The Elephant Never Forget
My happiness comes from something I hold dear to me. I have carried this with me my entire life, even when I did not know I had it. Sometimes I might misplace it, but with a little help from others I am able to find it. On occasion it makes me sad, angry, or frustrated but more than often it makes me excited, cheerful, and happy. Any guesses? No, it is not the blanket I was wrapped in at birth. In fact, it is not something that can be held. It is something inside of myself: my memory. The memories I create through experiences with people, places, and things are more valued than anything else in my life. Vacations with my family, walking through the streets in Syria, even seeing the smiles on peoples’ faces will always be cherished in my memory. I may tend to forget memories but they are never totally lost. …show more content…
In chapter 5 of The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt discusses how wealth does not have a substantial impact on happiness. The results in Ed Diener’s survey did show a slight difference in happiness between the rich and the poor, but it was almost insignificant. However, the study performed by psychologists Leaf van Boven and Tom Gilovich proved otherwise. In their experiment, half the group was asked to recall a time when they spent over a hundred dollars on a material possession whereas the other group was asked to pick an experience or activity they had spent over a hundred dollars on. The group that chose the activity or experience seemed happier with what they paid for than those who chose the possession. The psychologists concluded, “Experiences give more happiness because they have greater social value” and, “Activities connect us to others; objects often separate us” (Haidt 100). Happiness does not come from materials; it comes from interactions with others. I learned this in my first day at Preschool at St. Luke’s Elementary
My happiness comes from something I hold dear to me. I have carried this with me my entire life, even when I did not know I had it. Sometimes I might misplace it, but with a little help from others I am able to find it. On occasion it makes me sad, angry, or frustrated but more than often it makes me excited, cheerful, and happy. Any guesses? No, it is not the blanket I was wrapped in at birth. In fact, it is not something that can be held. It is something inside of myself: my memory. The memories I create through experiences with people, places, and things are more valued than anything else in my life. Vacations with my family, walking through the streets in Syria, even seeing the smiles on peoples’ faces will always be cherished in my memory. I may tend to forget memories but they are never totally lost. …show more content…
In chapter 5 of The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt discusses how wealth does not have a substantial impact on happiness. The results in Ed Diener’s survey did show a slight difference in happiness between the rich and the poor, but it was almost insignificant. However, the study performed by psychologists Leaf van Boven and Tom Gilovich proved otherwise. In their experiment, half the group was asked to recall a time when they spent over a hundred dollars on a material possession whereas the other group was asked to pick an experience or activity they had spent over a hundred dollars on. The group that chose the activity or experience seemed happier with what they paid for than those who chose the possession. The psychologists concluded, “Experiences give more happiness because they have greater social value” and, “Activities connect us to others; objects often separate us” (Haidt 100). Happiness does not come from materials; it comes from interactions with others. I learned this in my first day at Preschool at St. Luke’s Elementary