Carlin Flora's " The Pursuit of Happiness " (Psychology Toady, January 1, 2009) is a very good review, which thoroughly comments all the profound theories in the fields of positive psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics.

By means of everyday common sense, Let us talk it in simple language as follows:

1. Define Happiness

Definition：Obviously, happiness is one of our instincts. That is something like a green traffic light directing us to go towards the goal of our human life. Otherwise, there is no mankind in the world today.

Apparently, instincts are our ancestors' successful experiences saved on DNA 10,000 years ago.

Therefore, by the very common sense, the definition of happiness should be:

"HAPPINESS must be the momentarily feeling of things being A STEP BETTER for keeping our DNA alive.

It includes our love, sense of beauty, SYMBIOSIS (moral, conscience, justice, gratitude, helping others…) bravery….creating….

It is confirming and encouraging. Otherwise, mankind can not survive."

Therefore:

It is a stepbetterrather than "satisfied or contentment" stated in Flora's article.

It istemporarily, and hence "Getting What You Want Doesn't Bring Lasting Happiness" stated in Flora's article.

Scope：Since this instinct is our ancestors' experience 10,000 years ago; naturally, it is valid only when such conditions are met.

Invalids：Today, quite a number of the conditions of 10,000 years ago mentioned above can not be met. Therefore, the happiness we have now in many cases is invalid. That is, it might not be good for our propagation of offspring. Actually, it is not real happiness, but is pain hurting our propagation of offspring.

For examples: happiness due to smoking, marijuana addiction, junk foods... as well asbeing rich.

That is why Flora stated "as a nation we've grown sadder and more anxious during the same years that the happiness movement has flourished."

2. Define Pain

Definition：Obviously, pain also is one of our instincts. By the very common sense, it should be defines as:

"Suffering must be the feeling of things being harmful to propagating our offspring and thus calling us to prevent, rectify or remedy it.

It includes hate, ugliness…any things that go against our propagation of offspring.

It is alarming, correcting, learning, creating, and the impetus of evolution."

Therefore, the anti-happiness force (Jerome Wakefield, Allan Horwitz, Eric Wilson and Russ Harris) is right because there will be much less progress, creation and evolution if people have only happiness without pain.

In this sense, pain is the mother of happiness.

4. Adaptation for Going Further

By the definition of happiness stated above, happiness must only be temporarily; else human will not make progress and can not reach the ultimate goal of propagation of offspring.

That is why happiness from a lottery does not last long and suffering from misfortune merely a bit longer.

5. One CPU

It is the very common sense for computer users, if a useful program occupies all the CPU, then there leaves no space for other programs to run.

By everyday common sense, apparently, our brain works in the same way. If a job benefits the propagation of offspring, no matter how is its importance, once started, it will expel, in a certain time interval, all other programs including that of negative feelings.

This is why mindfulness makes us happy.

5. Origin of Gratitude

Naturally, by common sense, gratitude is our instinct of symbiosis; otherwise, our ancestors could not have survived in the severe environment against the wild animals.

This is why we can not live well without our friends (symbionts).

Conclusion

We should pursue the goal of our life (propagation of offspring) rather than merely the happiness (green traffic light). Our brain has only one CPU. Symbiosis is our instinct.

References:#1. W. Ying,articlesbasee.com, "Happy Life, Instincts, Wisdom, and Human Computer System."  #2.ibid, "Valid Happiness, Instinct and Wisdom."  #3.ibid, " Competing Instinct-Blindly or Instinct-Wisely?" #4.ibid, " Happy Life, Depression and Suicide Are Managed by Instinct plus Wisdom "   #5.ibid, " Happy Life Needs Optimal Points for Everything."

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