Are Humans Built to Be Happy?
These days, the concept of happiness seems ever-present on our minds.
We reflect on the things that give us joy and how to incorporate more of it into our lives. We talk about how to deal with mental disorders and depression. We battle isolation, criticism, and negativity on a regular basis.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 4 percent of the world’s population suffers from depression. Global economic losses amount to over $1 trillion a year due to decreased productivity. When people become fatigued or stressed, they find it hard to resolve problems at work and in the home.
If we’re so obsessed with happiness, why are we so unhappy?
Our Obsession with Happiness
Ironically, our happy-oriented culture could be the source of our unhappiness.
In one study, three groups of participants were asked to solve a set of problems. One group was led to the “happy room”, which was filled with books on happiness, motivation, and photos of people vacationing. Here, they were asked to solve a set of impossible tasks.
The second group was also asked to complete the same set of tasks, but in the neutral room, which contained no happiness books and posters. The third group was asked to complete a set of tasks in the happy…
