Tom Whipple at The Times writes about happiness. Here’s the summary of his advice…
1 Whatever you do, don’t try to be happy
Happiness is a bit like an erection. You can only get it when you are thinking about something else. Helping others only boosts happiness if you are not in it for yourself. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, said: “Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.”
2 A story or an experience?
A man listened to a symphony in a state of bliss. As it approached the climax, a scratch on the disc produced a horrible sound. “It ruined the whole experience.” We love stories with happy endings. This has big implications for happiness. Take parenting.
3 Fast cars are overrated
Rich nations are no happier, on average, than poor ones (once basic needs are met. Contentment increases in line with pay until a threshold of £58,700, then levels off.
4 Don’t live under a flight path
Noise pollution is a catastrophe for happiness. In ruins our emotional equilibrium and creates nasty physiological effects, such as elevated cortisone
5 Would you enter the Matrix?
Would you plug yourself in? Most people say “no” prefering a real life, even one that is less happy, provided it was authentic. We should decide on what we really believe before living our lives, not the other way around.
