Kaley Jorgensen's AP Lit Comp Blog: Big Question

Big Question Intro + more..

When asked what their objective in life is, most people would organize their ideas around the desire to be happy. Happiness, being such a broad term, often has many various meanings to people with different values. I intend to touch on the real meaning of the word happiness; is it something that can be obtained overtime, or is it within all along? Digging deeper into the roots of this heavy question will help me produce an answer that is satisfying. My goal is to find out what really makes people happy, whether that is emotion based, or tangible items. I will organize this study by questioning a group of people about what brings happiness to them. This is how I can uncover what makes people content. I will also conduct an experiment where I ask people that question while they are experiencing a form of stress, to see if it affects their answer.

To being with this big question, I needed to do some research on what happiness really is to people. According to “The Science of Hapiness”, happiness is “understandable, obtainable, and teachable.” Everywhere we go, whether that’s a bookstore, internet, or media, there are thousands of remedies that supposedly “cure human misery.” The Science of Hapiness suggests that the scientific method should be used in determining people’s happiness. Simply put, happiness is largely affected by the way people think and behave.

In this economy, people are struggling to put food on they table for their family and it affects the household. People are on edge because of work issues, and it can take a tole on their happiness. However, there are families out there that are struggling money wise, but they remain happy. Why is this? Is the happiness inside of them or do materialistic things bring this to them? The problem with this question is that some people do not want to admit what really brings them happiness. Some are so focused on the money and tangible objects, that they forget about what really matters in life.

We often hear people say money cannot buy happiness. It sounds a little cliche, but scientists are proving that statement true. According to the “Science of Happiness”, there are 6 areas of consensus that affect one’s ability to be happy.

The first detail is Relationships. People with many friends and close friendships are usually the happiest. Whether it’s one friend, or ten, having those special bonds are crucial to being happy. Having people to share your feelings and interests with can greatly impact self esteem, which builds happiness. Studies show that people are the least happy when they are alone. And another study showed that people who are willing to cooperate and engage with others, are particularly happy in what they are doing.

Next is Caring. People who volunteer and give back to the community feel a sense of importance because they have the satisfaction that they care for others and can change lives. This is where the “money can’t buy happiness” comes in. People who help others are usually not being paid for it, especially if they are random acts of kindness. This is a major key in defining happiness. “The majority of studies agree that there is a very significant association between volunteering and psychological well-being.” As people grow and mature, caring becomes a bigger part of their lives because they see the reward in it that younger people might not catch on to.

Have you ever noticed that you feel great after a nice long run or exercise? RegularExercise has been proven to significantly relieve stress and boost mental confidence. It not only brings happiness, but relieves depression. The Cochrane Review (the mose influential medical review in its kind) has conducted 23 studies on exercise an how it affects depression. This study was shown to have a “large clinical impact” and reduce depression. Exercise causes the brain to release a good amount of dopamine, which are organic chemicals that basically make you feel good.

A Flow is a joyful state where you feel deeply involved in a certain activity or goal. One way of being happy, according to scientists, is to engage in challenging activities that require certain skills. For example, chess is a good way to applying a “flow”. When you feel so consumed by what you’re doing that you forget what time it is, you are in a flow. When you are so absorbed in an activity that you forget all around you, this is a state of Flow. CSIKSENTMIHAYLI’S RESEARCH concludes that people get more happiness out of creating something than they do with the overall finished product. For example, people might be more content rebuilding a new car, then they are when it is all finished. This state of Flow brings people out of the box and into a world where they are consumed in happiness.

Many people have rituals or “Spiritual Engagement” that has a close relation to happiness. This can be faith, social support, community service, friendship commitment, etc. How often do you hear someone say that they committed to a religion or spiritual practice primarily to become happier? Many people choose this route because it gives them something to latch onto that can give them comfort. Church groups and other organizations gives people a sense of belongingness that brings a sense of happiness.

“Strengths and Virtues” are the next key insights into becoming a happier person. People who feel like they have a purpose in life are feeling good about themselves because they achieve goals that bring them confidence. Studies by experts in the Positive Psychology illustrate that “the happiest people are those that have discovered their unique strengths (such as persistence and critical thinking) and virtues (such as humanity or justice) and use those strengths and virtues for a purpose that is greater than their own personal goals.”’

The final tool into becoming happier is “Positive Thinking”. This is probably the most important step because without the right mindset, nothing will ever be achieved. Optimism and gratitude play a big role in the road to happiness. People who are grateful for what they have show a positive emotion that is reflected onto people around them. In return this gives the individual more friends, which leads to more happiness. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” With a change of mind comes a change of heart, and therefore can lead to a happier and more productive life.

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The Big Question: Abstract

When asked what their objective in life is, most people would organize their ideas around the desire to be happy. Happiness, being such a broad term, often has many various meanings to people with different values. I intend to touch on the real meaning of the word happiness; is it something that can be obtained overtime, or is it within all along? Digging deeper into the roots of this heavy question will help me produce an answer that is satisfying. My goal is to find out what really makes people happy, whether that is emotion based, or tangible items. I will organize this study by questioning a group of people about what brings happiness to them. This is how I can uncover what makes people content. I will also conduct an experiment where I ask people that question while they are experiencing a form of stress, to see if it affects their answer.

Please leave any helpful comments or criticisms.
Thanks!

My Big Question - Beginning Research

I found an interesting article that deals with my big question:
What is happiness? Is it something that is achieved or is it inside all along?

If this helps other people, please feel free to read. This could be a strong foundation to start off with for many of the Big Questions.

Dr. Ellen Kenner
http://www.drkenner.com/what_is_happiness.htm

Happiness
    Happiness is an emotion. So is sadness, love, hate, curiosity, revulsion, excitement, jealousy, contentment, depression, anxiety, fear, guilt and anger. All emotions have causes, causes which can be understood and controlled.
    The emotion of happiness is not caused simply by entertaining your whims. (Whims are an obstacle to happiness.) Happiness is not merely a life lived by accumulating moments of pleasure. On the contrary, happiness is a long lasting enduring enjoyment of life, it is being in love with living. It is your reward for achieving a good character and personal rational values in life. Some important values are a productive career, romance,friendship and hobbies.
    Achieving these values requires rationality and takes effort and skill. Two types of skills you can use are thinking skills and valuing skills.
    Once you learn to have confidence in your own mind and once you discover the virtuesthat make it possible for you to achieve your values and that make your life worth living, then you will experience the result - an earned pride and a genuine self-esteem. And of course happiness.

The following is posted by Donald Latumahina:

What is happiness?

a state of well-being and contentment
a pleasurable or satisfying experience

Happiness is something everyone wants to have. You may be successful and have a lot of money, but without happiness it will be meaningless.

All in all, I would say that happiness is a decision. Your happiness is your decision to make. All the quotes above require actions on our part and actions require decisions.