What happiness is has been debated by philosophers for centuries and there is no one clear answer. Eduardo Porter, a columnist for The New York Times, tries to shed some light on the subject in his article “What Happiness Is.” He looks at different scientific studies that have been conducted on the topic and concludes that there are many factors that contribute to happiness.
Some of the things that have been found to contribute to happiness are having a sense of control over one’s life, feeling like you are part of a community, and having close relationships with others.
Porter also cites a study that found that people who live in societies with greater income inequality are less happy than those who live in societies with more equal distribution of wealth. This may be because people who live in more unequal societies feel like they have less control over their lives and are not as invested in their communities.
While there is no one clear answer to the question of what happiness is, it seems that there are many factors that contribute to it. Eduardo Porter’s article provides a helpful overview of some of the scientific research that has been conducted on the topic.
In “What Happiness Is” by Eduardo Porter, he provides specific information on the difficult term happiness. In a word, happiness is defined as the condition of being happy.
Although this sounds like a very basic and surface definition, Porter explains that it is much more difficult to achieve than one might think. What many people do not realize is that happiness does not come from acquiring material objects or reaching a certain level in life. Instead, true happiness comes from within oneself. It is a state of mind that one must work on achieving.
Porter begins by discussing the “hedonic treadmill” which is the idea that as humans, we are never truly satisfied with what we have. We are always striving for more and once we reach our goal, we set another one. This continuous cycle eventually leads to unhappiness because we are constantly chasing something that we will never fully catch. In order to be happy, we need to learn to be content with what we have.
The author then goes on to talk about how our culture is obsessed with happiness. We are constantly bombarded with ads and media telling us that we need the latest and greatest product in order to be happy. This is not true! We do not need material things to be happy, we only need ourselves. Porter talks about how studies have shown that once people reach a certain level of income, they do not become any happier. This indicates that money does not buy happiness.
So if money doesn’t buy happiness and acquiring material possessions isn’t the key to a joyful life, then what is? The answer is simple: relationships. Human beings are social creatures and we need to feel a sense of connection to others in order to be happy. This could be anything from a romantic relationship to friendships to even just having strong relationships with family members.
According to Porter’s findings on happiness, he says that psychologists and economists believe this: “Most psychologists and economists who study happiness agree that what they prefer to call “subjective well-beings” comprises three parts: satisfaction meant to capture how people judge their lives measured up against their aspirations; positive feelings like joy; and the absence of negative feelings like anger” (457).
In other words, happiness is a state of well-being that includes both positive and negative emotions.
Porter goes on to say that one’s level of happiness is determined by a number of factors, including genetics, health, social relationships, and work satisfaction. He cites a study that found that people who are born with a genetic disposition for happiness are about 25% more likely to report higher levels of satisfaction with their lives than those who are not. Other studies have shown that good health and strong social relationships are also important predictors of happiness.
Finally, Porter notes that work satisfaction is another important factor in determining happiness. He cites a study that found that people who are unemployed are twice as likely to be unhappy as those who are employed. This is likely due to a number of factors, including the loss of income and purpose that comes with unemployment.
Porter argues that happiness does exist and because of this, it gives people the strength to persevere through tough times such as: adversity, a recession, family problems, illness or even death. He claims that since happiness exists, individuals are able overcome these obstacles and have longer, healthier lives. Porter’s main focus is on understanding the meaning of happiness and its abstract views.
What happiness means to individuals and how important it is in their lives. Porter argues that happiness is essential for humans and provides many benefits. He states that happiness can help individuals overcome difficult times, improve their health, and even extend their life. While Porter does focus on the main issues and key abstract views of happiness, he also provides concrete examples of how happiness can positively impact our lives. This makes his argument even more compelling and helps readers understand the importance of happiness in our lives.
He talks about doing something excellent but with a negative aspect. An example might be as follows: A resource like energy is an illustration of this. Energy is a wonderful thing that everyone desires since it allows them to drive their cars, heat their homes, and run other necessities. Despite the fact that energy is environmentally beneficial in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, it also has harmful side effects on the environment.
So, it’s a emit something good but it also has this bad aspect to it. Eduardo Porter’s What Happiness Is discusses the idea that often times, things that make us happy can also have a negative downside. For example, he talks about how energy resources are something that everyone wants and needs, but they also come with carbon emissions and pollution. While we may be happy to have the energy, we also have to accept the negative effects that come with it. It’s important to be aware of both the positive and negative aspects of things in order to truly understand what happiness is.
In conclusion, happiness is a state of well-being that is determined by a number of factors, including genetics, health, social relationships, and work satisfaction. Those who are born with a genetic disposition for happiness, have good health, strong social relationships, and are employed are more likely to be happy than those who do not have these things.
