The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth In Ancient WisdomJonathan Haidt (Basic Books, New York, Dec 1, 2006)Reviewed by admin Mon 24 Nov 08 Bob's Rating: I liked the Happiness Hypothesis yet I found it difficult to critique. Why? Well, it’s probably not the type of book I usually read. In fact it sat on my coffee table for over a month before I got started. When I did, I found it fascinating. Jonathan Haidt is a Professor of Psychology. I would love to be one of his Psych 101 students. He tells a good story with lots of examples and presents most, if not all, of the “breakthrough” research in social psychology over the last 50 years. What’s interesting about the Happiness Hypothesis is that Haidt relates much of what he has researched to many of the early Greek and Roman philosophers, and early religious leaders such as Buddha. If you’re not into philosophy, don’t be put off by this as he also shows how we use (or potentially can use) many of these findings in our day to day living. I was particularly taken by Haidt’s account of how language (in people) developed and how it can affect our thinking. For example, if you want to know how to avoid pesky salespeople, then there are some very good hints on the language they use to get you in. The Happiness Hypothesis is a story of discovery – a story of Haidt’s discovery of what makes us happy or unhappy. As such, I think it should be a “must read” for everyone. Unfortunately, some readers, despite Haidt’s passion for story telling and despite the interesting and often captivating content, will tire of it. The sentences and paragraphs are long. For those of you who are always asking “Why?”, this will be compelling reading. For those who like to see the big picture or get to the core of the topic quickly, I’d still recommend it – just focus on those chapters of particular interest and certainly the “Conclusion On Balance”. I wish I’d had a text like this when I did Psych 101. |
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