Customer Reviews

The Happiness Myth: The Historical Antidote to What Isn't Working Today

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Historian, poet and philosopher, Jennifer Michael Hecht has written expansively on the history of doubt and examined atheism in the context of anthropology in late nineteenth and early twentieth century France. This skeptical theme continues with "The Happiness Myth: Why What We Think Is Right Is Wrong", as Hecht takes a long view of the subject to show that "the basic modern assumptions about how to be happy are nonsense."

What are those assumptions? In the chapter on drugs, Hecht reminds us of the widespread use of opiates to treat even the most common of maladies and asks us reconsider the benefits of mood-altering drugs, cautioning, of course, against debilitating addiction. Money, though not a guarantor of happiness, nonetheless stimulates shopping and the gathering of shoppers into malls so that it becomes the "central public pleasure" where we "communicate with each other in the symbolic associational meanings of our ever shifting wardrobes and possessions." Our "cult of the body" Hecht dismisses by observing that "in the context of most of human history, our idea that a good life includes a lot of physical exercise is bizarre." Some people might dismiss the public fascination with dead or missing females such as Princess Diana or Elizabeth Smart as obscene or exploitative, but Hecht, harkening back to the Demeter myth in ancient Greek festivals, counters that because of the lack of regular, public displays of mourning, "People show their mutual grief because they have mutual grief; they show it in these eruptions when there are insufficient ways to show it scheduled into the regular calendar."

Hecht's prescriptions for happiness extend from the "core, classic wisdom" which includes self-knowledge, moderation of desires, awareness of ones own worth, and an appreciation for mortality. Her practical advice, however, seems to center around trying new things and greater involvement in community and with others.

"The Happiness Myth" ranges widely not only in pursuit of happiness, recalling not only classic philosophers and great humanist thinkers, but also exposes ephemeral, past attempts at happiness by characters like John Harvey Kellogg and fads such as "fletcherizing". This long view allows for a refreshing perspective on our own cultural times and asks us to question whether the goods offered to us to make us happy really do so.

For all its wit, erudition and skepticism, "The Happiness Myth" barely stops to question the worth of the pursuit itself or the many, varied levels of happiness, which Hecht simply defines as "feeling good." I have felt good and not been happy, and I have been happy and not felt good. True happiness, for a fully moral and responsible individual, might include actions and states of being which include pain and suffering, but are nonetheless consistent within the ethical framework and self-idealization of the individual. Conversely, to indulge in happiness at the expense of ones most aspired self must, in the long run, bring conflict and dissatisfaction. But perhaps that is a discussion for Hecht's next book.

On the good side, Hecht is an excellent writer and has an entertaining way of mixing "high" and "low" culture. She has interesting - and for this reader, novel - things to say on several of the subjects. In particular, for me, her section on drugs was very interesting.

So why only 2 stars?
Frankly, I found this book very painful in various ways. There are many ways of approaching the subject of happiness. Instead of examining any one of the ways of looking at this question in depth, Hecht skims the surface.

This is particularly evident in the way that she handles the modern scientific studies of happiness. It's fine to criticize these studies and it's fine to ignore them (depending on context). Instead, Hecht just "sort of" engages with the studies. In the chapter on Money, she references the large body of work indicating that past a certain point, more money does not equal more happiness. Then, she argues that this is wrong. OK, I'm with her... but she just launches some cheap, small attacks on a small number of the studies. Then she uses "common sense" arguments to imply that the studies are wrong.

Well, the "big deal" with these studies is that our commonsense ideas about happiness are wrong. But Hecht doesn't seem to want to really grapple with these studies - she wants to mention them and just then dismiss them. It's not real intellectual argumentation.

Similarly, she bizarrely writes at length about how the links between diet and cancer now seem very weak. Well, what about heart disease (the leading killer in the USA of men)? Here, the links seem much, much stronger. So maybe diet matters... but wait a minute, how did we get to discussing this instead of the larger idea of how health and happiness are linked (to what extent, in what ways...)? There are a lot of digressions in this book, and I didn't find them very helpful usually.

So, in the end, I give it two stars because the rigor is just lacking. It's just not a clear-minded or sober examination of the issues. The arguments seem weak (last example: criticizing the concept of hedonic treadmill by talking about food consumption - what a ridiculous comparison - we need food to survive, but I sure don't need to get a better automobile to survive to next year...).

There is a lot to say from the perspective that Hecht brings, but she doesn't seem to want to honestly "get into it".

So... I'd recommend:
"Happiness" by Layard and "Stumbling on Happiness" by Gilbert. To my mind, these books make a strong argument that the "let's just reason about happiness" approach has deep problems.

Upon a superficial, incomplete, or dogmatic reading of this book, it's easy to dismiss it as yet another issuance of the NY-chattering class. Indeed, its colloquial style, the quick traversals from end-to-end of various facets concepts related the happiness, and the brief pondering of the center (read: moderation) from the left on several issues concerning happiness, make for as many reasons to discount this book.

However, should you look for a concise history of our take on happiness, and in effect how happiness is often a rather socially constructed path to whatever ends, then you'll be drawn into reading this book with great interest. Jennifer Michael Hecht (JMH) lines up many a view on happiness round concepts such a s wisdom, drugs, money, bodies, and celebration, from the ancient times to contemporaneity. Along the book, JMF hints only briefly at what might be viewed as her views/position on the above concepts. Some of the post-modern tools (e.g. irony) may even get in the way of any constructivist path to happiness, but this is just a sign of the times and intellectual debts of the author. Be patient though for the [C]onclusion chapter, titled "The Triumph of Experience" shows JMF's share of wisdom about happiness, which I dare summarize as moderation in experience. At a different level, the author seems to indicate that happiness and truth go hand in hand, and even though we may not learn the truth we should definitely be skeptical about the abounding lies that make some happy for a while. In other words, enduring happiness is rather the effect of wisdom.

Those seeking a new religion (of happiness, that is), some self-help bullet-point list to happiness, or a survey of the scientific literature on happiness (those studies revealing the increase of some hormone in 10 mice under whatever lab-conditions), and especially those with preconceived ideas on happiness, will be in for a huge disappointment for the author does little to programmatically meet such expectations.

All in all, a must read/have book. For the initiated reader (in Stoicism, say), this book is a healthy desert. For the open minded one, this may well be the first step to lasting happiness.

This book was just what I had been searching for. JMH breathes new life into classic historical and philosophical views on the cultural roles that influence the perceived happiness(es) of our time. At times, she is as insightful as a 21st century Emerson. Yes, I made the comparison. This book deserves it. A recommended read for anyone in the continuous process of sculpting their personal life philosophies. Insightful and modern views on age old discussions.

First the bad: I'll be honest, I skipped quite a few pages in this book. I don't think this qualifies as great writing, although it is passable. It was too verbose, too convoluted, and too repetitive. In my opinion, good writing is clear and simple. This book could have been a great book with a much better editor. Now for the good: I still gave the book three stars though, and I do think it is worth reading (or at least skimming), because of the argument she makes. It is truly paradigm shifting to contemplate the extent to which our current attitudes about everything from breakfast cereal to excercise to sex are a product of our current culture. She really gives credence to the argument that we should care quite a bit less about what other people or "society" thinks, and quite a bit more about what makes us, personally, happy.

Jennifer Michael-Hecht's book is a pleasure to read and is a great stimulus for discussion. Her research is far-ranging and expertly synthesized giving the reader insights into different eras and varied cultures without the usual wordiness and ponderousness of so much modern scholarship.
She reaches some surprising conclusions that are nothing short of fascinating. For example, money can (to some degree) buy happiness. Intuitively we all know this to be true. If put to its proper use, money can make our lives easier, and money can allow us to spend more time doing the things we treasure. Of course, money isn't a requirement for happiness, but it can be a tool for contentment. Also, letting one's hair down on occasion is liberating and exciting. Hecht mysteriously avoids drawing too many conclusions with this insight. I suspect she sees some forms of deviancy as good fun and harmless as long as the significant other is comfortable with the situation. I would have loved more of her analysis on this topic.
Hecht's treatment of drugs and alcohol is intriguing. She seems to advocate narcotics as a means to an end, and she doesn't make any value judgments on those who wish to partake. Is this a blanket approval of engaging in such illicit activities? Ah...once again the clever professor decided not to reveal her own personal conclusions. Rather, she lays out the case and leaves it for the reader to decide.
Hecht's writing is witty and engaging. I'd love to see her on C-Span's Book TV talking about her writings.

This is one of those books that provides lots of "I didn't know that" moments for the reader. I have read a great deal of the literature on 'happiness' and I found Hecht's book to be a delightfully contrarian, iconoclastic challenge to much of the orthodoxy about happiness and how we get it. But I don't want to make it sound heavy or challenging, rather she writes very much from the heart, with a little ironic humour on the side, but always buttressing her insightful points with relevant data and references. And the funny thing is: despite the title, the book is curiously uplifting and will bring enough smiles to your face to leave you feeling a little bit happier.

About: The history of happiness (includes things such as wisdom, drugs, money, eating, sex and celebration)

Pros: Wonderfully written, some of the best sentences and one-liners I have ever read. Great look about how humans and what they consider good, bad, happy and sad were changed over time.

Cons: More a knock at me than the book is that it is a history book, not a happiness book, and I sometimes found myself slogging through parts, kind of bored and overloaded with history.

Grade: Two grades: B- for the process of reading the book as I was bored at times. A for the book itself as I have not read anything like it. If you are a history lover, check it out.

The title may sound depressing -- but this is a spiritually eye-opening book that you'll find yourself discussing with friends until, at some point, they'll say: "OK, stop talking about that book -- or loan me your copy."

Hecht is the author of the earlier, "Doubt: A History," which I also strongly recommend. Her books are mesmerizing examinations of how so many common elements in our culture carry deep spiritual meanings. That's true in both positive and negative ways.

There are a whole lot of books on the market promising tips to happiness and, you'll come away from this book a whole lot wiser about this idealized myth we all seem to be chasing -- but this isn't a "how to" book. This is one of those rare "how to think about" books.

At 368 pages, this is a fairly hefty book for most small groups to tackle. We tend to like short, breezy reads, don't we? But, I would strongly recommend this for group discussion. You won't have to work hard to get people talking with this one!

Jennifer Hecht is brilliant. That said, her book, "DOUBT: A History," is even better than "HAPPINESS." In "HAPPINESS" she examines thoroughly the concept in every type of setting and philosophy to give any reader much to reexamine about what happiness is, does, and could mean. In my life and books I realized that happiness often revolves on what I call, Unfullfilled Unrealistic Expectations. Too often we have expectations that we have little control over, but that we think we do. When these unrealistic expectations do not happen (or to the degree we believe they should), we are disappointed, frustrated, or angry. Most people then blame others, events, or organizations that either don't know or don't care about our expectations. So, instead of basing our happiness on what is possible (for us depending on our abilities and real control), we place ourselves in scenarios that are doomed to failure. Hecht helps us look at the issue more clearly. Dr. Rose
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