Happiness is the side effect of accomplishing my goals, but trying to seek it specifically has never worked. Perhaps “excitement” is not the word I would use, but my chief motivation to continue working on the things I do is to meet interesting people, understand how intelligence works, and make myself more intelligent.
Along these lines, don’t the studies in your (OP’s) Note 16 (to the effect that happiness is largely heritable and “unmoved by external factors”) suggest that efforts to improve happiness are largely futile?
From the Lykken & Tellegen study:
“Happiness or subjective wellbeing was measured on a birth-record based sample of several thousand middle-aged twins using the Well Being (WB) scale of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ). Neither socioeconomic status (SES), educational attainment, family income, marital status, nor an indicant of religious commitment could account for more than about 3% of the variance in WB. From 44% to 53% of the variance in WB, however, is associated with genetic variation. Based on the retest of smaller samples of twins after intervals of 4.5 and 10 years, we estimate that the heritability of the stable component of subjective wellbeing approaches 80%.” (Emphasis mine)
Genes might explain the variation in well being via behavioral or attitudinal effects. Since lukeprog’s recommendations largely concern ways to modify our behavior and attitudes, there is no inherent contradiction with the genetic research. Behavior and attitudes might be crucial even if heritability % were in the high 90s.
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Tim Ferriss says seeking happiness is vague and foolhardy, and you should instead seek excitement.
I think the usefulness of that advice depends on how much you like excitement.
There is quite a bit of truth to this statement. I’ve added a disclaimer to the original post, toward the end.
Do you agree?
Happiness is the side effect of accomplishing my goals, but trying to seek it specifically has never worked. Perhaps “excitement” is not the word I would use, but my chief motivation to continue working on the things I do is to meet interesting people, understand how intelligence works, and make myself more intelligent.
I don’t think this is post about seeking happiness so much as it is opening oneself up to happiness, but yours is a worthwhile point as well.
Along these lines, don’t the studies in your (OP’s) Note 16 (to the effect that happiness is largely heritable and “unmoved by external factors”) suggest that efforts to improve happiness are largely futile?
From the Lykken & Tellegen study:
“Happiness or subjective wellbeing was measured on a birth-record based sample of several thousand middle-aged twins using the Well Being (WB) scale of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ). Neither socioeconomic status (SES), educational attainment, family income, marital status, nor an indicant of religious commitment could account for more than about 3% of the variance in WB. From 44% to 53% of the variance in WB, however, is associated with genetic variation. Based on the retest of smaller samples of twins after intervals of 4.5 and 10 years, we estimate that the heritability of the stable component of subjective wellbeing approaches 80%.” (Emphasis mine)
“Highly heritable” does not mean “immutable”.
Genes might explain the variation in well being via behavioral or attitudinal effects. Since lukeprog’s recommendations largely concern ways to modify our behavior and attitudes, there is no inherent contradiction with the genetic research. Behavior and attitudes might be crucial even if heritability % were in the high 90s.
By the way, for formatting help on lesswrong, click on the help button at the bottom-right of the comment box.