Sometimes I flaunt in the skins of an intellectual while all the while I’m just repeating the words and sentiment of my much smarter friends.
One of those much smarter friends, Tiff, brought to my attention this amazing article on what makes us happy. It’s worth the read. You may even be able to feign “intellectual” amongst your smarter friends.
In sharing, Tiff punctuated the article with a quote from the lead researcher, Dr. George Vaillant. He says, “Positive emotions make us more vulnerable than negative ones. One reason is that they’re future-oriented. Fear and sadness have immediate payoffs—protecting us from attack or attracting resources at times of distress. Gratitude and joy, over time, will yield better health and deeper connections—but in the short term actually put us at risk. That’s because, while negative emotions tend to be insulating, positive emotions expose us to the common elements of rejection and heartbreak.”
Thank you for sharing, Tiff.
kenn says:
“In 1991, when Rolling Stone interviewed Bob Dylan on the occasion of his 50th birthday, he gave a curious response when the interviewer asked him if he was happy. He fell silent for a few moments and stared at his hands. ‘You know,’ he said, ‘these are yuppie words, happiness and unhappiness. It’s not happiness or unhappiness, it’s either blessed or unblessed.'”
-quote from Switchfoot
kenn says:
Might I add that the title was inspired by a song by Switchfoot, one of my most favorite bands ever. Have a listen, if you like.
Lyrics follow…
—————-
Everyone dies
Everyone loves a fight
Nothing is sound
Nothing is right side right
Evening comes, when the sun goes down in red
Nothing is cool
When will all the fighting end
When will all the fighting end
Happy is a yuppie word
Nothing in the world could fail me now
It’s empty as an argument
I’m running down a life that won’t cash out (cash out)
Everything fails
Everything runs it’s course
A time and a place, for all of this loving war
Everyone buys, everyone’s gotta price, and nothing is new
When will all the failures rise
When will all the failures rise, rise!
Happy is a yuppie word
Nothing in the world could fail me now
It’s empty as an argument
I’m running down a life that won’t cash out
Happy is a yuppie word
Blessed is the man who’s lost it all
Happy is a yuppie word (word)
Looking for an orphanage
I’m looking for a bridge I can’t burn down
I don’t believe the emptiness
I’m looking for the kingdom coming down
Everything is meaningless
I want more than simple cash can buy
Happy is a yuppie word
Happy is a yuppie word
Happy is a yuppie word
Happy is a yuppie,
Nothing is sound
Nothing is sound
Nothing is sound
Nothing is sound
Nothing is sound
Nothing is sound
Nothing is sound
Happy is a yuppie word
Nothing in the world could fail me now
Happy is a yuppy word (word)
So calm down, yeah!
So calm down, yeah!
So calm down, yeah!
Max Reddick says:
Love that quote by Bob Dylan.
Switchfoot–I’ll have to investigate them further. I likes!
I seem to recall a passage from Freud’s “Civilization and Its Discontents” that is similar. I’ll paraphrase because I don’t remember the quote word for word. But Freud said something to the effect that if the very definition of madness is to be out of one’s mind, then being in love is the very first instance of madness. Because to be in love, you must necessary let down the barriers of the mind and let another in, while you in turn inhabit the space of their mind.
Seems apropos.