The Unmappable Nature of Happiness

 Given that Happiness is a feeling, is there truly a way to maintain or even obtain it? Studies have been done to determine overall factors of Happiness, but are they truly indicators or simply one perspective on the subject. Let us dive into the seemingly unmappable nature of Happiness and see what we find.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Do you think there is one approach to happiness that is more effective than others?

Is there a particular phrase from a book or podcast that resonates with you and your journey to happiness?

Do you often smile as a result of happiness or do you find yourself smiling out of societal expectation and nicety? 

I look forward to discussing this with you all after my presentation!

    People have tried to map Happiness from every angle. Whether it be spiritual, psychological, or even geographically, people are trying to determine where happiness stems from and how we can change or become happier, more content with the world around us, and there is this determination to find that secret niche, the almighty cheat code that will ultimately bring us happiness. To the Buddhists, it’s reflection gained via meditation and from that, we can forego our most trying desires and find happiness by foregoing our struggle. Of course, that begs the question, is happiness truly the absence of struggle? Is it the triumph of struggle? Some would argue that life is but its own struggles. You cannot exist without it, if you do, you’re dead or there is a factor being unaccounted for. 

    Nevertheless, we continue on this quest to map happiness. Geographically speaking, the U.S. is among the top twenty nations for happiness, of which the qualifiers are statistical: economic conditions, birth and death rates, hours worked, money made, and overall freedoms imbued. Does this mean we walk all around with smiles on our faces? God, I hope not, that’d be terrifying. Would we be smiling if we were #1? Let’s venture to Finland, the happiest place on earth, where we will find that smiling is a rarity shown only out of respect.  Isn’t smiling a sign of happiness? Certainly not, in fact, the US is considered an outlier in smile culture, and despite us being a very “smiley” culture, our society has a lot of issues and we are often told to smile through the hardship.

    Now, we’ve read previously that genetics and internal struggle aren’t necessarily an indicator of happiness. Yet, some really are affected by their internal issues, whether it be a genetic predisposition or situation-induced depression and anxiety. Happiness to those of us who struggle from these issues seems to be near perfection in that we can strive towards it, but never truly achieve it. One could also argue that those who float gracefully to happiness through simple means simply do not understand the mountainous terrain others must conquer to reach the same level. 

    In chapter 10 of “More than Happiness”, the author breaks down these ten meditation practices that “deal with acceptance, awareness, and attention: becoming more accepting of impermanence, more aware of ourselves, and more attentive to what we value in life”

     All of which are implemented to free your mind, to reevaluate your choices, and find contentedness, if not happiness from releasing yourself from the unnecessary struggle. Surely, this will help pave the way to achieving an internal oneness and perhaps happiness. 

    Thus, we reach the crossroads. Do we change our ideologies and nurtured minds to reach happiness? Do we travel to seemingly happier countries or become more grateful of our own? Do we simply refuse to submit to the predisposed turmoil of our minds? Is this how we finally achieve happiness? Is happiness this little thing we conjure? A second of butterflies, a rush of euphoria, or is it long-winded, ever-lasting once obtained in some variety? There are so many questions to be answered and no one path will answer them. 

    The end of our book discusses ideas to implement to become happy, a million podcasts discuss ways to be happy, Economists write complex studies on determining factors within countries and their economies and societies that could be affecting their happiness. 

All these different elements are coming together to try to explain this journey to happiness, yet none could possibly insist that obtaining or abstaining in any capacity will truly lead to happiness. It is for this reason, the existence of never-ending variables, that we are unable to truly map happiness. 

Possible Quiz Questions:

Why is it that happiness may be unmappable?

Is smiling an indicator of happiness?

What country is deemed the happiest country in the world?