Blissful peak experiences – as Strindberg knew and Parducci (1968) showed – not only have a self-eliminating quality, they also make ordinary pleasures feel worse. Lyubomirsky’s recommendations, as those of most other working psychologists, target moderately positive emotions, and there is some wisdom in that. Developing happiness-supporting habits (e.g., spending more time with friends or in nature being grateful for the good things in life), people can nudge themselves to higher plateaus of happiness. The remaining 40% are open to intervention. In her first book, The how of happiness (2007), she concluded from the evidence that much of individual differences in happiness (~50%) depends on genetic variation, whereas very little (~10%) depends on changing circumstances (e.g., getting a promotion). In many scholarly papers and 2 popular books she has shown paths toward achieving and sustaining greater happiness. Psychologists of the positive persuasion continue to challenge the Strindberg-Gilbert hypothesis, and Sonja Lyubomirsky is among the most dedicated.
Happiness is at best a state of mind that you may stumble on, as one noted Harvard professor put it (Gilbert, 2005). Yet, the evidence they themselves have collected, tends to corroborate his gloominess. From time to time, and massively so over the last 15 years, psychologists have tried to disprove Strindberg. More, Strindberg asserted that knowledge of happiness’s fleetingness makes it even more fleeting. He, like many others, knew that happiness is ephemeral. It cannot burn forever, it must go out, and the presentiment of its end destroys it at its very peak.įamously morose ( The dance of death) August Strindberg was an astute observer of the human scene.
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