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How does one measure happiness?


senchagreen

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So, my question for you all is how do we measure happiness? or simpler, how do we determine if we are happy or not in a given moment? It also could be helpful to think of what it means to be happy or what makes you happy. 

 

Any thoughts? My mind's getting jumbled thinking about this, and I'm not sure how to answer.

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Just Somebody

Happiness is a state of being,  it's when you feel realized or feel really excited and optimistic and driven .

 

 

Happiness is really subjective, let's say, for somebody who haven't felt happy in months, that feeling could be described as incredible or best.

Now for somebody who already felt happy repeatedly,  I guess conquering something that sounded impossible wouldn't as significant as in the before case.

You can't perceive happiness all the time.

 

 

 

Anyway,  think of emotions as flavors, wouldn't you get bored to eat the same taste for the rest of your life ?

 

 

That's why we need life to be salty, chilly,  sour, sugary,  sweet, bittersweet,  acid , void , etc at proportional aamounts.  life is about changing all the time, that's what make it interesting and chaotic ,  in opposition of death which is boring and Imutable and peaceful.

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200 micrograms of acid and as many magic mushrooms as I can swallow, half an album of Yes and a whole album of Agalloch, laying in bed with no where to be for the next 48 hours so plenty of time to sober up, a peanut butter cookie for the come down while listening to an hour of Alan Watts with my significant other. That's the happiness ideal I've got because I can't say I've ever felt so good outside that. 

 

.....Waking up groggy but still have to get out of bed for work, can't find something to wear and I'm having trouble getting my makeup on. I get in my car and it's low on gas, my mom already texted me about my car insurance. All day I feel tired and people are mean. I struggle thinking about food because I crave something greasy but I don't want to gain weight, I end up eating it anyway and feel disgusting. I'm eager to go to bed because that's when I can finally day dream about something other than my life. I fall asleep before I can think about anything and wake up to restart everything the same as before. I think about suicide. 

 

It's a scale between those two and the closer I am to the second the more often I say that I am "unhappy". Sometimes I feel closer to the other and I'd call that a "good day" only because I know it won't last, but at least I'm capable of it lol

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I would measure happiness by how little I feel the need to measure happiness

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14 minutes ago, gisiebob said:

I would measure happiness by how little I feel the need to measure happiness

That. If I have to ask myself whether I'm happy, I'm most likely not.

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Modern marketing techniques lead us to believe that happiness in in things. The right house or car or the perfect christmas. It's all nonsense, happiness is in the moment. It is a moment. People think to be happy, you have to be happy All the time. But like all emotions happiness is not something you can be constantly. Mostly, I am happy. But in any one day I will also be depressed, annoyed, angry, driven, engaged, distracted, peaceful, calm, pulling my hair out with arrrgghh. That's the nature of being human, the brain wanders, jumps and experiences so many things. I, personally, am at my happiest when I'm at my simplest; being with friends, enjoying a hot cuppa in the winter, lying on the grass plane watching in the summer, any time I really laugh. There are moments I can pick out in my life, of perfect, blissful happiness, I greatefull for having them. But for someone else happiness will be found in other ways, probably in ways which would make me miserable. 

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5 hours ago, gisiebob said:

I would measure happiness by how little I feel the need to measure happiness

Haha dang thats a good one! And a little depressing knowing that I have read books on the subject. But I find psychology and philosophy interesting, so I guess its different in my case.

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9 hours ago, Dreamer23 said:

How do we measure it? Well, according to the OECD and as well as most modern psychologists, by having people fill out a questionnaire! :P

http://www.oecd.org/statistics/oecd-guidelines-on-measuring-subjective-well-being-9789264191655-en.htm

Wow. Didn't notice they made a questionnaire.

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3 hours ago, Jade Cross said:

What I would question is why is that happiness has to be a goal in the sense that it seems that everyone nowadays just has to find it and does an array of things that will supposedly get them happiness. Happiness seems more of a race than anything else and only the victor seems to be able to earn the right to be happy. I dont get it.

It seems to be the case. When I posed this question, I was not intending to say that I want to be happy all the time. But philosophically, questions involving happiness are really interesting and can have some weird implications. Suppose someone brings up that happiness is the difference between good and bad experiences... Then that would mean people would be purposefully trying to harm themselves for the sake of their next good experience being really, really good as that would maximize the difference.

 

Also, how cool would it be if we could actually make a numerical meter.    I'm feeling .788264 today!! xD

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3 hours ago, Amber79 said:

Modern marketing techniques lead us to believe that happiness in in things. The right house or car or the perfect christmas. It's all nonsense, happiness is in the moment. It is a moment. People think to be happy, you have to be happy All the time. 

If happiness is in the moment and life is full of moments, aren't you trying to say that we are capable of being happy all the time though awareness of the present moment? aka mindfulness?

 

Also, things are typically limited, which is why we cannot search for things as a way of finding happiness. But what about knowledge? There is an infinite supply of knowledge in the world, so if one learns to become happy by feasting their curiosity, they're set for life, right? 

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22 hours ago, Lee314 said:

If happiness is in the moment and life is full of moments, aren't you trying to say that we are capable of being happy all the time though awareness of the present moment? aka mindfulness?

 

Also, things are typically limited, which is why we cannot search for things as a way of finding happiness. But what about knowledge? There is an infinite supply of knowledge in the world, so if one learns to become happy by feasting their curiosity, they're set for life, right? 

I teach Mindfulness, even by living in the moment and being mindful you can't be entirely happy all the time, the human brain just wasn't designed for that. By using mindfulness you can increase the amount of happiness you feel by allowing you to experience each moment more fully, but it can't keep us from experienceing other emotions, nor should it. Being human is about experiencing all of life, including the rubbish stuff. In fact, you can't entirely value the best moments in life fully, without experiencing the bad, and you don't learn anything from life that way either.

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Mindfullness is good but I agree that it can only take you so far. Happiness isn't always about being happy all the time. It's about acknowledging that sometimes life sucks and that's ok too. Those experiences add to the sum total of your life and you have to let them be real and carry weight.

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I have to agree with the subjective nature of happiness. There isn't a one size fits all level of happiness out there. What makes me happy, could more than likely make another highly miserable.

 

Also, the things many deemed would make them happy, could alternatively make them miserable. You're sort of force-fed what should make you happy in life, since birth. 

 

I.E Profuse volumes of money, marriage, and many of the other things that are socially perceived as the instant provider of happiness.

 

"But you looked so happy", is often what you'll end up hearing someone tell a person who's admitted their marriage was a miserable one. We're often taught to smile for the camera. This is an act we're told to put on since childhood.

 

I think for many unfortunately, its far more important for them to be perceived as happy, than to actually being happy. Long term however, this will be the loneliest version of happy you'll ever experience.

 

Happiness can't be measured. Its felt. You either have it within you, or don't.

 

To me, the little things in life feel the right size, when you're happy. Happy people tend to have very little time, for the little things others allow to bring them down. You don't second guess everything. You know you're living within your purpose, and your inner voice isn't deafening. You've given it the attention it needs, and aren't neglecting it.

 

Its a level of contentment. You're still capable of being happy at any given time. However, someone who is leading a happy life, tend to have a bit of the above in their overall philosophy. There are so many other things, but this is the common thing I tend to see from those who lead happy lives.

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On 1/28/2018 at 8:34 AM, Nevyn said:

Mindfullness is good but I agree that it can only take you so far. Happiness isn't always about being happy all the time. It's about acknowledging that sometimes life sucks and that's ok too. Those experiences add to the sum total of your life and you have to let them be real and carry weight.

Interesting observation, and I agree. For me, I'm rarely happy. And usually, it's over very small things like a free upgrade at Starbucks or getting a prime parking space. In other words, happiness for me is fleeting - and I'm okay with that. I much prefer to be content, which means I'm at peace and comfortable with whatever life throws my way. Some of my most horrific life experiences were required for me to learn how to move beyond what had become an insatiable and obsessive desire for pleasure, joy, and happiness. 

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Perissodactyla

Try to imagine the future device, the 'hapmet'... like a sort of 'thermometer' for measuring happiness.

 

Try to see how it is designed by visualizing.

 

How would You design it?

 

Would you Use  it?

 

 

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14 hours ago, Jade Cross said:

Yet the questions arises why dont we aim to change this? Social acceptance?

Would you take a dented can at a supermarket, or pristine looking one if the price was the same? Same reason why many want to maintain facades. Nobody wants to be that dented can in society. Same reason why most live in debt, just to hold appearances. Its social acceptance, and the human need to fit in.

 

Its easier to deny something is wrong, than to look in the mirror and admit you're going at it the wrong way. Main reason why change is so painfully slow at a social level. We're talking changing generations worth of social programming.

 

14 hours ago, Jade Cross said:

You'd just be faking it.

Correct, you're holding the illusion of being happy or successful (kind of like someone with a home they can't afford, and cars yet are bordering on bankruptcy). However, being perceived as happy and successful, will actually keep these people happy. Or at least convince them that they are. This is not logical, nor practical but so many do it.

 

14 hours ago, Jade Cross said:

The interesting and likewise contradictory part of this is that humans constantly praise or say they want happiness yet the very second you do something outside the percieved norm of happiness, its automatically shut down.

Its human nature as well. The crabs in a bucket mentality. Someone separates from the pack, and finds high levels of success or ambition--and the remainder will want to bring them down to their level. Keep them there. Finding your own you, or happiness takes a level of courage. Being different takes a level of courage. It means you're willing to take the world on, and be you.

 

Same can be said with high success, in many likely were surrounded by people calling them crazy for having such lofty goals, trying to bring them down from what they knew they could achieve.

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On 27/01/2018 at 3:29 PM, Lee314 said:

Also, how cool would it be if we could actually make a numerical meter.    I'm feeling .788264 today!! xD

We have one inbuilt. What's this with calling it subjective? Is that meant as an objection? Asking people how happy they are on a scale from 1 to 10 is done all the time. And people have an answer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Happiness_Report

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As a UK TV advertising series said 

 

"Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet" 

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10 hours ago, Jade Cross said:

If the contents of the can are unaffected, theres really no point in worrying about how the can looks as you're going to get rid of it once you empty its content.

In theory, your thought is noble. But we both know this is not how society operates. If it did--magazines like GQ, would go out of business. You will be judged by how that can looks on the outside. That can showcases your beauty externally, your wealth, social class or the like.

 

So while there is no logical point, to those who yearn to fit in--there is.

 

For the record, most would take the pristine can vs the dented one. Same reason a beautiful, tall and thin blonde will get a receptionist job before that short, obese and frumpy brunette. Identical skill set and experience. Vice versa for men.

 

11 hours ago, Jade Cross said:

Why should my happiness (or lack thereof) be anyones concern?

Well, if someone loves you--I'd like to hope they'd want you to be happy. Beyond this, I don't feel it should be of any concern to them how you're doing. However, just like someone flashing material gains to showcase their success--people will judge you on this as well.

 

Nobody wants to be around a negative Nancy, so yes--many will play along in the game of who's happiest and most successful to avoid being outcasts.

 

Part of it is human nature. We're all guilty of thin-slicing others (based on our experiences), and passing judgment. Its a survival mechanism.

 

Some more than others, but nobody is immune to it.

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On 1/27/2018 at 6:38 AM, Jade Cross said:

What I would question is why is that happiness has to be a goal in the sense that it seems that everyone nowadays just has to find it and does an array of things that will supposedly get them happiness. Happiness seems more of a race than anything else and only the victor seems to be able to earn the right to be happy. I dont get it.

AVEN's second-favorite author, Jordan Peterson, does a whole lot of talking about this on his YouTube channel and in his most recent book. He essentially boils it down to the fact that "happiness" is a crap life goal to have, because it's impossible to maintain, and in every moment we aren't happy we simultaneously feel like failures, which leads to a whole lot of other issues that also don't make us happy, and thus it propagates. 

 

If he defines a metric for happiness, I haven't gotten there quite yet. 

 

He's a really interesting guy (bad press aside), and I would highly recommend his book and his channel. 

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By how much of the fluid content in my veins consists of coffee.

 

On the serious note, personally how I measure happiness, I ask myself the question. Are you happy right now? I don't ask how happy. No point in trying to measure it out. Just whether or not I'm happy. Sometimes I land on a "yes," and that makes the day better. Sometimes I land on a "no," and realize that it's only temporary. Later on in the day, I'll have another moment where I can land on "yes." Realizing the moment that you're existing in lends it so much more gravity on both sides, rather than passing through both in unawareness like a dim fog.

 

 

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On 1/29/2018 at 10:21 PM, oval said:

Try to imagine the future device, the 'hapmet'... like a sort of 'thermometer' for measuring happiness.

 

Try to see how it is designed by visualizing.

 

How would You design it?

 

Would you Use  it?

I like to imagine a set of nixie tubes with 9 digits through measuring brainwaves or something. Some of that technology exists to measure brainwaves, but it can't quantify something like happiness, but that's beside the point. I'm not sure how I would design something like this, but I would certainly use it. Determining how happy one is in a measurable way can determine other things, such as how productive you may be in a given day or perhaps you could have a system that determine what video games or music you will like by measuring how happy other songs or games have made you. You may even be able to determine whether you love another individual before it becomes obvious to you by measuring your happiness before you go to meet with a certain individual.

 

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On 2/3/2018 at 5:46 PM, E is for E said:

By how much of the fluid content in my veins consists of coffee.

 

On the serious note, personally how I measure happiness, I ask myself the question. Are you happy right now? I don't ask how happy. No point in trying to measure it out. Just whether or not I'm happy. Sometimes I land on a "yes," and that makes the day better. Sometimes I land on a "no," and realize that it's only temporary. Later on in the day, I'll have another moment where I can land on "yes." Realizing the moment that you're existing in lends it so much more gravity on both sides, rather than passing through both in unawareness like a dim fog.

 

 

Haha I would measure my tea content.

 

That's a good point. I often find myself in the gray area between happiness and unhappiness  and simply saying "I am happy" can be enough to provide a weight to that side.

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