Happiness Enough Already Analysis

Words: 804
Pages: 4
Open Document
In the 21st century, happiness is seemingly a skill very few are lucky enough to possess. Everywhere one looks; there are grins from ear to ear: television commercials, ads on every website visited, or billboards on the highways. This ploy by marketers has become the norm in everyday society. To such a great degree that people become convinced something is wrong with them because of the pressure that society hangs over them to be happy. People feel that when they are struggling in life, or trying to get through a day that they are not “normal.” When in reality, this is not the case; happiness is not attainable, or even possible, 24 hours a day. It is more than customary to be extremely angry, afraid, or even depressed; in fact, it is natural …show more content…
The article,” Happiness: Enough Already,” by Sharon Begley, claims that depression is not a burden but an opportunity. True melancholy oozes originality. She confirms that “Abraham Lincoln was not hobbled by his dark moods bordering on depression, and Beethoven composed his later works in a melancholic funk. Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickinson and other artistic geniuses saw the world through a glass darkly” (456). Some of the world’s most iconic, innovative people created their best work in a state not of pleasure, but pain. In a state of deep sadness, the inner mechanism of one’s mind becomes evident. A person is forced to not only feel and think sorrowfully, but to find a coping outlet. Consequently, this creates masterpieces a happy individual could not typically …show more content…
Otherwise, how would people know when they are happy? How could they appreciate it and stay happy, if they squander their time deliberately endeavoring to achieve happiness? Sadness, anger, fear: these emotions shape character. Negative emotions improve the ability to be genuinely happy. Claudia Wallis, the author of the article featured in Time Magazine, “The New Science of Happiness,” provides many different professional’s perspectives on what they believe happiness actually is and measured by, throughout her article. Wallis describes an experiment by a researcher, David Lykken, who experimented with 4,000 sets of twins, born from 1936 through 1955. He compared the happiness data of identical and fraternal twins, coming to the conclusion that, “…50% of one’s satisfaction with life comes from genetic programming” (Wallis). This proves that despite what polls and questionnaires claim, the capability and overall sense of happiness, varies from person to person. Every individual is unique, from appearance and personality, to the chemical makeup of their bodies. As a result of this, people handle stress contrarily, have different opinions, and feel different levels of anxiety and depression (Wallis). Deducing that, happiness cannot be accurately
Show More

Related Documents: Happiness Enough Already Analysis

Analyzing Google S Censorship In China Essay

search engine, but this may not be the only reason. China has the greatest number of people and thus has the greatest number of possible searchers. They are also said to become an "internet gold mine" over the next decade, greatly increasing their already 100 million web visitors. Google would like to seize this opportunity as it would add to their ever-growing business structure. China's government requires that all search engines be censored within their jurisdiction including Baidu.com, a Beijing-based…

Words 2008 - Pages 9

Literary Analysis Of Everyday Use By Alice Walker

Literary Analysis on “Everyday Use” A daughter who uses her mother's gifts in contrast to a daughter who preserves them is far more valuable just like in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker because values can be preserved. From here on, Walker utilizes a confused tone which later shifts into an authoritative tone by illustrating a mother who defends her weakest daughter because of her eldest daughter’s opposing views. The confused tone began with Mama watched Dee come out of the “side of the car” with…

Words 682 - Pages 3

Business Ethics Paper

individual needs, which differ from person to person. However, most people have a few general desires in common that are necessary for happiness, such as finding love in life, getting married, raising a family with kids, having a good job and staying healthy. For many people this seems to be enough to strive for, and they do not seem to realize tat this can only bring happiness and satisfaction to a certain degree. A feeling of incompleteness is then oftentimes interpreted as a need for more money, a new…

Words 2309 - Pages 10

Happiness Research Paper

Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources. Various research groups, including positive psychology, endeavor to apply the scientific method to answer questions about what "happiness" is, and how it might be attained. It is of such fundamental importance to the human…

Words 2749 - Pages 11

Essay on Tma02 B120

Pg 2 Executive summary Pg 3 1.0 Problem analysis and solution 2.1 A description of the HRM-related work problem that I have encountered and why I think it relates well to my chosen study session. Pg 4 2.2 Analysis of my experience using my chosen concept. Pg 4 2.3 Proposed solutions to the problem. Pg…

Words 1391 - Pages 6

The Importance Of Hate Speech

However, this work can also be used in correlation with PS 391-002: Special Topics in Political Science: International Human Rights due to the fact that individuals have a human right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in competition with an individual’s right to free speech and freedom of assembly. Research Question In observing the information above, my research question would focus on whether or not an increase (decrease) in hate groups results in an increase…

Words 888 - Pages 4

Food Inflation Essay example

com/2012/11/06/chart-of-the-day-food-inflation/ > Summary The article “Why 2013 will be a year of crisis?” starts with the CNN prediction about serious global crisis the population might face in 2013. CNN declares that crisis is predictable, and in fact has already begun. The author says that summer’s extreme weather (as a main reason of upcoming food inflation), has affected not only US but other countries of the world too, such as Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. The worst drought in more than 50…

Words 1379 - Pages 6

Why The Tough Bosses Are Best Analysis

citizens in every nation of the world strive to achieve. The Dream is a life in which a family can not only survive, but can afford extravagances. In a changing world, these lavishes are becoming less important. This dream of money is no longer enough in today’s society. The American Dream has changed. It is no longer about buying luxuries, instead, it has changed to being able to travel the world, using your abilities and resources to help your fellow humans. If you never help anyone, who will…

Words 1557 - Pages 7

Essay on Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis on “Here’s Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense” In ‘Here’s Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense’, Alex Newhouse, a lawyer who resides in the area of Sunnyside, Washington addresses the controversial issue of the legalization of cannabis. The sole purpose of Newhouse’s article is to persuade readers and voters that marijuana should be legalized. Throughout his article, Newhouse focuses on the use of ethos and logos, while also slightly focusing on the use of pathos, to help persuade…

Words 1440 - Pages 6

R. M. Adams

1) What are motivational and structural vices, as Adams proposes them? R. M. Adams says, “Unfortunately, the nature of moral goodness can hardly be understood without some attention to the nature of moral badness” (Adams 36). That is why he considers it important to outline the main peculiarities of bad traits to juxtapose them to good ones and thus reveal the contrast between them. Virtues are good traits of character, and vices are bad ones. R.M. Adams offers a working definition of a vice as…

Words 4104 - Pages 17