can be very tempting while the greater good is painful and requires some sort of sacrifice. Aiming to achieve lasting happiness requires us to make choices, keep an eye on the future and on the ultimate result we want for our lives as a whole. Returning to our previous and more relatable Y.O.L.O. example, it may be tempting and more enjoyable to drink large amounts of alcohol with friends the night before an exam but you know squandering valuable time before said exam will not help you out in the long run. After the exam is the perfect time to enjoy yourself and splurge on whiskey and titties. Balance is struck when you can enjoy short-term fun without endangering a chance of long-term happiness.
Easier said than done
Having come to the conclusion that short-term happiness should be had in moderation and long-term happiness should be the ultimate goal to strive for, I began wondering how one would go about achieving this balance and attaining lasting happiness. As wonderful as it sounds, is it even attainable? Or will we spend our entire lives resisting the temptations of instant pleasure to save for an abstract idea? A variety of magazines, books and websites recommend all kinds of steps and formulas to become happier, but many are superficial, predisposed and unhelpful (telling me to smile even if I don’t feel like smiling is really not effective, I tried it). For almost every page written on the virtues of some method there exists another page refuting that method and praising another one. But, while there is no magical formula, some advice is sounder than others and empirical research helps us to separate the pretenders from the contenders.
Wealth
Everyone has heard the classic adage, “Money can’t buy you happiness,” yet many people believe they would be happier if only they had more money. Despite wishful thinking about the effect winning the lottery would have on your life, research has shown increased income does not significantly raise levels of happiness. According to happiness researchers Bruno Frey and Alois Stutzer, co-authors of Happiness and Economics, once we reach a threshold where we have sufficient income to take care of our basic needs, there is minimal correlation between wealth and life satisfaction. Once you’re out of poverty, having more money – even a lot more money – does not make you significantly happier.
Friends and social relationships
The importance and value of friendship cannot be undervalued and its strong connection with living a happy life is further corroborated by empirical research. Excellent social ties have been found to be an extremely reliable indication of happiness, as discovered by Ed Diener, alias “Dr Happiness.” In his study of very happy people, every single one of them maintained exceptional social relationships, proving that “it is man, who is essential to man’s happiness.”
Genetics and attitude
As it turns out, happiness does not rest entirely in our own hands. As Sonja Lyubomirsky, a prominent American happiness researcher, concludes in her book The How of Happiness, 50 per cent of a given human’s happiness level is genetically determined (yet another thing to thank our parents for) and 10 per cent is affected by external living conditions. However, the remaining 40 per cent can be influenced by the mind of a person. According to Lyubomirsky, focusing your mind on that remaining 40 per cent is the key to lasting happiness. She promotes the power of positive psychology: we should avoid negative thoughts, focus on the positives of our lives and be grateful and live by principles such as helpfulness and forgiveness.
Research also finds that happiness can be due to religion, accomplishment and meaning. While research is powerless when it comes to answering the age-old question of whether God exists, it has nonetheless revealed that religion can make people happier. Participation in religious services, spirituality and prayer has all been shown to contribute to happiness. To achieve happiness we also must be able to look back on our lives with a sense of accomplishment and pride: positive psychology encourages us to identify ambitions and develop strengths needed to achieve them. And, finally, meaning. Studies show that people who dedicate their time to something greater than themselves are happier than people who don’t. To feel the work you do is consistent with higher values strengthens wellbeing.
“Gaze into the abyss and the abyss will gaze back at you”
As I researched all that the Internet had to offer on the topic of happiness, with bloodshot eyes and drool pooling on my chin, I became increasingly aware of the unhealthy obsession I had begun to develop. What had started as an off-the-cuff answer to those asking about my post-university future had turned into a fanatical hunt for happiness. After reading that the conscious pursuit of happiness and nonstop evaluation of one’s happiness could actually prove to be detrimental to achieving lasting happiness, I took a step back from the computer and wiped the drool from my chin. The more we focus on chasing and catching lifelong happiness the more likely we are to be disappointed and unhappy. The pursuit of happiness may be the ultimate purpose of human life, but it’s also the biggest damn paradox I’ve ever heard of.