English III TN Core Writing Assessment Writing Prompt #2 Analysis of “The Futile Pursuit of Happiness” By Jon Gernter And “The Science of Happiness” By Michael Mendelsohn The “Pursuit of Happiness” is a right that is given to all citizens of the United States of America in the Declaration of Independence. However, I am not sure the attempt to become happier than we are at this present moment is always an easy task much less even possible at times unless we work for it. The Futile Pursuit of Happiness, written by Jon Gernter, focuses on affective forecasting. This idea suggests that people demonstrate poor judgment in predicting future emotional states when it comes to their well-being. How can anyone foresee what will make them happy or unhappy or how they will react or feel about it when it actually does happen?
Happiness Paper University of Phoenix PSY/225 Kimberly Kinsey Happiness Paper What is happiness? Some would say it is being in a state of joy, having contentment or maybe even partaking in something that is pleasurable. Happiness can mean many different things to many different people. The state of happiness is subjective to the individual person experiencing the emotion that contributes to their well-being. What does happiness achieve?
People encounter different situations in their lives; however, they do have one similarity. No matter what type of situation it is, it is necessary that we know what we are doing and that we make the right choice. In many cases, people tend to have fun at the moment and not consider the consequences, which often cause them to regret after realizing what they have done. This is quite common among people because there is this part in human minds called Id tat tends to seek for pleasure. However, there is also another part called Ego that works contrary to what the Id does.
Some rhetorical devices Jefferson uses are so subtle that the average reader does not recognize them as obvious forms of rhetoric. The audience is only left with the powerful message that he intended to convey. Alliteration, one of the simplest devices he uses is fairly subtle yet effective in creating mood or tone through out the Declaration. In breaking down the phrase “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” the words “Life” and “Liberty” sort of roll off the tongue together. This could be applied to make a point that life and liberty are one in the same; that with life comes a given freedom, and the right to pursue ones own happiness is branched under that freedom.
We may also be negatively reinforced by an individual helping us in our ‘time of need’. Both are said to increase our liking. We also find people rewarding through association. For example, if we met someone when we are in a pleasant mood we may
Happiness Essay Happiness cannot be uniformly defined by everyone, mainly due to how everyone has had different life experiences, and it is these experiences upon which they grow upon with and reflect their everyday actions on. Many find happiness in monetary possessions or in just having money, which can have a negative impact on their life styles because they will always attempt to get money and with whatever matters necessary. Other find happiness in the small things in life, but it all depends on our mentality we have on life. Some have been through hell and others have lived the life of glory, and yet they can end up striving for the same goal in life, and a great example would be college students. College students mentally and physically
Since the true path to happiness, according to Epictetus, is the attainment of virtue, we can all become happier by improving ourselves, whether morally or intellectually. Furthermore, Epictetus' philosophy of happiness would lead us to live less stressful lives if we came to worry about only that which we can control. Still, while I admire Epictetus and his philosophy, I do not believe that most of us could be happy purely through the attainment of virtue. I believe that social support and some level of material possessions are necessary for happiness; we cannot forever strive only for virtue. I do, however, believe that Epictetus had a strong point when he asserted that we should only, rationally-speaking, worry about what we can change -- what good is there in worrying about things we cannot
However in my country we don’t have Thanksgiving Day at all! Last week I went to this event with my friend to his own house, to his family. The first thing that I admit was atmosphere. It was an amazing friendly and peaceful in his house. Even I was just a stranger, everyone was friendly with me, and they were asking a lot of things about me, my country and such kind of things.
However, how they are interpreting these studies and acting upon them raises some doubts in the way these studies are conducted. Referring to the questions asked in the survey, there is one noticeable and resounding similarity between them—they all revolve around that of the individual. For example, they all aim at one’s individual happiness, as opposed to the overall well being of a community. Taking a look at the Chinese, a culture that emphasizes the happiness of the group over the individual, happiness is defined not as your own personal achievements and accomplishments, but rather “the inner well being and contentment, as well as the feeling of harmony with the external world. It is also trust, safety, and stability” (Lo 2).
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UTILITARIANISM AND CONSEQUENTIALISM Utilitarianism and consequentialism are closely related but they are not the same. These two views have different approaches. Utilitarianism is a theory that evaluates happiness, welfare and well being. It states that everyone want to be happy and avoid any possible pain to the highest percentage of people. It focuses on what the goals are and how they can be achieved.