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Can You Overdose on Happiness?

nautil.us

21–30 of 65 posts

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#21
post #4

I kind of skimmed the article, but it did remind me of another one I read about babies. Once a baby gets to the point they express emotions, they will look at their parents and fill with so much joy, their sub-conscious forces them to look away so they can calm down and don't hurt themselves.

Wow my kid does this. I attributed this as "bashful". And my wife says I do this too.

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#22
Interesting comment from the Nautilus comment section from user Zdenek Husak:

> What an incredibly flawed piece; sensational, unscientific and condescending to patients suffering from depression. All decorated with opinions of a very controversial scientist: http://alison-bass.blogspot.com/2011/05/helen-mayberg-case-s...

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#23

RANT: This is rationally the most interesting topic I've ever read. It's not subjective, this is clearly the currently known most effective way to maximize hapiness and maximizing happiness is the only rational policy: utilitarism. But there are so many obvious questions unanswered: I incrementing from one volt to another had significant mood alteration, why didn't the doctor improve granulairy,why didn't they tried…

If there is electrical current, can we make hats that measure EMF?

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#24
post #12
post #11

Happiness = Money + Children http://archive.is/LvxSN

yeah, not quite. children actually tend to make you less happy than your peers. at least until they’re old enough to largely fend for themselves. At least in western cultures. I suspect households with more than 2 adults the equation changes significantly. My experience is every child is a pleasure for 2 hours, no matter how badly they are misbehaving. So a household with enough adults to hand off the children may be…

Ancedotes... My baby has made me incredibly happy.

But also frustrated and tired.

But now that we hit 4 months, it's mostly happy and rarely tired and frustrated.

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#25
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah, not quite. children actually tend to make you less happy than your peers. at least until they’re old enough to largely fend for themselves. At least in western cultures. I suspect households with more than 2 adults the equation changes significantly. My experience is every child is a pleasure for 2 hours, no matter how badly they are misbehaving. So a household with enough adults to hand off the children may be…

Ancedotes... My baby has made me incredibly happy. But also frustrated and tired. But now that we hit 4 months, it's mostly happy and rarely tired and frustrated.

I'm not sure one can make much of a statement about how happy children make you after you've had one for four months...

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#26
Humans are awesome difference tellers, but once you have too much of the same thing you will be indifferent to it. As with happiness that could happen, there is a limit of sustaining higher highs. Unless that person can stop and notice around them and be grateful of what they have by noticing the suffering around. Something to that degree

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#27
post #22

Interesting comment from the Nautilus comment section from user Zdenek Husak: > What an incredibly flawed piece; sensational, unscientific and condescending to patients suffering from depression. All decorated with opinions of a very controversial scientist: http://alison-bass.blogspot.com/2011/05/helen-mayberg-case-s...

There is also a rebuttal to that blog post: http://daviddobbs.net/smoothpebbles/alison-bass-your-facts-o...

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#28

RANT: This is rationally the most interesting topic I've ever read. It's not subjective, this is clearly the currently known most effective way to maximize hapiness and maximizing happiness is the only rational policy: utilitarism. But there are so many obvious questions unanswered: I incrementing from one volt to another had significant mood alteration, why didn't the doctor improve granulairy,why didn't they tried…

If there is electrical current, can we make hats that measure EMF?

I didn't knew what is an Electromotive force and still doesn't really understand what you meant, can you ELI5?

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#29
post #26

Humans are awesome difference tellers, but once you have too much of the same thing you will be indifferent to it. As with happiness that could happen, there is a limit of sustaining higher highs. Unless that person can stop and notice around them and be grateful of what they have by noticing the suffering around. Something to that degree

So, if by some feat of governmental magic, my city were able to eliminate the homelessness problem, I might be less happy because I wouldn't see as much suffering around me?

Re: Can You Overdose on Happiness?

#30
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah, not quite. children actually tend to make you less happy than your peers. at least until they’re old enough to largely fend for themselves. At least in western cultures. I suspect households with more than 2 adults the equation changes significantly. My experience is every child is a pleasure for 2 hours, no matter how badly they are misbehaving. So a household with enough adults to hand off the children may be…

If happiness is living with 12 adults and a child, I’ll take hell every time.

Hey Arnold seemed alright
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