The Three Keys to Happiness

Frustration, dissatisfaction, depression -- these days, it seems they are the plagues of my generation, nay the plagues of society. Why when I complain of unhappiness, do my friends more often echo of my own sentiments than offer words of comfort? I don't blame people for their melancholy, and the fact that it is so pervasive only underscores the likelihood that our unhappiness is not entirely our fault. But that doesn't mean we can't do something about it.

Psychologists often explore the effects of systems that impact people's values, priorities, and goals -- such as religion, tradition, and personal habits. But one thing that psychologists rarely study is the impact of economic systems on mental health. Since I often find myself trying to dissect the psychological effects of all the systems in which I live, I find this lack of research particularly unsettling. However, I recently discovered and read a great article by a team of psychologists that analyzes the ways the human psyche is affected by capitalism -- or more specifically, American corporate capitalism (ACC).

To make a long story short, the team found that the world's most pervasive economic system requires that people place value on wealth and possessions (no big surprise there). The more interesting part is this:

...concern for wealth and possessions conflicts with working “to improve the world through activism or generativity,” having “satisfying relationships with family and friends,” and feeling “competent and autonomous.”... [E]mpirical research, conducted with different methodologies, from different theoretical perspectives, and with thousands of individuals from dozens of nations around the world, leads to a provocative conclusion: The values and goals most closely expressive of ACC’s ideology and institutions are also those that oppose and potentially undermine people’s concern for: a) promoting the welfare of others in the broader community; b) developing a sense of connection and closeness to other humans; and c) choosing paths in life that help them to feel worthy and autonomous. [Kasser, et al. (2007) "Some Costs of American Corporate Capitalism, Psychological Inquiry, Vol. 18, No. 1, 1–22.]

The authors argue that beyond the need for basics like food and shelter, human happiness depends on three major things: feeling useful, having close relationships with other people, and feeling capable and independent. Capitalism rewards working in one's self-interest; it generally does not reward promoting the welfare of the wider community. And self-interested goals often have more to do with wealth and possessions than strong personal relationships. What's more, capitalism often requires that people sell their skills (labor) by performing mundane, repetitive, or simply uninteresting tasks that undermine the sense of being useful and independent. In other words, our economic system is inherently at odds with our happiness.

So what to do about it? Capitalism is far from perfect, but it is an entrenched system that has many advantages. I don't know how to cure what ails our society, and neither do the authors of the article I read this week. But I do think that if we take a close look at the problems with our economic system, we can make conscientious decisions that improve our own odds of shaking the frustration, dissatisfaction, and depression that are far too common among us. We don't have to become communists, we just have to be more aware of the importance of:

a) promoting the welfare of others in the broader community
b) developing a sense of connection and closeness to other humans
c) choosing paths in life that help us to feel worthy and autonomous.

In fact, I feel better already. It's not hard to do those three things -- the hard part is recognizing how often we need to think about them. These principles should be our guidelines for decision-making. Review a decision you recently made. What principles guided your choice? Are you confident with the path you've chosen? If not, maybe you've forgotten how important it is to be kind, have friends, and do what you want to do. When it comes to being happy, maybe that's all there is to it.

Summer Time (And The Livin's Easy)

Life in Vancouver has certainly not gotten off to any kind of modest start. Besides the epic road trip which marked the beginning of my transition to life here, the first week in BC was incredibly eventful. For starters, my road trip companion was around for the first two days. She had that "see it all while I can" attitude that only visitors can really maintain. We hiked in Stanley Park, tried various restaurants, befriended bartenders, checked out the art museum, saw the zombie parade, went shopping, and explored some of the funkier parts of town. Then she left, and I dissolved into a pool of my own conflicting emotions: excitement, apprehension, ambition, fear, happiness, loneliness...

After only a day or two of wallowing in that strange space between visitor and local, I got back on my feet and resumed the project of exploring this town. I made some friends, ran errands, demystified the public transportation system, and stopped carrying my guidebook and map with me every time I left the house. I climbed onto my bike and charged up the 15 block hill towards downtown, intent on exploring the massive campus at the University of British Columbia, which has more preserved green space than Stanley Park. My ambitious plan was thwarted after more than 100 blocks, though, when an oblivious driver opened her car door directly into my handlebars. My bike went flying, and so did I. Amazingly, I have only some nasty bruises and a sore hand to show for it. (Yes, I was wearing my helmet.) My bike is even undamaged. But my temporary hosts convinced me to contact the insurance company of British Columbia, as reporting all accidents involving autos is mandatory. I feared the driver, who not only tried to blame the incident on me but also gave me the finger as she stormed away, would try to file a claim against me for damage to her car door. To protect myself, I made a statement with the insurance company first.

I didn't expect anything to come of it, I just wanted my story to be on record. But protocol led me to an appointment with a claims adjuster, who took my story and listened to my tale attentively. He encouraged me to request reimbursement for my costs. The bandage for my hand cost $5, and he said he'd reimburse me for that. I laughed, but he was serious. Never has an insurance company so begged me to ask them for money. At one point during the meeting he even said, "Well, you've got a great attitude about this, and I like to give presents to people with good attitudes." I am not sure what he was insinuating with that remark, but I hope it means I'll be somehow compensated for my inconvenience even though I haven't filed a claim. I'm sure he's just trying to keep me from going to court, since that would cost the insurance company way more than a little settlement, but I have no intentions of filing a claim, let alone suing. I suppose the gods are smiling down on me.

Hopefully, the good vibes that have characterized my first week and a half here will continue to set the flow for the coming weeks. I move into my apartment this weekend, and school starts a few days after. The pace of life will certainly be changing, but hopefully not too much else. Well, I guess I could hope for a little better weather. It's been unseasonably cool for the past few days: a welcome change when compared to D.C.'s 90-something and humid summer, but still a bit harsh for August. Things will never be perfect, but so long as the weather is the worst thing I have to complain about, I'll go ahead and say they are.