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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Happiness Hypothesis summary
Jonathan Haidt
Putting Ancient Wisdom and Philosophy to the Test of Modern Science
23 mins
Brief summary
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt explores ancient wisdom and modern science to uncover the secrets of happiness. It provides insights on how to live a fulfilling life by understanding our own minds and emotions.
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The Happiness Hypothesis
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Our mind is divided: or the human mind as a rational rider on a wild elephant.
Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to make New Year’s resolutions than it is to stick to them?
Why is that?
Because the mind isn’t a unit, but actually divided into two distinct parts. One metaphor for this divided mind is a wild elephant being ridden by a human who’s trying his best to control it. We can see this division at work in several ways:
First, we cannot fully control the body with conscious thought. For example, the human heart acts independently from the mind, as we cannot consciously control our heart rate. That’s because there is a second brain, called the “gut brain,” whose actions are autonomous and can’t be directed by rational decisions.
So, in terms of the above metaphor, our heart rate is determined by how quickly our inner elephant is running, not by the rational rider’s conscious decision making.
Second, and moreover, this division is reflected in the structure of the brain.
While older structures like the limbic system are in charge of basic instincts, such as sex and hunger, the newer neocortex controls reasoning and inhibition, which enables us to keep the desires and drives which stem from the older areas of the brain in check. The function of the neocortex can be seen most clearly in the behavior of people whose neocortex is damaged: if they’re hungry, they can’t put off eating; if they become aroused, they can’t stop themselves from sexually harassing people.
To control our basic drives, the rider uses language to plan ahead and advise the elephant, who is responsible for instincts and emotions. In reality, however, instead of using reason in our decision making, we usually allow our emotions to direct us – which means that the elephant of our metaphor, who acts more or less involuntary, tends to be more powerful than the rider.
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What is The Happiness Hypothesis about?
In The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt examines the ideas of famous ancient thinkers in light of modern knowledge and uses scientific findings to answer the question, “What makes a person happy?” The book will provide you with a better understanding of human social behavior and enable you to increase your own happiness.
Who should read The Happiness Hypothesis?
- Anyone looking for more happiness and meaning in his or her life
- Anyone interested in psychology and research on happiness
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