“Science discovers the keys to happiness” and the article was published on Sunday December 28, 2008 in one of the national newspapers. The article analyzes in depth the concept of happiness that we have the Western and contrasts with numerous studies performed by sociologists, psychologists and even economists. And the findings are very interesting. One is that altruism, ie the willingness to act on behalf of another, for others without expecting anything in return, provides greater satisfaction and, therefore, greater happiness than the hedonistic, selfish pleasure. More info: Sally Rooney. According to the article, a study in the journal Science has revealed that generates more happiness spend money on others than on oneself. At one point the article the author asks, “but then, if the money does not bring happiness and personal pleasure not, why society tends to focus on these factors? Is there a generalized blur? The cause could be a phenomenon Kahneman described illusory, Science and other publications, in 2006. “illusory phenomenon is to give too much importance to a single factor, such as income, leaving aside other factors, which leads, according to Kahneman, to take wrong decisions. This may explain why, being the most developed Western society, is also the most dissatisfied, with rates of depression, stress or anxiety highest in the entire planet.
We begin a new year and, as is tradition, we wish our family and friends, including known and unknown, a happy year 2009. But that’s what we’re really looking forward to? Are we projecting our idea that desire for happiness personal and particular, often wrong? In general it is associated to money, pleasure and cheerful and superficial enjoyment of life: good holiday romances, a comfortable life, if possible without work and without making the slightest effort. It seems that science puts discovered what the citizens of “developed world” we did not want to see: such a life is not going to bring more happiness, but rather greater dissatisfaction. So what can we do with our wishes for the new year? Perhaps we could start by reviewing our own desires and make them, even in light of what science is discovering: to think of others gives greater happiness than to think of yourself. This is not something new, and the most ancient sages have left us this legacy each in his way. For example, Jesus of Nazareth put it a new and wonderful, what has been called the golden rule: “Do unto others what you would not want done to yourself.” Or to put it another way: “Do you first what you want others do unto you.” How do you go to humanity if we implemented this golden rule? How we can do to us if we apply in our daily lives? One thing is clear, our happiness is directly proportional to the happiness of the other, the better they go to those around us the greater our personal happiness. So if you want to be happy, then gently let others happy.
