Stumbling On Happiness

A smart and funny book by a prominent Harvard psychologist, which uses groundbreaking research and (often hilarious) anecdotes to show us why we’re so lousy at predicting what will make us happy – and what we can do about it. Most of us spend our lives steering ourselves toward the best of all possible futures, only to find that tomorrow rarely turns out as we had expected. Why? As Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert explains, when people try to imagine what the future will hold, they make some basic and consistent mistakes. Just as memory plays tricks on us when we try to look backward in time, so does imagination play tricks when we try to look forward. Using cutting-edge research, much of it original, Gilbert shakes, cajoles, persuades, tricks and jokes us into accepting the fact that happiness is not really what or where we thought it was. Among the unexpected questions he poses: Why are conjoined twins no less happy than the general population? When you go out to eat, is it better to order your favourite dish every time, or to try something new? If Ingrid Bergman hadn’t gotten on the plane at the end of Casablanca, would she and Bogey have been better off? Smart, witty, accessible and laugh-out-loud funny, Stumbling on Happiness brilliantly describes all that science has to tell us about the uniquely human ability to envision the future, and how likely we are to enjoy it when we get there.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Bringing to life scientific research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics, this witty, accessible book reveals what scientists have discovered about the uniquely human ability to imagine the future, and about our capacity to predict how much we will like it when we get there. • Why are lovers quicker to forgive their partners for infidelity than for leaving dirty dishes in the sink? • Why will sighted people pay more to avoid going blind than blind people will pay to regain their sight? • Why do dining companions insist on ordering different meals instead of getting what they really want? • Why do pigeons seem to have such excellent aim; why can’t we remember one song while listening to another; and why does the line at the grocery store always slow down the moment we join it? In this brilliant book, renowned Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert describes the foibles of imagination and illusions of foresight that cause each of us to misconceive our tomorrows and misestimate our satisfactions. With penetrating insight and sparkling prose, Gilbert explains why we seem to know so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become.

Why are lovers quicker to forgive their partners for infidelity than for leaving dirty dishes in the sink? Why do patients remember long medical procedures as less painful than short ones? Why do home sellers demand prices they wouldn't dream of paying if they were home buyers? Why does the line at the grocery store always slow down when we join it? In this book, Harvard psychologist Gilbert describes the foibles of imagination and illusions of foresight that cause each of us to misconceive our tomorrows and misestimate our satisfactions. Using the latest research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics, Gilbert reveals what we have discovered about the uniquely human ability to imagine the future, our capacity to predict how much we will like it when we get there, and why we seem to know so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become.--From publisher description.

Summary of Stumbling on Happiness - explores the flaws of imagination and foresight illusions that drive each of us to misconstrue our future and overestimate our satisfactions. It explores why we seem to understand so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become, with wit and aplomb. It brings scientific research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics to life, revealing what scientists have discovered about the uniquely human ability to foresee the future, as well as our ability to forecast how much we will enjoy it when we reach it. Disclaimer: This is a summary of the book, not the original book, and contains opinions about the book. It is not affiliated in any way with the original author.

"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence" - Aristotle Happiness is a skill you can learn and practice the rest of your life. Whether you drive from happiness, pursuit happiness, or simply grow happiness right under your feet, you can draw from many sources to he...

"TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE HAPPIER --- BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT!" Everyone wants to live a beautiful and happy life and it is important to consciously manufacture those feelings to make life, relationships and even work more enjoyable. Usually we spend our life to find a little happiness -- but it is not so easy for everyone. In this book, you will have the ultimate guide to finding and creating real feelings of happiness in daily life. It is not easy to make a perfect balance of work and personal life because of busy schedules. When you want to improve your lifestyle, you will get help from the different chapters of this book. You will learn the following: The Importance Of Happiness In Life Finding The Reasons For Happiness In Life The Secret Of Happiness To Make Life Better Be Positive Find A Goal Follow Your Dreams Do Things You Love Be Ready For Changes Make Someone Else Happy Learn The Art Of Forgiving Start Helping Others Don't Depend On Others To Make You Happy Adding Charm To Your Personality Spreading Happiness In The Environment Enhancement Of Lifestyle Connecting With New People Taking Care Of Your Body Be Open To New Ideas Bounce Back Wake Up Early Be Comfortable In Your Own Skin Love Yourself Use Your Time Wisely Start Maintaining Your Health By Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone Living A Better And Beautiful Life Enjoy Nature Exercise Laugh And Smile More Improve Your Health Appreciate Others Give Time To Everything Learn How To Say No And Sorry Learn To Respect Everyone Emotional Improvements With Happiness Better Social Relations Identification Of Real Inner Strength Social Connections Know What You Love Listen What Others Say Good About You Meditation, Yoga And Exercise Make Your Home Beautiful With Positive Energy Cleanliness Fresh Air Light Fragrance Less Noise Surrounded With Trees Good Relations Better Workplace With A Smiling Face More Efficiency Making Friends Celebrating Small Winnings Professionalism Doesn't Mean Being Serious All Times Responding To Fun When It Happens Not Feeling Tired Don't Think What The Future Holds For You. A Perfect Balance Of Personal And Professional Life With Happiness Welcome happiness today and... DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK! tags: happiness advantage, happiness brain, stumbling on happiness, happiness time, happiness code, happiness hypothesis, happiness by design, happiness for introvert, happiness beyond thought, how to be happy without even trying, how to be happy dammit, ways to be happy, shortcut to happiness, shortcut.to.happiness, be happy now, happiness now robert holden, key to happiness, how to find happiness, how to be happy in school, unhappiness, true happiness, how to be happy and positive, how to be happy with husband, happiness is an inside job, track your happiness, how to be happy after divorce, how to be happy after a breakup, happiness industry, happiness meditation, be happy at work, how to be happy in life, how to be happy married, science of happiness, happiness ferguson, happiness by ferguson, how to be happy or at least less sad, happiness you, how to be happy pdf, how to be happy book, how to be happy with life, how to be happy in a bad marriage, the art of happiness, happiness is a habit, be happy without being perfect, how to be happy and live life to the fullest

This book presents J. M. Coetzee's work as a complex, nuanced counterblast to contemporary, global, neoliberal economics and its societies. Not surprisingly, given his many years in South Africa and Australia, Coetzee writes from a `global-Southern' perspective. Drawing on a wealth of literature, philosophy, and theory, the book reads Coetzee's writings as a discreet, oblique but devastating engagement with neoliberal presumptions. It identifies and focuses on various key features of neoliberal culture: its obsession with self-enrichment, mastery, growth; its belief in plenitude, endless resources; its hubris and obsession with (self)-promotion; its desire for ease and easiness, `well-being', euphoria; its fetishization of managerial reason and the culture of security; its unrelenting positivity, its belief in illusory goods and trivial progressivisms. By contrast, Coetzee's writings explore the virtues of irony and self-reduction. He commits himself to difficulty, discomfort, patient and austere, if bleak, inquiry, rigorous questioning, and radical doubt. Destitution and failure come to look like a serious, dignified form of life and thought. The very tones of Coetzee's books run counter to those of our neoliberal democracies. They point in a different direction to an age that has gone astray.

This book provides a comprehensive treatment of how happiness and wellbeing are measured. It presents an accessible summary of the philosophy, methodology, and applicability of the various measurement techniques that have been generated by the leaders of the happiness movement. It traces the history of development of the core ideas, and clarifies the unexpectedly wide range of techniques that are used. The book provides an unbiased assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and differentiates the contributions that have been made by psychologists, economists, environmentalists, and health scientists. It examines applications at a personal scale, in the workplace, at a societal scale, and on the world stage. It does so in an easy-to-read anecdotal writing style that will appeal to a wide range of academic and lay readers who enjoy popularized non-fiction that address matters of social concern.