In the article “The Futile Pursuit Of Happiness” by Jon Gertner, psychologist, Dan Gilbert, expresses his ideas on happiness and how people tend to predict how we will feel about certain experiences in the future. One thing I found most interesting was what he and Tim Wilson called “the impact bias”. The impact bias is when we predict how we will feel about certain things in the future and the how we end up feeling when they actually happen.
A lot of people think that they will find true happiness in material things, or just things that they long for in the moment. They believe not only will it make them happy in the moment, but also that it will bring them a long term positive feeling. In all reality, we fail to realize that things do not always turn out the way we expect them to. Something we worked so hard for, or that we felt brought us great joy, will not always provide us with the same feeling. As it states in the article, we learn to adapt to these things, so in the long run they didn’t make us as happy as we assumed they would.
I agree with the idea of the impact bias because in my experience as a teenager, I believed that there were so many things that I could have had that would make me happy. I wasn’t able to have everything I wanted, so I had to deal with the thought of not being happy. At the moment of not being able to get what I wanted, I was upset and felt I would be that way for a long time, when in turn I just accepted that I couldn’t get it and moved on. Later on, after graduating high school, I got my first job and I was then able to do things for myself and I didn’t have to ask anybody for anything. The first couple of months, I bought things I felt I needed to make me happy. I felt since I wasn’t able to have them then, I could have them now. What I realized is that these things didn’t really make me any more happier. I was happy when I got them but after a while, I didn’t have the same feeling of excitement that I did when I first got them. I, then, learned not to look for happiness in those areas. I know now where my true happiness lies, and it is far from what I used to believe.
I agree with you totally on this because me being a teenager as well also still feel like there are materialistic things that will make me happy but in reality if you look at it in the long run it will just be happiness for the time being not for eternal life and that is something that we need to focus on more important things rather than those small things that we love so much. I like your thinking and i feel like you have a very good grammar and spelling and im glad that you are noticing what is trully making you happy because that is extremely important. :)
ReplyDeleteI think that it is part of youth to focus on material things as a source of happiness. Young people have no "frame of reference". However as you grow and see the world, and experience life, yoiu learn other values. Well written!
ReplyDeleteHey, I really liked how you started the blog, with the name of the article. Also, you have a good begining and middle, but ending I was struggling with it a little bit. You really tied things together and the flow of your blog was good. Also how you explained certain things from the article, like the "impact bias" and using examples. The ending however, about your experience could be more clear. I think that you can use more specific details regarding the things that you want, whether it's an Ipod, or getting your hair done. I liked the blog though. :]
ReplyDeleteHey Mari:)
ReplyDeleteI shared the same thoughts with you when analyzing impact bias. Before this class, I thought happiness was something to be found,like in materialistic items or through love. After reading "The futile pursuit of happiness" article,It really changed the way I view things in life.I like that I can create my own happiness and when unexpecting things happen, I'll know that I will get over it and be okay.It brings peace into my mind.What I would say is fix some of your grammar,but i liked reading it.
I like that you chose to analyze the material side of the impact bias. Your definition of impact bias could use a "tune up" - the intro, otherwise is great. You seem to understand how the impact bias has affected your life - but your explanation lacks details. What did you want? What did you buy? etc. These details can really bring something like this to life!!! Good start.
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