Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Are you "happy"? Changing the meaning of...

Wisdom Quarterly; Cassie Mogilner, Wharton Business School, U Penn; SPPS Journal
(ExplosmEntertainment, "Cyanide and Happiness") At any age, happiness is a good friend. Live well because getting older has been known to make some people grumpy.

Meaning of "happiness" changes as we get older
Times of India; Social Psychological and Personality Science Journal
The definition of "happiness" changes with age.

Whereas for youth it is "excitement" that counts, as we mature "contentment" matters more, study reveals.

According to the scientists, for young people, 60 per cent of happiness is about excitement.

On the other hand, as a person gets older, s/he associates 80 percent of happiness with contentment.

Researcher Professor Cassie Mogilner of U Penn conducted five studies involving different groups of people -- teens, people in their 20s, and others in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

"We are talking about two distinct types of happiness -- one associated with peacefulness and one associated with being excited,"
Mogilner was quoted in the Daily Mail.

"Whereas younger people are more likely to associate happiness with excitement, as they get older, they become more likely to associate happiness with peacefulness."

The difference apparently comes from the varying degrees of importance placed on the future compared to the present. Younger people, usually more interested in... More

The Way to Happiness
The best source of lasting happiness was suggested by the Buddha: Ananda had deduced that noble friendship (kalyana mittata) was 50% of the path to enlightenment. The Buddha disagreed and famously pointed out that the real number was 100%. For it is a good friend, not Lamebook "friends," that model the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path and inspire one in the direction of realizing the goal in this very life. (See Upaddha Sutra, SN 45).

"Far away across the field, the tolling of the iron bell calls the faithful to their knees to hear the softly spoken magic spells" ("Breathe," Pink Floyd). Somehow finding happiness is simpler in ancient traditions (Dnl75/Flickr.com).

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