Module - Skills for Business Enquiry
Class or Article - Article
Lesson or Name - Stearns, Peter N. (2012) “The History of Happiness.” Harvard Business Review 90 (1/2) 104-109.
Additional Info - 104-109
Precis
The idealism of happiness that we see today has been the fabrication of society through a number of religious, cultural shifts combined with the advent of improvements such as home heating and external factors such as consumerism and marketing.
When reading this while it is a retrospect look in the rear view mirror it is a very compelling review of where we are today. The author has persuaded me to the opinion that the happiness factor we have today is a product of our own doing and as a result the negatives of this happiness continuum are a repercussion of our pursuit of perfection and happiness.
I feel now there needs to be a balancing of the scale to accept tht not everyone is on the upper spectrum of this paradigm and as a result we need to be conscious of those who are striving for it but are falling further in to the darkness overshadowed by others rise. Life is a delicate flower and we all need to nurture it, and equally as in the circle of our friends we need to nurture the bunch supporting them as their stems, being their gardener and removing their thorns. While happiness and seeking perfection are ok it is equally ok to coast or not feel ok but we should feel comfortable enough to tell one another and not be seen as an agony aunt for doing so.
Precis
Peter N. Stearns article, “The History of Happiness” (2012), presents that the western American culture of happiness has in terms been fabricated and become part of cultural changes over decades and centuries. Stern continues to persuade the reader and back up his perspective by observing changes in dentistry, social context, religion focus and political perspectives and consumerism and marketing which led the middle class to pursuit of happiness throughout their lives. The authors purpose is to demonstrate the gradual change in social and cultural influences in people’s lives that has in turn contributes and added to the ‘Happiness Factor’ in society, he further explores the positives and negatives of such a one-way development and raises concerns for people emotional states not living up to these new found expectations. Stern states ‘…a culture saturated with happiness makes it difficult for people to deal with sadness, in themselves and others.” showing that there needs to be room for sadness in this happiness saturated culture and to acknowledge that the focus on happiness makes it hard for people to deal with sadness, something which is evident in today’s society.
Reflection
The idealism of happiness that we see today has been the fabrication of society through a number of religious, cultural shifts combined with the advent of improvements such as home heating and external factors such as consumerism and marketing.
When reading this while it is a retrospect look in the rear view mirror it is a very compelling review of where we are today. The author has persuaded me to the opinion that the happiness factor we have today is a product of our own doing and as a result the negatives of this happiness continuum are a repercussion of our pursuit of perfection and happiness.
I feel now there needs to be a balancing of the scale to accept tht not everyone is on the upper spectrum of this paradigm and as a result we need to be conscious of those who are striving for it but are falling further in to the darkness overshadowed by others rise. Life is a delicate flower and we all need to nurture it, and equally as in the circle of our friends we need to nurture the bunch supporting them as their stems, being their gardener and removing their thorns. While happiness and seeking perfection are ok it is equally ok to coast or not feel ok but we should feel comfortable enough to tell one another and not be seen as an agony aunt for doing so.
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